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HISTORY 






JEFFERSON COUNTY 



PENNSYLVANIA 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 
OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS 



EDITED BY 



KATE M. SCOTT 



SYRACUSE, N. Y. 
D. MASON & CO., PUBLISHERS 



PRESS OF D. MASON & CO. 

63 WEST WATER ST., 

SYRACUSE, N. Y. 



••7 






' ''1 •". 



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INTRODUCTION. 



WHILE it may seem to the uninitiated a task involving but little difficulty to 
prepare for publication a work no more comprehensive in character than 
this volume, and containing the history merely of a single county, still it is not 
out of place here to assure all such readers that the work is one demanding a 
vast amount of labor and research, watchful care, untiring patience, and great 
discrimination. This need not be said to any person who has had experience 
in similar work. In attempting the production of a creditable history of Jeffer- 
son county, the pubhshers and the editor did not under-estimate the difificulties 
of their task, and came to it fully imbued with a clear idea of its magnitude, 
and a determination to execute it in such a manner that it should receive the 
commendation of all into whose hands it should fall. It is belived that this 
purpose has been substantially carried out, and that, while a perfect historical 
work has never yet been published, this one will be found to contain so few 
imperfections that the most critical reader will be satisfied. 

It has been a part of the plans of the editor in the production of this history 
to secure, as far as possible, assistance from parties resident in various parts of 
the county, either as writers, or in the revision of all manuscripts ; the conse- 
quence being that the work bears a local character which could not otherwise 
be secured. In carrying out this plan, the editor has been tendered such gen- 
erous co-operation and assistance of various kinds, that to merely mention all 
who have thus aided is impossible; the satisfaction of having assisted in the 
production of a commendable public enterprise must be their present reward. 



Introduction. 



Those who have aided and encouraged in this work have been ahnost 
" legion ;" and to all such the writer extends her grateful tlianks, and hopes 
her efforts to present a truthful history will not prove fruitless, but that it may 
be a mile-stone of events reared upon our country's century course, and read 
by our youth and posterity with such profit that they, by their true patriotism, 
industry and frugality, may be enabled to add as worthy a record of their day 
and generation as the fathers of the county have here transcribed. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER L 
EARLY HISTORY. 



Beginning of the History— Formation of tlie County — Situation and Boundaries — E.xtent 

in Square Miles and Acres 13 

CHAPTER n. 

NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS. 

General Ctiaracter of the Country— Elevation of Dififerent Localities— General Topography 
— Water System and Drainage — Forests and Their Character — The Flora — Animals 
and Fish — Geology — Natural Curiosities 16 

CHAPTER HI. 

INDIAN OCCUPATION. 

Improbability of More than Temporary Occupation by the Indians — Pun.xsutawney, an 
Indian Town— Origin of the Name — Legends of Captain Brady, the Great Indian 
Fighter — Captain Hunt and .Jim Hunt 24 

CHAPTER IV. 

EARLY SETTLERS. 

Joseph Barnelt, the Pioneer of Jefferson County— The Arrival of the First White Men- 
Building of the First Saw-Mill — Death of Andrew Barnett- The Lone Grave on 
Mill Creek— The Barnett Family — More Settlers Come into the Wilds— Recollections 
of Mrs. Sarah Graham 30 

CHAPTER V. 

EARLY INCIDENTS. 

Pioneer Incidents— Early Rafting on the Mahoning and Little Toby — Hunting Wolves, 

Bears, Panthers, etc 44 



Contents. 



CHAPTER VI. 

EARLY SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 

The First Old Log School-House — Primitive Education — The First Schools in Pine Creek 
and Perry Townships — Schools of Ye Olden Time — The Presbyterians the First to 
Sow the Good Seed in Jefferson County — Reverend McGarragh the Pioneer Minister 
— The First Church in the County — The First Marriages — The Early Baptist Church 
— The First Coming of the Seceders — The Planting of Methodism in the County — 
Early Ministry of Reverend George Reeser 53 

CHAPTER VII. 

FROM 1807 TO 1830. 

F rst Assessments and Elections — First Roads — Population — Statistics of Agriculture — 

Commerce and Manufactures 61 

CHAPTER VIII. 

FROM 1830 TO 1860. 

The Lumber Trade — Progress in Agriculture — Growth of Settlements — The First Public 

Buildings — The First Newspaper — Agricultural and Manufacturing Statistics 67, 

CHAPTER IX. 

FROM 1860 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 

Tornadoes — Floods — Railroads — The Rebellion — Murder of Betty McDonald — General 

Improvements — Statistics of Agriculture — Manufactures — Commerce, Etc 71 

CHAPTER X. . 

POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST. 

Votes Cast for President and Governor at the Difierent Elections, 1832-1886 — Names of all 
Persons Holding Office in the County or Representing the County in the United States 
Congress or in the State Legislature, 1814-18S6 — Present Officials of the County — 
Summary of Acts of the Legislature Passed for Jefferson County 78 

CHAPTER XI. 

POST-OFFICES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

Early Mail FaciUties — First Post-Offices in the County — Names of Offices — When Estab- 
lished — Names of Postmasters — First Mail Route — Oldest Postmasters — A Quarter of 
of a Century in Charge of a Post-Office 90 



Contents. 



CHAPTER XII. 

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

Progress of Education Previous to t'.ie Introduction of tlie Common Schools — State Aid 
--County Superintendents — Schools Under the Coramon School Law —Township 
Institutes — Academios and Select Schools 96 

CHAPTER XIII. 

COUNTY SEAT AND COUNTY BUILDINGS. 

■County Seat Established — Lots Donated for Public Buildings — First Court- House and 
Jail Erected — Erection of the Academy — Buildina; of Present Jail — Erection of 
New Court-House — Dedicaticn of Court-House — Address of Judge Campbell 107 

CHAPTER XIV. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION. 

The Call to Arms — Prompt Response from JefFer.son County — The First Companies — 
Three Months Campaign — The Brady Guards — Company K, Eleventh Pennsylvania 
Reserve Corps — Death of Captain Brady — Company I, Si.xty-second Regiment — 
Death of Captain Little — Muster Rolls 113 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT. 

The Wild Cat Regiment— Battle of Fair Oaks — The First Blood of Jefferson County 
Soldiers Shed — Death of Captain Dowling — The Peninsular Campaign — Battles 
of Fredericksburg, Chanoellorsville, Gettysburg — Death of Colonel MoKnight — The 
Wilderness Campaign — Fall of Captain Clyde — Re-enlistment of the Regiment — 
Death of Major Conser — Seeing the End — Muster Out 134 

CHAPTER XV— Continued. 

MISCELLANEOUS MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS. 

■Company I, Sixty-seventh Regiment — Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regi- 
ment — Companies B and I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment — Death of 
Lieutenant Maguire — Company B, Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment — Death 
of Lieutenant Colonel McLain — Company C, Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment — 
Muster Rolls 1C6 

CHAPTER XVI. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY MEN IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

'The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry— Sufferings of our Soldiers in Rebel Prisons— Company 
K, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry — Berdan's Sharpshooters — Eighteenth United 
States Infantry — Miscellaneous — United States Colored Troops — Emergency Men. . 189 



Contents. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

THE DRAFT AND THE RELIEF FUND. 

The First Draft in Jeftersou County — The Enrollment Under the State Call — The Quota 
Filled — Organization of the Provost- Marshal General's Bureau — The Enrollment 
Board — Quotas Under the Different Drafts — Lists of the Lucky Ones — Drafted 
Men in the Eighty-second Pennsylvania Regiment — The Relief Fund in Jefferson 
County ■ — Aiding the Familie.'! of the Soldiers 200 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

The Grand Army of the RepubUc, First OrganiEed — The First Post in Jefferson County 

— Amor A. McKnight Post — E. R. Brady Post — E. H. Little Post — John C. Conser 
Post — John C. Dowiing Post — Jefferson Post — D. S. Porter Post — The Sons of 
Veterans — The Woman's Relief Corps — The Soldiers' Orphan School — The Little 
Orphans and the Governor — The Wards of the State Provided For — Jefferson 
County Soldiers' Orphans — Number of United States Pensioners in Jefferson County 

— Amount Paid in Pensions 2 15 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE PRESS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The First Paper Started in the County — .John J. Y. Thompson the First Editor — The 
Jeffersonian Democrat — The Brookville Republican of Fifty Years Ago — The Back- 
woodsman — The Jeffersonian — The Jefferson Star — The Republican — The Graphic 

— The Democrat — The Newspapers of Punxsutawney — Journalism in Reynoldsville 

— The Brockwayville Record — The Newspaper of Fifty-five Years Ago Compared 
with that of To-day — Veteran Editors 228 

CHAPTER XX. 

THE CHURCHES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The Presbyterian Church First Gains a Foot-hold in the County — The Old Bethel Church 
— The Pioneer Preachers — The Different Congregations — The Membership, Statistics, 
and Incidents — The Associate Reformed Church — The Early Pastors and [People 

— The United Presbyterian Church — The Organizations at Brookville and Jefferson 

— The Churches at Beaver Run and the Beech Woods — The Cumberland Presby- 
terian Church — Jefferson Congregation — The Other Organizations — Church Edifices 
and Membership 236 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE CHURCHES IN JEFFERSON COVKTY— Continued. 

The Baptist Churches — Dr. Nichols the Pioneer Baptist — The Evangelical Association 
Next Proclaim the Word of God in the County — The Lutheran Churches at Brookville 



Contents. 



— St. .Johns and St. Michael.<! — The Episcopal Church of the Intercessor — The United 
Brethren in Christ — il. E. Sterner the Founder of the Church in Jefferson Countj' — 
The Early and Present Pastors of these Denominations — Struggles and EfiForts to 
Establish the Different Churches — Membership — Statistics 27*5 

CHAPTER XXII. 
THE CRURCHEB— Continued. 

The Catholic Church — John Dougherty the Pioneer of the Catholic Faith in the County 

— The Coming of Belgian and German Families — The Early Priest — Building of the 
First Church in Brookville — The Fiscus Church — St. Ann's Academy — Building of 
the New Church at Brookville — Parochial School and Residence. — The Reynoldsville 
Church — The New Church at Punxsutawney — Membership — Societies — Statistics. 293 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

BANKIXa INSTITUTIONS. 

The First National Bank of Brookville — The Brookville Bank — Banking House of 
William F. Clark & Son — The Jefferson County National Bank — Bank of I. C. 
Fuller — The National Bank of Brookville — Mahoning Bank at Punxsutawney — 
The First National Bank of Punxsutawney — Capital, Officers and Directors of the 
Different Banking Institutions of the County 304 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

SECRET SOCIETIES. 

The Masonic Order in Jefferson County — Hobah Lodge — John W. Jenks Lodge — 
Jefferson Chapter — The Independent Order of Odd Fellow.s — Different Lodges in 
the County — The Knights of Pythias — Different Organizations of the Order — 
Patriotic Sons of America — The Patrons of Husbandry — The Granges in Jefferson 
County — Membership — Finances, etc 309 

CHAPTER XXV. 

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 

The First Fair in the County — Mountain Park —Organization of the Jefferson County Ag- 
ricultural Society — Officers — Buildings and Grounds — Receipts and Expenditures .... 324 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE TEMPERANCE WORK. 

The Early Temperance Work in Jefferson County — The First Workers for the Cause — The 
Good Templars— Prohibition — The Temperance Alliance — The Murphy Movement — 
The Work of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union 326 



Contents. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

LAND WARRANTS AND TITLES. 

The Last Purchase from the Indians — Acts of the Legislature of 1785 and 1792, regulat- 
ing the Sale of Lands in Pennsylvania — Original Warrants in the Several Townships 
of Jefferson County — Leniency Shown to Early Settlers 330 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE BENCH AND BAR. 

The First Court held in Jefferson Colnty — The Early Lawyers — The Pioneers, whose Fame 
yet Survives — The Patriotism of the Bar — Members who have Risen to Eminence — 
The Bar Represented in the Councils of the State, in the Halls of Congress and on the 
Supreme Bench^The Eminent Dead — Resident Members 339 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 366 

CHAPTER XXX. 

THE LUMBER TRADE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The Magnificent Forests of Timber that Have Fallen Before the Lumberman's Ax — The 
Production of the Red Bank Valley — The Red Bank Navigation Company — The 
Mahoning Navigation Company — Statistics of Lumber Produced 400 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

RAILROADS AND COAL. 

The Allegheny Valley Railroad — Bonds of Jefferson County — Building of Low Grade Di- 
vision — History of the Road in the County — Statement of Business for 1886 — The 
Rochester and Pittsburgh Road — The Toby Branch — The Reynoldsville and Falls 
Creek Road — Coal Production in Jefferson County — The Wallston Mines — The Clarion 
Mines — The Beenhtree Mines — Statistics of the Coal Trade 404- 

CHAPTER XXXII. 
HISTORY OF BROOKVILLE 413 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

HISTORY OF PINE CREEK TOWNSHIP 476 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 
HISTORY OF PERRY TOWNSHIP 497 



Contents. 9 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

HISTORY OF YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNBY oOi 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

HISTORY OF RIDGWAY TOWNSHIP 526 

CHAPTER XXXVn. 
HISTORY OF ROSE TOWNSHIP 531 

CHAPTER XXXVHI. 
HISTORY OF BARNETT TOWNSHIP 544 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 
HISTORY OF SNYDER TOWNSHIP 547 

CHAPTER XL. 
HISTORY OF ELDRED TOWNSHIP 555 

CHAPTER XLI. 
HISTORY OF JBNKS AND TIONESTA TOWNSHIPS 561 

CHAPTER XLII. 

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 564 

CHAPTER XLIII. 
HISTORY OF PORTER TOWNSHIP o'^ 

CHAPTER XLIV. 
HISTORY OF CLOVER TOWNSHIP 580 

CHAPTER XLV. 
HISTORY OF GASKILL TOWNSHIP 595 

CHAPTER XLVI. 
HISTORY OF WARSAW TOWNSHIP 598 



lo Contents. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 
HISTORY OF WINSLOW TOWNSHIP 606 

CHAPTER XLVIII. 
HISTORY OF HEATH TOWNSHIP 628 

CHAPTER XLIX. 
HISTORY OF RINGGOLD TOWNSHIP 630 

CHAPTER L. 
HISTORY OF UNION TOWNSHIP 636 

CHAPTER LT 
HISTORY OF BEAYER TOWNSHIP 644 

CHAPTER LH. 
HISTORY OF POLK TOWNSHIP 648 

CHAPTER LHI. 

HISTORY OF OLIVER TOWNSHIP 651 

CHAPTER LIV. 
HISTORY OF KNOX TOWNSHIP 657 

CHAPTER LV. 

HISTORY OF BELL TOWNSHIP 662 

CHAPTER LVI. 
HISTORY OF McCALMONT TOWNSHIP 664 

CHAPTER LVH. 
HISTORY OF HENDERSON TOWNSHIP 667 



Contents. i i 



CHAPTER LVIII. 
BIOGRAPHICAL 672 

BRIEF PERSONALS 720 

INDEX 749 



12 



Contents. 



BIOGRAPHICAL, 



Brady, Andrew Jackson 677 

Brown, Henry 719 

Carrier, A. A. _ _ 691 

Clarke, A. M 703 

Darling, Paul 698 

Dinsmore, M. J 702 

Ferman, Alonzo 688 

Gibson, W. M. B 706 

Gillespie, James Upthegraph 695 

Humphrey, James 705 

Hunter, Samuel A 688 

Jenks, Hon. George A. 678 



Kelso, Capt. Joseph C 698 

Litch, Thomas K. 696 

London, T. B. 710 

Long, Hon. James Elliott 692 

McClure, Alexander M 701 

McGhee, James 672 

McKnight, Hon. W. J., M.D 711 

Reynolds, Thomas, Sr. 682 

Thompson, John Jamison Y 689 

White, Hon. Alexander C 681 

Winslow, Hon. Reuben C _ . 687 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Brady, Andrew Jackson. . ..facing 676 

Brown, Henry 

Carrier, Albert A 

Clarke, Dr. A. M 

Darling, Paul 

Dinsmore, M. J 

Ferman, Alonzo 

Gibson, Dr. W. M. B 

Gordon, Isaac G 

Humphrey, James 

Hunter, S. A 



662 
584 
552 
444 
516 
548 
384 
342 
704 
660 



Jenks, Hon. Geo. A 

Kelso, Captain Joseph C 

Litch, Thomas K 

London, T. B 

Long, Hon. James Elliott 

McClure, A. M 

McGhee, James 

McKnight, Hon. W. J., M.D. 

Matsou, Charles M., M.D 

Reynolds, Thomas, Sr 

White, Hon. Alexander C... 



678 
580 
448 
608 
692 
668 
672 
380 
382 
612 
436 



HISTORY 



OF 



JEFFERSON COUNTY 



CHAPTER I. 

EARLY HISTORY. 

Beginning of tlie History - Formation of the County — Situation and Boun(larie,s^^Htent 
in Square Miles and Acres. Ij^^H 

THE history of Jefferson county really begins in the year 1796, when Joseph 
Barnett, Andrew Barnett, and Samuel Scott first penetrated to the banks 
of the Sandy Lick Creek, and located the first white man's home in the wilder- 
ness. 

Previous to that, but little is known of the territory now comprising the 
county. Lycoming county, from which Jefterson county was taken, was 
formed from Northumberland in 1795. It was part of the purchase of Jands 
by the Proprietary Government at the treaty at Fort Stanwix,i NovemlDer 5, 
1768, then known as the " New Purchase." The terms and boundaries of this 
purchase were as follows : 

"We Tyanhasare, alias Abraham, sachem or chief of the Indian nation 
called the Mohocks ; Senughsis, of the Oneydas ; Chenughiata, of the Onon- 
dagas; Guastarax, of the Senecas ; Sequarisera, of the Tuscaroras ; Tagaaia, 
of the Cayugas, in general council of the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, assem- 
bled for the purpose of settling a general boundary line between the said Six 
Nations and their dependent and confederate tribes, and his Majesty's middle 
colonies send greeting, etc. In consideration of ten thousand pounds, they 
grant to Thomas Penn and Richard Penn all that part of the province of Penn- 



1 Fort Stanwix occupied the present site of Rome, N. Y. 



14 ,. History of Jefferson County. 

sylvania not heretofore purchased of the Indians within the said boundary Hne, 
and beginning in the said boundary line on the east side of the east branch of 
the river Susquehanna, at a .place called Owegy, and running with the said 
boundary line down the said branch on the east side thereof till it comes op- 
posite the mouth of a creek, called by the Indians, Awandac (Tawandee) and 
across the river and up the said creek on the south side thereof, and along the 

range of hills called Burnett's Hills by the English and by the Indians , on 

the north side of them to the head of a creek which runs into the west branch 
of the Susquehanna, which creek is, by the Indians, called Tiadaghton (Pine 
Creek), and down the said creek on the south side thereof, to the west branch 
of the Susquehanna; then crossing the said river and running up the same on 
the south side thereof, the several courses thereof, to the fork of the same 
river, which lies nearest to a place on the river Ohio.i called the Kittanning, 
and from the said fork by a straight line to Kittanning aforesaid, and then down 
the said river Ohio, by the several courses thereof, to where the western bounds 
of the said- province of Pennsylvania cross the same river, and then with the 
said western bounds to the south boundary thereof, and with the south bound- 
ary aforesaid to the east side of the Allegheny hills, and with the said hills on 
the east side of them, to the west line of a tract of land purchased by the said 
proprietors from the Six Nation Indians, and confirmed October 23, 1758, and 
then with the northern bounds of that tract to the river Susquehanna, and 
crossing the river Susquehanna to the northern boundary line of another tract 
of land purchased of the Indians by deed, August 22, 1749, and then with that 
northern boundary line to the river Delaware, at the north side of the mouth 
of a creek called Lechawachsein, then up the said river Delaware on the west 
side thereof to the intersection of it by an east line to be drawn from Owegy 
aforesaid to the said river Delaware, and then with that east line to the begin- 
ning of Owegy aforesaid." 

But the county of Jefferson was not formed for thirty-five years after this 
•-purchase was made, until by an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, to erect 
parts of Lycoming, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties into separate county 
distri cts, this new county was formed and named after the second president 
of tl e United States. The different acts by which the county was formed and 
its bpundaries fixed are as follows: 

"ISec. I. Be it enacted b\- the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in general assembh' met, etc.: That part of 
the county of Lycoming included within the following lines, to- wit : Beginning 
at the northeast corner of Venango- county, and thence east thirty miles (part 
along the line of W'arren county), and thence by a due south line fifteen miles, 
thence a southwesterly course to Sandy Lick Creek, where Hunter's district 

' The Ohio River and iis uibut.-ii ies was lviii>\vn as tlie Ohio River, or, as the French called it, 
■' la Belle Riviere." 

- \'enango county then included that part "f Clarion lying ne.\t to Jefferson countv. 



Early History. 15 



line crosses said creek ; thence south along Hunter's district line, to a point 
twelve miles north of the Canoe-place, on the west branch of the Susquehanna; 
thence by a due west line until it intersects the eastern boundary of Armstrong 
county; thence north along the line of Armstrong and Venango counties, to 
the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby erected into a separate 
county, to be henceforth called Jefferson county. And the place of holding 
the courts of justice shall be fixed by the Legislature at any place, at a distance 
not greater than seven miles from the center of said county which may be the 
most beneficial and convenient for the said county." Passed 26th of March, 
1804. 

By the 13th section of the same act, Jefferson county was annexed to the 
county of Westmoreland, and the jurisdiction of the several courts of the- 
county of Westmoreland, and the authority of the judges thereof, shall e.xtend 
over, and shall operate and be effectual within the county of Jefferson, 

By an act passed the 3d of February, 1806, the commissioners of West- 
moreland county were authorized to act also for Jefferson county. 

By an act passed loth of March, 1806, Jefferson county was attached to 
Indiana county for judicial purposes, etc. 

By an act passed 31st of March, 1806: "Sec. 9. The county of Jefferson 
shall be a separate election district, and the electors thereof shall hold their 
general election at the house now occupied by Joseph Barnett, on Sandy Lick 
Creek, in said county." 

By an act passed the 21st of January, 1824, the qualified voters of Jeffer- 
son county were authorized to elect their own commissioners and auditors, and 
the commissioners to appoint a treasurer; and, in pursuance of said act, the 
voters of Jefferson county, at the October election, 1824, elected John W. 
Jenks county commissioner for one year, John Lucas for two years, and An- 
drew Barnett for three years. These were the first officers elected for Jefferson 
county. In another chapter we will give those elected to the different offices- 
si nee that time. 

By an act of the 8th of April, 1829, the Legislature appointed John Mit- 
chell, of Centre ; Robert Orr, of Armstrong ; and Alexander McCalmont, of 
Venango county, commissioners to locate and fix the site for the seat of justice 
for the county of Jefferson. They met at the house of Joseph Barnett, in Pine 
Creek township, and proceeded to locate the said site on the Susquehanna and 
Waterford turnpike, at the confluence of the Sandy Lick and North P'ork 
creeks, where they form the Red Bank Creek, and gave it the name of " Brook- 
ville." 

The first section of an act of Assembly, passed the Sth day of April, 1S30, 
provides: "That from and after the first day of October then next, the inhab- 
itants of the county of Jefferson shall enjoy all and singular the jurisdictions, 
powers, rights, liberties, and privileges whatsoever within the same, which the 



i6 History of Jefferson County. 

inhabitants of other counties of this State do, may, or ought to enjoy by the 
laws and constitution of this Commonwealth." 

By an act passed the i8th of April, 1843, erecting parts of Jefferson, Mc- 
Kean, and Clearfield counties into a separate county, to be called Elk, Ridgway 
and a part of Snyder township was taken from Jefferson. And by an act 
passed i ith of April, 1848, all that part of Jefferson county lying north of the 
Clarion River was made into a provisional county, to be called Forest, which 
took Tionesta and Jenks, and a portion of Barnett and Heath townships to 
form the same. 

The original boundary lines of Jefferson county inclosed an area of more 
than one thousand square miles, but it now contains, according to the census 
of 1880, an area of six hundred and forty-six square miles, or 413,440 acres. 

The present length of the county is thirty-three miles, and its width twenty- 
five miles. It is divided into thirty-one boroughs and townships, and thirty- 
three election precincts. 

Jefferson county is now in the fourth tier of counties east of the Ohio line, 
and in the third tier south of the New York line, and is bounded by Forest 
and Elk on the north, Clearfield on the east, Indiana on the south, and Arm- 
strong and Clarion on the west. Its south line now runs due west 23-5- miles 
from the Clearfield-Indiana corner; its west line thence due north 287 miles, 
to the Clarion River ; its north line, first up the Clarion River to Elk county, 
then due south one-half mile, then southeast 13! miles, to Clearfield county; 
its east line runs, first southwest 10 miles, then due south 15^ miles, to the 
starting place at the Clearfield-Indiana corner. 



CHAPTER II. 

NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS. 

General Ch:iracter of the Country — Elevation of Different Localitie;; — General To|iosrapby 
— Water System ami Drainage — Forests and Their Character — The Flora — Animals and Fish — 
Geology -Natural Cnriosities. 

<' 'T^HE surface of Jeflerson county is uniformly broken and hilly, every- 
I where occupied by the same rock strata, lying nearly horizontal and 
excavated into valleys and streams in the same style, although one valley is 
not the e.xact counterpart of another, nor the streams of equal size and im- 
portance, yet the type of the topography is the same, wherever we look at it, 
and one part of the county is, in this respect, almost a counterpart of the 
other. 



Natural Characteristics. 17 

" Standing upon any one of the elevated points of the region, the observer 
may see beneath him a broad valley from three hundred to five hundred feet 
deep, and as irregular in its trend and course as its slopes are variable in their 
fall. Here precipitous walls face the stream on both sides ; there a sharp de- 
scent upon the one side is faced by a long, gentle slope upon the other, accord- 
ing as the dips are arranged ; at another place the valley widens under the 
influence of a synclinal and both its slopes are gradual. Numerous ravines, 
some short, some long, some deep, others shallow, debouch into the valley 
from both sides. Uplands, undulating, but of a pretty uniform height, stretch 
away in both directions. No mountain ridges are anywhere visible on the 
horizon. As far as the eye can see, there spreads an elevated table land, broken 
by vales, valleys, and ravines. 

"The height above tide of the upland summits range from 1600' to 1800'. 
They are lowest at the southern end of the county, and highest at the northern 
end, in obedience to a topographical law prevailing throughout western Penn- 
sylvania, that the surface elevations gradually increase in the direction of the 
rising anticlinal axis, i. e., toward the northeast. 

" To this law there is one notable exception in Jefterson county. The south- 
east corner borders on the high table land of the Chestnut Ridge anticlinal, 
whose summits frequently attain an elevation of 2000 ; and some few points 
in Gaskill township rise very nearly to that height; but these points are related 
more closely to the topography of Indiana and Clearfield counties than to that 
of Jefferson, which is in fact a mere continuation of that prevailing throughout 
Clarion, Armstrong, and western Indiana counties. 

" The drainage of Jefferson county is all westward towards the Ohio River, 
through (i) the Clarion River at the north end of the county, (2) Red Bank 
Creek in the center, and (3) Mahoning Creek on the south. Each of these 
streams has its own complex system of tributaries ; each with its own system 
of small branches and branchlets ; and thus the surface of the whole county is 
broken into hills. 

" Although the Clarion and the Mahoning are larger streams, yet as they 
flow on the borders of the county, they are less important to it than the Red 
Bank. 

" Red Bank Creek is the principal stream, as a glance at the map of the 
county will at once show. Its water basin is unsymmetrical on the two sides; a 
much larger part of its drainage coming in from the north than from the south. 
Excepting, indeed, for the Little Sandy branch, its basin on the south side 
would be confined pretty much to the hills which overlook the creek; whereas 
towards the north its far-reaching arms extend to the Elk county line. 

" Red Bank Creek, in the original maps and drafts of Jefferson county, bore 
the name of Sandy Lick, which name is still retained for its main branch, com- 
ing from Clearfield county, along which the Bennett's Branch Railroad is built. 



History of Jefferson County. 



The creek assumes the name of Red Bank at Brookville, where the Sandy 
Lick unites with the North Fork, and both branches carry enough water dur- 
ing floods to run rafts of heavy square timber. 

" Mill Creek, a branch of Sandy Lick, and Little Sandy, before alluded to 
as occupying the southwestern part of the county, are also rafting streams. 

" The volume of water, however, in all these streams, large and small, is ex- 
tremely irregular, varying as it does from stages of high flood, when the larger 
streams are destructive torrents, to stages of almost complete exhaustion during 
the periods of severe drought. This extreme variability is largely the conse- 
quence of the porous and loose condition of the surface rocks, which thus 
copiously yield water so long as they hold it. In 1879, an unexceptional year, 
after a succession of prolonged droughts, there was a dearth of water in all 
parts of the county; the larger streams had barely enough to turn a mill; and 
considerable difficulty was experienced, especially in the upland country, to 
obtain water for the cattle. As a rule, the county is abundantly watered for 
agricultural purposes, and for domestic supply in towns and villages. 

"The Red Bank-Mahoning divide, in the southeast corner of the county, 
crosses from Clearfield afa point nearly due east of Reynoldsville ; thence it 
follows an irregular southwest line around the heads of Elk Run and of the 
Little Sandy. Paradise Settlement stands at the head of it, so does Shamokin, 
Oliveburg, and Frostburg. Porter post-office, at the southwest end of the 
county, marks the top of the divide in that region. 

" The Red Bank-Clarion divide, on the north, enters Jefferson county south 
of Lane's Grove, where one branch of Rattlesnake Run takes its rise ; after 
passing Brockwayville, the water-shed is forced almost to the edge of the 
Little Toby valley, as will be seen by an examination of the county map ; 
along with the last-named stream, it passes into Elk county, where, curving 
about the heads of the North P"ork (Red Bank system), it returns again to 
Jefferson county, whence closely skirting the Clarion River, it runs southwest 
to Sigel ; there it turns sharply about, and next sweeps around the head of 
Big Mill Creek, extending thence south to within a few miles of the Red Bank 
valley. It therefore describes a semi-circle in northern Jefferson, stretching 
from one side of the county to the other."' 

The Forests. — The forests of Jefferson county contain a great variety of 
trees, the principal of which are white and yellow pine, hemlock, white, red, 
and black oak, chestnut, sugar, maple, beech, hickory, elm, cherry, ash, and 
birch. 

The rock areas of the northern part of the county contained the most val- 
uable pine and hemlock, while the farming lands in the southern part of the 
county were originally covered with oak, chestnut, sugar, maple, beech, and 
hickory. The greater part of the valuable pine and hemlock has been cut off, 

1 Report H. 6, Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. 



Natural Characteristics. 19 

though there is still a considerable quantity of marketable timber left. Where 
these forests have been cleared oft", a new growth of hard woods generally have 
taken their place, though in some instances where the pine and hemlock has 
been cut down, birch and cherry have taken their places, and again white oak 
succeeds the pine and hemlock, while the latter sometimes again grow upon 
the cut lands. 

The Flora. — The flora of Jefferson county is both rich and varied ; indeed 
no section of the country produces more beautiful or sweeter flowers. The 
sweet trailing arbutus, so much quoted in song and story, is found in great 
perfection and profusion in our woods, and before the snow has all gone from 
the ravines, parties are out searching for these little spring beauties, who hide 
their loveliness under the leaves and pine needles — arbutus parties being one 
of the features of the early spring time. Then we have several varieties of 
viola, anemones, cerulia, May-flowers, field daisies, ox-eye daisies, lady slipper, 
wild columbine, the brilliant mountain pink, wake robin, wild roses, eglantine, 
hawthorn, dogwood. Wild azaleas grow in profusion, two varieties being 
found. In the fields are found magnificent lilies, while the pride of the woods 
is the brilliant laurel, and the lovely rhododendron, which in season are 
nowhere found in greater profusion or more rich in coloring. In the depths of 
the woods the most beautiful mosses and ferns are found, from the delicate 
maiden-hair to the large, coarse-leaved bracken, and two varieties of trailing 
moss. Thus they succeed one another, gaining in brilliancy of coloring, from 
the time when the early violets and arbutus burst the bonds of winter's ice, 
until the stately golden-rod succumbs to the late autumn frosts. The woods 
are one poem of beauty from the time the first green leaves appear until they 
are all ablaze and aglow with their gay autumn dress of gold, crimson, scar- 
let, bronze — all the most brilliant colorings of the rainbow, toned down by 
the everlasting green of the pine and hemlock. 

Animals. — The original animals found in these forests comprised the elk, 
deer, black bear, wolf, fox, beaver, panther, wild cat, otter, mink, martin, lynx, 
muskrat, raccoon, skunk. These animals were all once very numerous, but 
some of them have entirely disappeared. The Indians had almost extermi- 
nated the beaver before the white settlers came, but their many " dams " in 
different localities showed that they had once been numerous. The noble elk 
was one of the first to flee before the advance of civilization, though they 
were occasionally found in our northern forests as late as 1850. In the wilder 
sections of the county deer and bears are yet quite numerous, more so of late 
years, since the enactment of the present game laws, which has in a great 
measure abated the wanton destruction of game. The wolf, once the terror of. 
the farm-yard and sheep-fold, has almost entirely disappeared, but the wild cat 
is still found in the rocky fastnesses of the forests, and sometimes ventures al- 
most into the haunts of civilization. Not more than a year ago a very large 



20 History of Jefferson County. 

one was killed in "Dark Hollow," on the North Fork, almost inside the borough 
limits of Brookville, by Master Frank Kimball, a youth of thirteen years, who, 
with the aid of a small dog and his revolver, killed the savage beast and se- 
cured the bounty from the county commissioners for its scalp. The small 
game, such as black, graj% and red squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, partridges, etc., 
are still plentiful. The wild turkey has about disappeared. 

Fish. — All the fish native to fresh water streams have been found in the 
waters of this county, the mountain streams especially producing the beautiful 
speckled trout in great abundance. Pike of quite large size are frequently 
caught in Red Bank and Mahoning. The accumulation of sawdust from the 
the many saw-mills has proved quite destructive to the fish in the larger 
streams. 

Birds. — All the birds native to our northern forests are found in great num- 
bers, and the woods are never without the pretty warblers, for even in winter 
when the song-birds seek a warmer climate, the hardy little snow-bird is found. 
Once in a great while an eagle is seen, having by some mischance wandered 
into the haunts of man; the last of these royal birds that has been seen in Brook- 
ville was in i86i, a notice of which, in the Republican of May 4, 1871, says: 
"On the 1 8th of April, as the citizens of Brookville were engaged in raising 
the American flag, a very large eagle was found poising itself in mid air, ap- 
parently an interested spectator. When the flag reached the head of the staff, 
and was caught by the breeze, displaying the stars and stripes, the eagle, ap- 
parently satisfied that all was right, slowly flew away." 

George W. Andrews, esq., now of Denver, Colo., but for many years a 
prominent resident of the borough of Brookville, is credited with having intro- 
duced that much-abused bird, the English sparrow, into Jefferson county, having 
brought a pair of these birds from the eastern part of the State. The progeny 
of this pair of strangers now numbers thousands, and it is doubtful whether 
Mr. Andrews is deemed a public benefactor because of their introduction into 
the county. 

Geology. — " This county resembles Indiana county as to its eastern and 
southern parts, and Clarion county as to its northwestern half, the basins all 
rising gradually northeastward, and the rolls between them running in straight 
parallel lines into Elk and Forest counties; so that while the Barren measures 
cover most of Bell and Henderson townships, and broad areas in Gaskill, 
Young, McCalmont, Winslow, Snyder, Perry, Porter, and the hilltops in Knox, 
one-half of the county exhibits the outcrops of the Lower Productive coal 
measures, which grow thinner and thinner northward, and at last leave most 
of the surface in Barnett and Heath, and much of that in Eldred and Polk 
destitute of coal beds — a region of Conglomerate. The 'Indiana anticlinal' 
passes Frostburgh and dies away at Rockdale Mills, in Washington township. 
The 'Waynesburg or Roaring Run anticlinal ' enters the county one mile east 



Natural Characteristics. 21 

of its southeast corner, and runs straight across it to the Elk county line, six 
miles east of the Clarion River. The 'Bagdad anticlinal' crosses the whole 
county, passing one and a half miles west of Brookville. The 'Anthony's 
Bend anticlinal' runs parallel with the last at a regular distance of four miles 
from it. The ' Kellersburg anticlinal' cuts across the northwest corner. Jef- 
ferson county therefore has six remarkably regular coal basins. The Brook- 
ville anticlinal brings up the Mauch Chunk red shale and some of the Pocono 
rocks along Little Sandy near the Armstrong county line. The same forma- 
tions are cut down into by the Clarion River all along the northern county 
line. The Freeport Upper coal is not reliable in this county. In the eastern 
townships it is thick enough, but of poor quality ; at Reynoldsville four feet ; 
at Brockwayville thinner, but better. Its limestone is fifteen feet thick at 
Worthville, and keeps its unusual thickness along a narrow belt from there to 
Perrysville, but thins rapidly westward and eastward, and cannot be found in 
Knox and McCalmont townships, but it , reappears around Brockwayville. 
The Freeport Lower coal bed is the main deposit of the county, and gives its 
great value to the Reynoldsville basin. It is in all parts of the county of work- 
able thickness, sometimes thickening to ten feet, but it varies much in both 
size and quality. It is already extensively mined, lying forty-three feet beneath 
the Freeport Upper coal, and just under the Mahoning sandstone, the cliffs 
and blocks of which make a huge show. The Freeport Lower limestone lies 
ten feet under it on top of the Freeport sandstone, which is here massive 
enough to make cliffs, but elsewhere in the county is shaly and inconspicuous. 
The Kittanning group of three coal beds is of small importance in this county; 
the Upper bed nowhere exceeds three feet, and its underlying Johnstown Ce- 
ment bed is merely an impure ferriferous limestone. The Middle coal is 
thicker in Knox and McCalmont, but impure, and in Union shows its best as- 
pect. The Lower coal is persistent, but poor everywhere. The Buhr-stone 
iron ore enters the county as far as Brookville, but then fades into insignifi- 
cance. No trace of it is seen on the Mahoning at Perrysville, but it can be 
detected in the north at Brockwayville. The Ferriferous limestone is gener- 
ally from five feet to six feet thick ; its outcrop runs along the sides of all 
the valleys of the Red Bank and Sandy waters, and surrounds the hilltops in 
the northern townships, furnishing an indisputable guide to the classification 
of all the other strata above and below it, especially for the sinking of trial 
oil wells. The Clarion coal bed is a mere streak. The Brookville coal bed is 
nearly everywhere of a workable size. Its best show is made in Beaver town- 
ship, where there are several small mines in it. Between the three subdivisions 
of the underlying Conglomerate 300 feet thick, lie shales containing very thin 
coal beds of no value, the equivalent of the Mercer and Sharon coals." ' 

No oil fields are yet known, though trial wells have been put down at 

1 Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, Report, &c. 



22 History of Jefferson County. 

Brookville, Punxsutawney, Reynoldsville, and Rockdale Mills, but all were 
abandoned after a depth ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 feet was reached. 

Salt has been obtained in different sections of the county. 

Ever since the first settlers appeared in this region there has been a belief 
in the existence of a lead mine within the limits of the county. The early 
pioneers found the Indians supplied with plenty of this ore in its natural state, 
and very pure in quality, and the Indians said it was procured in this region, but 
they always refused to disclose the locality in which it was to be found. One 
of the earliest traditions is that of Uncas, and Owonoco, two braves of the 
Seneca tribe, who came back to Punxsutawney soon after the first white men 
located there, and who, the legend says, " came back to cover up the places 
where they got their lead ; that they dare not tell the white men where they 
got it for fear of the dread Manatau, who would inflict dire punishments upon 
them if they should divulge the place of treasure, or if the pale faces found it, 
and that a guard of warriors' manes watched over it." Only a year ago two 
Indians are said to have appeared again upon the Mahoning, telling no one of 
their business, but going on up the stream, apparently searching for something. 
This lead mine has been variously located ; by some it is supposed to be on 
Sandy Lick, by others on the Red Bank west of Brookville, while others claim 
that this hidden treasure is concealed in the hills that skirt the Mahoning. 

The pioneer settlers around Brookville always believed in the existence of 
a lead deposit somewhere in the neighborhood, and that the visits of the In- 
dians to these waters were for the purpose of procuring supplies of the metal. 
Joseph Barnett knew of the Indians being plentifully supplied with it, and fre- 
quently obtained it from those who visited him from time to time, but up to 
this time the source of supply has never been discovered. 

Specimens of the ore got from the Indians were sent to Philadelphia, and 
after being analyzed were pronounced identical with the Galena ore, and 
many suppose that while the Indians got their supplies of the lead here, they 
had previously brought it from some other locality and secreted it in a secure 
place known only to themselves. 

Natural Curiosities. — Tradition says that the pioneer settlers found a cave 
near Punxsutawney, on the hill above Elk Run, "that was of unknown depth, 
circular in form, and walled up with cut stone, and that when the first explor- 
ers had descended about a fathom from the surface they rested upon a rock, 
then gradually sloping their descent, at about thirty degrees, through a hall of 
some six feet in length, and with lighted torches they came to another descent, 
which appeared to have been walled up from an unknown depth. The dark- 
ness was so deep and the silence so profound that when one of the searchers 
threw a pebble downwards it reported back its descent by rumbling tones 
like thunder dying on the distant hills. This cavern work was never ex- 
plored, nor its wonders more fully examined. When the early settlers inquired 



Natural Characteristics. 23 

of the Indians for what purpose they had used it, they repHed that it was there 
before they came, and that they had never gone in to examine it. Some of 
the pioneers beheved it to be where the Indians got their lead, but they were 
afraid to explore its unknown depths, and filled it up with logs and stones to / 
prevent their cattle falling into it." 

Another curious feature of the hills around Punxsutawney is the "Chiseled 
Rocks," which are found on the banks of the Mahoning below Clayville. One 
who visited these strangely-marked rocks and closely examined them says of 
these curious relics : " On the north slope of the hill there were many huge 
bowlders of sandstone scattered around in an irregular and confused manner, 
as though some great earthquake had torn up the foundations of these hills and 
scattered the fragments around. On these rocks are found kettle-shaped ex- 
cavations, evidently the work of human hands. On one, for instance, about 
eighteen feet long, and eight or nine feet wide, with its base deeply imbedded 
in the ground, are found some twenty holes cut in its smooth, table-shaped, flat 
surface. These holes varied in size, and were cut in the solid sandstone, in 
shape like the inside of a common tea-kettle — small, and perfectly round at 
the top, then widening to the half depth of the hollow, then again narrowing 
down until it measured at the base the same in circumference as the opening 
at the top, and then the bottom is flattened off so exactly in size with the top, 
and the whole work finished so smoothly and mechanically and so in accord- 
ance with the most perfect rule of mathematics and geometry." 

Many have been the conjectures of those who have visited these wonderful 
rocks, but all agree that the chiseling of these holes must have been done by 
some practiced hand, and with tools of some hard metal, such as steel or the 
hardened copper used by the ancient Mexicans. 

If these suppositions are true, then this region of country was peopled by 
a race of people more refined, civilized, and ingenious than the Indian tribes 
found upon this continent by the earliest European pioneers. Ages, perhaps, 
before the red men peopled this country, this people, a race long extinct, but 
traces of whose enduring works is found from time to time upon our continent, 
may have lived here. It is true but little trace is found here of such a people, 
but what trace is there found of the Indians, who only ninety years ago peo- 
pled this county ? even their graves are obliterated ; only now and then the 
plow brings to light the broken blade of a stone tomahawk, or the flint of an 
arrow. 

In Perry township are some rocks, or caves, that are worthy of mention. 
They are located on Ross's Run about a mile from the Mahoning Creek and 
about half a mile from the residence of Mr. Michael Palmer, to whom we are 
indebted for the description we give of these natural wonders. 

On the north and west of these rocks there is good farm land — not stony ; 
on the south and east is a plateau of about one and a half acres, level, and also 



24 History ok Jefferson County. 

without rocks or stone ; this is overgrown with underbrush, laurel, and small 
trees. As you pass down on the east side of this plateau you come to a wall 
of rock reaching for eight or ten rods, then comes a projecting ledge of rocks 
extending some five or six rods, and projecting outward fifteen or twenty feet ; 
in this semicircle formed by this projection, no rain or snow can penetrate. 
Passing westward you come to a mass of rock thrown in a promiscuous pile, 
in every conceivable shape, for a distance of eight or ten rods, then all around 
for some forty or fifty rods rise detached rocks from ten to twenty feet in 
height, the whole covering an area of from twelve to fifteen acres, and giving 
the place the appearance of some deserted city, with its fortresses, and ruined 
battlements. Underneath these rocks are caverns and crevices, some of them 
large enough to hide away at least fifty men. In one of the largest you 
can go in a distance of some sixty feet, and then look down into the depths 
below for a distance of at least one hundred feet. This place is quite a re- 
sort for small game, and wild cats, skunks, and other small animals are trapped 
here. 



CHAPTER HI. 

INDIAN OCCUPATIOX. 

Improbability of More than Temporary Occupation by the Indians — Punxsutawney, air 
Indian Town — Origin of the Name — Legends of Captain Brady, the Great Indian Fighter — 
Captain Hunt and Jim Hunt. 

THE Indian history of this region of country is very obscure, and there is 
scarcely anything to prove that the red men ever occupied this county to 
any great extent. What little we have been able to glean of the aboriginal 
tribes we have taken chiefly from the " Early Days of Punxsutawney and 
Western Pennsylvania," contributed a few years ago to the Punxsutawney 
Plaindealcr by the late John K. Coxson, esq., who had made considerable 
research into Indian history, and was an enthusiast on the subject. According 
to Mr. Coxson: "More than i,8oo years ago the Iroquois held a lodge in 
Punxsutawney (this town still bears its Indian name, which was their so- 
briquet for 'gnat town'), to which point they could ascend with their canoes, 
and go still higher up the Mahoning to within a few hours' travel of the sum- 
mit of the Allegheny Mountains. There were various Indian trails traversing 
the forests, one of which entered Punxsutawney near where Judge Mitchell 
now resides." 

These trails were the thoroughfares or roadways of the Indians, over which 



Indian Occupation. 25 



they journeyed when on the chase, or the " war path," just as the people of 
the present age travel over their graded roads. "An erroneous impression 
obtains among many at the present day that the Indian, in traveling the inter- 
minable forests which once covered our towns and fields, roamed at random, 
like a modern afternoon hunter, by no fixed paths, or that he was guided in his 
long journeyings solely by the sun and stars, or by the course of the streams 
and^mountains; and true it is that these untutored sons of the woods were con- 
siderable astronomers and geographers, and relied much upon these unerring 
guidemarks of nature. Even in the most starless nights they could determme 
their course by feeling the bark of the oak trees, which is always smoothest on 
the south side and roughest on the north. But still they had their trails, or 
paths, as distinctly marked as are our county and State roads, and often better 
located. The white traders adopted them, and often stole their names, to be 
in turn surrendered to the leader of some Anglo-Saxon army, and finally 
obliterated by some costly highway of travel and commerce. They are now 
almost wholly effaced or forgotten. Hundreds travel along, or plow over 
them, unconscious that they are in the footsteps of the red men."i It has not 
taken long to obliterate all these Indian landmarks from our land; little more 
than a century ago the Indians roamed over all this western country, and now 
scarce a vestige of their presence remains. Much has been written and said 
about their deeds of butchery and cruelty. True, they were cruel, and in many 
instances fiendish in their inhuman practices, but they did not meet the first 
settlers in this spirit. Honest, hospitable, religious in their belief, reverencing 
their Manatou, or Great Spirit, and willing to do anything to please their white 
brother— this is how they met their first white visitors; but when they had seen 
nearly all their vast domain appropriated by the invaders, when wicked white 
men had introduced into their midst the " wicked fire-water," which is to-day 
the cause of many an act of fiendishness perpetrated by those who are not 
. untutored savages, then the Indian rebelled, all the savage in his breast was 
aroused, and he became pitiless and cruel in the extreme. 

It is true that our broad domains were purchased and secured by treaty, 
but the odds were always on the side of the whites. The " Colonial Records" 
give an account of the treaty of 1686, by which a deed for " walking purchase 
was executed, by which the Indians sold as far as a man could walk in a day. 
But when the walk was to be made the most active white man was obtained, 
who ran from daylight until dark, as fast as he was able, without stopping to 
eat or drink. This much dissatisfied the Indians, who expected to walk leis- 
urely, resting at noon to eat, and shoot game, and one old chief expressed his 
dissatisfaction as follows : " Lun, lun, lun ; no lay down to drink ; no stop to 
shoot squirrel, but lun, lun, lun all day; me no keep up; lun, lun for land. 
That deed, it is said, does not now exist, but was confirmed in 1737. 



1 Iiiilije Veech. 



26 History of Jefferson County. 

When the white man came the Indians were a temperate people, and their 
chiefs tried hard to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinks among their tribes ; 
and when one Sylvester Garland, in 1701, introduced rum among them and 
induced them to drink, at a council held in Philadelphia, Shemekenwhol, 
chief of the Shawnese, complained to Governor William Penn, and at a coun- 
cil held on the 13th of October, 1701, this man was held in the sum of one 
hundred pounds never to deal rum to the Indians again ; and the bond and 
sentence was approved by Judge Shippen, of Philadelphia. At the chiefs 
suggestion the council enacted a law prohibiting the trade in rum with the In- 
dians. Still later the ruling chiefs of the Six Nations opposed the use of rum, 
and Red Jacket, in a speech at Buffalo, wished that whisky would never be 
less than " a dollar a quart." He answered the missionary's remarks on drunk- 
enness thus: " Go to the white man with that." A council, held on the "Alle- 
gheny River, deplored the murder of the Wigden family in Butler county, by 
a Seneca Indian, while under the influence of whisky, approved the sentence 
of our law, and again passed their prohibitory resolutions, and implored the 
white man not to give rum to the Indian. 

Mr. Coxson claims that the council of the Delawares, Muncys, Shawnese, 
Nanticokes, Tiiscorawas, and Mingoes, to protest against the sale of their do- 
main by the Six Nations, at Albany, in 1754, was held at Punxsutawney, and 
cites " Joncaire's Notes on Indian Warfare," " Life of Bezant," etc. " It is said 
they ascended the tributary of La Belle Riviere to the mountain village on the 
way to Chinklacamoose (Clearfield) to attend the council." 1 At that council, 
though Sheklemas, the Christian king of the Delawares, and other Christian 
chiefs, tried hard to prevent the war ; they were overruled and the tribes de- 
cided to go to war with their French allies against the colony. " Travelers, 
as early as 1731, reported to the council of the colony, of a town sixty miles 
from the Susquehanna." - 

" After the failure of the expedition against Fort Du Ouesne, the white 
captives were taken to Kittanning, Logtovvn, and Pukeesheno (Punxsutaw- 
ney). The sachem, Pukeesheno (for whom the town was called), was the father 
of Tecumseh, and his twin brother. The Prophet, and was a Shawnese. We 
make this digression to add another proof that Punxsutawney was named after 
a Shawnese chief as early as 1750."'' 

" I went with Captain Brady on an Indian liunt up the Allegheny River. 
We found a good many signs of the savages, and I believe we were so much 
like the savages (when Brady went on a scouting expedition he always 
dressed in Indian costume), that they could hardly have known us from a band 
of Shawnese. But they had an introduction to us near the mouth of Red 
Bank. General Brodhead was on the route behind Captain Brady, who dis- 
covered the Indians on a march. He lay concealed among the rocks until the 

1 Joncaiie. 2 Bezant. '^" History of \\ e.stern Pennsylvania," page 302. 



Indian Occupation. 



27 



painted chiefs and their braves had got fairly into the narrow pass, when Brady 
and his men opened a destructive fire. The sylvan warriors returned the vol- 
ley with terrific yells that shook the caverns and mountains from base to crest. 
The fight was short but sanguine. The Indians left the pass, and retired and 
soon were lost sight of in the deepness of the forest. We returned with three 
children recaptured, whose parents had been killed at Greensburg. We imme- 
diately set out on a path that led us to the mountains to a lodge the savages 
had near the headwaters of Mahoning and Red Bank." 

" We crossed the Mahoning about forty miles from Kittanning, and entered 
a town which we found deserted. It seemed to be a hamlet, built by the 
Shawnese. P'rom there we went over high and rugged hills, through laurel 
thickets, darkened by tall pine and hemlock groves, for one whole day, and lay 
quietly tiown on the bank of a considerable stream (Sandy Lick). About mid- 
night Brady was aroused by the sound of a rifle not far down the creek. We 
arose and stole quietly along about half a mile, when we heard the voices 
of Indians but a short distance below us, where another creek unites its waters 
with the one upon whose banks we had rested. We ascertained that two In- 
dians had killed a deer at a lick. They were trying to strike a light to dress 
their game. When the flame of pine knots blazed brightly and revealed the 
visages of the savages, Brady appeared to be greatly excited, and perhaps the 
caution that he always took when on a war-path was at that time disregarded. 
Revenge swallowed and absorbed every faculty of his soul. He recognized 
tiie Indian who was foremost, when they chased him, a few months before, so 
closely that he was forced to leap across a chasm of stone on the slippery rock 
twenty-three feet ; between the jaws of granite there roared a deep torrent 
twenty feet deep. When Brady saw Conemah he sprang forward and planted 
his tomahawk in his head. The other Indian, who had liis knife in his hand, 
sprang at Brady. The long, bright steel glistened in his uplifted hand, when 
the flash of Farley's rifle was the death-light of the brave, who sank to the 
sands. . . . Brady scalped the Indians in a moment, and drew the deer 
into the thicket to finish dressing it, but had not completed his undertaking 
when he heard a noise in the branches of the neighboring trees. He sprang 
forward, quenched the flame, and in breathless silence listened for the least 
sound, but nothing was heard save the rustling of the leaves, stirred by the 
wind. One of the scouts softly crept along the banks of the creek to catch the 
faintest sound that echoes on the water, when he found a canoe down upon the 
beach. The scout communicated this to Brady, who resolved to embark on 
this craft, if it was large enough to carry the company. It was found to be of 
sufficient size. We all embarked and took the deer along. We had not gone 
forty rods down the stream when the savages gave a war-whoop, and about a 
mile off they were answered with a hundred voices. We heard them in pur- 
suit as we went dashing down the frightful and unknown stream. We gained 



28 History of Jefferson County. 

on them. We heard their voices far behind us, until the faint echoes of the 
hundreds of warriors were lost ; but, unexpectedly, we found ourselves passing 
full fifty canoes drawn up on the beach. Brady landed a short distance below. 
There was no time to lose. If the pursuers arrived they might overtake the 
the scouts. It was yet night. He took four of his men along, and with great 
caution unmoored the canoes and sent them adrift. The scouts below secured 
them, and succeeded in arriving at Brodhead's quarters with the scalps of two 
Indians and their whole fleet, which disabled them much from carrying on their 
bloody expeditions." 1 

In the legend of Noshaken, the white captive of the Delawares, in 1753, 
who was kept at a village supposed to have been Punxsutawney, occurs the 
following: "The scouts were on the track of the Indians, the time of burning 
of the captives was extended, and the whole band prepared to depart for Fort 
Venango with the prisoners. . . . They continued on for twenty miles, 
and encamped by a beautiful spring, where the sand boiled up from the bot- 
tom, near where two creeks unite. Here they passed the night, and the next 
morning again headed for Fort Venango." This spring is believed to have been 
the "sand spring" at Brookville. Thus both the earlier histories and tradi- 
tions would lead us to believe that Jefferson county was once the scene of In- 
dian occupation. The early settlers found many vestiges of them, and even at 
this late day " Indian relics " in the shape of stone tomahawks, flint arrows, 
darts, etc., are frequently found. 

But it was long after these scenes, when Joseph Barnett, the first white set- 
tler, came into the wilds of what is now Jefferson county. Then nearly all 
the Indians had gone, some towards the setting sun, others to Canada. Of all 
the tribes that once composed the great Indian confederati'ons, onl)^ a few 
Muncies and Senecas of Cornplanter's tribe remained. These Indians, for a 
number of years after the white men came, extended their hunting excursions 
into these forests. They were always peaceable and friendly. The first set- 
tlers found their small patches of corn, one of which was planted where the 
fair-grounds are now located, and another in the flat at Port Barnett. Indian 
corn, or maize, as it was sometimes called, is undoubtedly an American cereal, 
being first discovered on this continent in 1600, though it is now grown in all 
civilized lands.- 

1 " Ifiograpliy of Jno. Morrison," one of Brady's scouts. 

2 Drs. Sturievani, Pickering, and other eminent botanists and antiquarians, believed that maize (or 
Indian corn) is mentioned by the old Icelandic writers, who are thought to have visited the coast of 
.eastern North America as early as ICK)6. 

Columbus found the natives of America using maize (mahiz), and it is cited among the gifts he 
brought back to Queen Isabella from tlie New World. 

Hernandes found ii in Mexico previous to 1600. AU the .\merican colonists found it growing in all 
places adiplfd to it. liefore the Pilgrims landed for settlement, in exploring the coast, they found 
cornfields, and a magazine of corn, "which we digged up, and found a great tine new basket full of 
verv fine corne of tliis year, some six and thirty e.irs of goodly come, some yellow, some red. and 
some mixed with olive, which was a goodly sight." Chronidcs of Plymoulli i oloiiy, page 133. 



Indian Occupation. 29 



The Indians also came here to make maple sugar in the spring. They 
would cut notches in the trees, and then collect the sap in troughs hollowed out 
of small logs, which was then collected into a larger trough, when it was boiled 
down into molasses and sugar by dipping hot stones into it, a process that must 
have called for a great deal of patience. These Indians would take the skins 
and hams of the game killed during the winter to Pittsburgh in the spring, where 
they would exchange them for tobacco, whisky, blankets, trinkets, etc. They 
generally made these trips on rafts constructed of dry poles withed together. 

An old Indian, called Captain Hunt, has been handed down as the last 
Indian who resided in this county, having had his camp on what is yet known 
as "Hunt's Point," on Red Bank, in the present borough limits of Brookville. 
It is said of him that he was a fugitive from his tribe, having killed a fellow 
Indian; but the daughter of Joseph Barnett, Mrs. Graham, left the following as 
her recollections of these Indians, and those of the tribes who were here after 
her family settled at Port Barnett, and from her statement it appears that it 
was a cousin of Captain Hunt who was the banished Indian. We give Mrs. 
Graham's account of these Indians as nearly as possible in her own language: 

"When we came to Port Barnett, in the spring of 1797, there were but two 
Indian families there. One was Twenty Canoes, and Caturah, which means 
Tomahawk. The two Hunts were here, but they were alone. Jim Hunt was 
on banishment for killing his cousin. Captain Hunt and Jim Hunt were 
cousins. Captain Hunt was an under-chief of the Munsey tribe. In the fall 
other Indians came here to hunt. I have forgotten their names, with the excep- 
tion of two, John Jamieson, who had seven sons, all named John ; the other 
was Crow, he was an Indian in name and in nature. He was feared by both 
the whites and Indians. He was a Mohawk, and a perfect savage. Caturah 
and Twenty Canoes staid here for several years after we came. The Hunts 
were here most of the time until the commencement of the War of 18 12. 
Jim dare not go back to his tribe until the year 1808 or 1809, when his friends 
stole a white boy in Westmoreland county and had him adopted into the 
tribe in place of the warrior Jim had slain. ^ Jim Hunt and John Jones were 
great friends, and were always together. John Jones was a brother of Isaac 
Jones, of Corsica. A great many persons think they know all about the hid- 
ing places of Hunt — one of them was a cave in the bank of Sandy Lick, at 
what is called the ' deep hole,' opposite the Sand Spring. The other was on 

Governor Bradford in his " History of Plymouth Plantation " says : " In the early spring, in April 
of 1621, as many as were able began to plant their corne, in which Servise Squanto (an Indian), stood 
them in great stead, showing them both ye manner how to set it, and after how to dress and tend it." 
Thus the Indians taught the first white settlers how to grow this grain, which is now one of the most 
important of our cereals. Early travelers all speak of it as an absolute necessity in the growing of live 
■stock in this country. 

1 By a law of the tribe he was not allowed to return until the place of the warrior he had slain was 
filled by the capture of another male from the whites or some other Indian tribe. 
3 



30 History of Jefferson County. 

the head waters of Little Sandy Creek. When danger threatened him a run- 
ner from the Reservation would warn him by a peculiar whoop from a certain 
place on the hill northwest from the Port. Jim loved whisky, but never got 
off his feet for fear he would be caught by his pursuers. At the commence- 
ment of the War of i8i2 the Munsey tribe were banished from the Six Nations, 
and Jim Hunt never returned. Captain Hunt was back once or twice. Twenty 
Canoes and Sassy John were back once to see 'Joe Blannet' — they could not 
pronounce the name of Barnett. The last visit of Caturah was in 1833, he be- 
ing then over ninety years of age." 

While it was known that Hunt had the hiding places mentioned by Mrs. 
Graham, they were never discovered until the year 1843, when the one at the 
Sand Spring, in the borough of Brookville, was discovered by Mr. Thomas 
Graham, a son of the old lady whose narrative we have just given, who was 
learning his trade in Brookville, and went over to the Sand Spring to cut a 
cane in the laurel thicket that then covered that spot, and after entering the 
densest part of the thicket, he was surprised to find the ground give way be- 
neath him, and find himself precipitated into a cave, which had *been hollowe'd 
out and so deftly covered over that its whereabouts had never before been dis- 
covered until Mr. Graham stumbled upon it, and the timbers that upheld the 
roof having rotted away, it gave way beneath him. It showed signs of hav- 
ing been used, as a human habitation and was without doubt Jim Hunt's place 
of refuge. Jim Hunt was a great hunter, and in one winter is said to have 
killed seventy-eight bears, besides other smaller game. He was inordinately 
fond of whisky, and nearly all the skins of his game went for his favorite bev- 
erage. After he had traded these seventy-eight skins to Samuel Scott, receiv- 
ing a pint of whisky for each skin, he was found crying in a maudlin way over 
his bankruptcy. When asked what was the matter, he replied: " Bear skins 
all gone ; whisky all gone. No skins, no whisky, ugh ! " 



CHAPTER IV. 

EARLY SETTLERS. 

Joseph Barnett, the Pioneer of JeQ'erson County — The Arrival of the First White Men — 
Building of the First Saw-Mill — Death of Andrew Barnett — The Lone Grave on Mill Creek 
— The Barnett^ Family — More Settlers Come into the Wilds — Recollections of Mrs. Sarah 
Grraham. 

JOSEPH BARNETT was the pioneer, or as he had been styled, the " patri- 
arch of Jefferson county." He had served in the Revolutionary War un- 
der General Potter, on the West Branch, and also under the State against the 
Wyoming boys. At the close of the war he settled at the mouth of Pine Creek 



Early Settlers. 31 



in Lycoming county, and it is said was one of tiie " Fair-play boys ; " at any 
rate he lost his property there by the jurisdiction of the common law, which 
superseded that oi fair-play. 

" There existed a great number of locations of the 3d of April, 1769, for the 
choicest lands on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, between the mouths 
of Lycoming and Pine Creeks ; but the proprietaries, from extreme caution, the 
result of that experience, which had also produced the very penal laws of 1768 
and 1769, had prohibited any surveys being made beyond the Lycoming. In 
the mean time, in violation of all law, a set of hardy adventurers had from time 
to time seated themselves on this doubtful territory. They made improve- 
ments and formed a considerable population. ..... To 

prevent any contentions or disputes, they annually elected a tribunal, in rota- 
tion, of three of their settlers, whom they called ' Fair-play men,' who were to 
decide all controversies and settle all disputed boundaries. From their decision 
there was no appeal. There could be no resistance. The decree was enforced 
by the whole body, who started up en masse at the mandate of the court, and 
execution and eviction were as sudden and irresistible as the judgment. Ev- 
ery new-comer was obliged to apply to this powerful tribunal, and upon his 
solemn engagement to submit in all respects to the law of the land, he was 
permitted to take possession of some vacant spot. Their decrees were, how- 
ever, just, and when their settlements were recognized by law and 'fair-play' 
had ceased, their decisions were received in evidence, and confirmed by judg- 
ments of courts." 1 

Many cases came before the courts, under this law, and it was frequently 
necessary to prove the usages of the fair-play men, and at one time when Chief 
Justice McKean was holding court in that district, he inquired of Barton Cald- 
well, an old Irish pioneer, whether he could tell him exactly what the provis- 
ions of the " Fair-play " code were. Barton's memory would not allow him 
to go into details, so he answered the question by comparison. " All I can say 
is," said he " that since your honor's courts have come among us fair play has 
ceased, and law has taken its place." 

Having lost one home Mr. Barnett began to look up a location for another, 
and to this end, in 1794, he sent his brother Andrew, and Samuel Scott, to 
locate a site for a saw-mill. • He intended then to go to French Creek, in Craw- 
ford county, of which he had some knowledge ; but on their way out they 
stopped at the mouth of Mill Creek, and Andrew was so much pleased with the 
adaptability of the place for a mill, surrounded as it was with such vast, un- 
broken forests of magnificent timber, that he concluded at once that this spot, 
now Port Barnett, was the very place to build their proposed mill. The pro- 
jectors did not, therefore, go any farther, but returned and represented the 
matter to Joseph Barnett. In the spring of 1795 he, in company with Andrew 

1 Smith's Laws, Volume 2, 



32 History of Jefferson County. 



Barnett and Samuel Scott, came to " view the lay of the land," and was as well 
pleased as his brothers had been. Having selected several hundred acres 
of good timber land, they began at once to put up their mill, on or near 
the spot where the mill of James Humphrey now stands. In coming to 
their new home in the wilderness, the travelers came through the forests of 
the upper Susquehanna until they reached Anderson's Creek in Clearfield 
county, when they struck "Meade's path," a pack-horse path leading west- 
ward. They followed this path to the present site of Brookville, crossing San- 
dy Lick four times, first below where Garrison's mill now stands, again at the 
bottom at Port Barnett, then near where the Brookville depot now is, and 
again where the covered bridge now stands. Samuel Scott, Mr. Barnett's 
brother-in-law, was a millwright, and they at once commenced to erect their 
saw- mill. When the three men had the structure all ready to "raise" they called 
•upon their Indian neighbors to assist them, and nine Senecas of Cornplanter's 
tribe, who were then in the neighborhood, assisted at this the first " raising " in 
Jefferson county. It is said that these Indians would not lend any assistance 
in this work until they had eaten and slept for two or three days to prepare 
for the task replying to all expostulation on the subject : " Me eat, then me 
stout; me sleep, then me stout, ugh." 

In the fall of the same year Mr. Barnett, leaving the other two, returned to 
his home on Pine Creek, in Lycoming county, to bring out his family. But a 
short time after his departure his brother Andrew died, after a few days' illness, 
and was buried some place near the mouth of Mill Creek, two friendly Indians 
assisting Mr. Scott in the sad rites. What a scene was this ! there in the 
rude cabin in the deep forest, with no physician to give him aid, no loving 
hand to wipe the death-damps from his brow, and whisper words of hope and 
consolation in his ear — Andrew Barnett died ! Then came the rude funeral on 
the banks of Mill Creek, when the first white settler was laid in his grave, no 
man of God was there to officiate at his burial, no funeral rites were observed; 
but one white man stood there alone with the body of his dead brother and 
assisted by the dusky sons of the forest, he laid him in his lone grave where 
the winds of Heaven, as they whispered through the pine woods, were his only 
requiem. 

When this sad scene was over, Samuel Scott returned to Lycoming county 
to carry the sad news of his brother's death to Mr. Barnett. This for a time 
discouraged him, and he did not return to his new possessions until the spring 
of 1797, when he brought his family with him and set up his home in the spot 
•which he made famous, and which yet bears the name of Port Barnett, which 
he gave it. Mr. Barnett brought his family on horseback over the same route 
he had before traveled. His eldest child was then seven years old, and it was 
from her recollections, and papers left with her family, that much of this infor- 
mation has been obtained. The youngest child was only two years old, and 



Early Settlers. 



33 



the mother would carry him in her arms until she became too weary to hold 
him any longer, then the father would strap him on the horse behind her, and, 
as he did not fancy this way of traveling, he would enliven the trip with his 
cries until he again gained the shelter of his mother's arms. Samuel Scott, 
John Scott, Moses Knapp, and perhaps one or two others came with the Bar- 
nett family. 

On their arrival they at once went to work to get their mill in running 
order, and soon had some boards sawed and ready for rafting, and the first 
were run to Pittsburgh that year. About 4,000 comprised a raft, and for this 
they at first got from five to ten dollars per thousand. Those first rafting trips 
were full of danger and toil that our modern lumbermen know nothing of. 
The trip accomplished and the lumber sold, or exchanged for flour, groceries, 
clothing, etc., then came the long toilsome walk back through an unbroken 
wilderness. But little is known of those first few years, but that they were 
years of hardship, privations, and ofttimes of suffering, none can doubt. In 
the midst of the lonely wilderness they toiled on, with no visitors but the In- 
dians, who still came into those waters to hunt and fish, while the bear, wolf, 
and panther lurked in the dark recesses of the woods, and venomous snakes 
basked in the sun almost at their door-ways. But Joseph Barnett was not a 
man to quail at any of these things. He was made of the very stuft" that was 
needed in those days — the patriotic son of a patriotic sire. He was born in 
Dauphin county in 1754. His father, John Barnett, who had emigrated from 
the north of Ireland early in the beginning of the eighteenth century, was a 
farmer, and settled in Dauphin county. He and his wife dying while Joseph 
was yet a small boy, he was "brought up" by his relatives, and was engaged 
on a farm when the Revolutionary War commenced, and at once enlisted in 
defense of the colonies. The exact duration of his service could not be ascer- 
tained, but it is said of him that "he was a brave and efficient soldier, who 
never faltered in the path of duty." After the war he settled in Lycoming 
county, where he owned a large tract of land, of which mention has already 
been made. Here, in 1788, he married Elizabeth Scott, sister of Samuel Scott, 
who shared all his toils in Jefferson county, and she is deserving of much praise ; 
for her part in the settlement of this new county was no sinecure, as it was the 
matron of the household who in those days had to practice denials, who had 
to plan and contrive to get the clothing for her children out of the scant stores 
that were to be obtained. There were no settlements nearer than forty or 
fifty miles. Mr. Barnett knew nothing of the wilderness south of him, and 
gave an Indian four dollars to pilot him to Westmoreland county. The 
nearest grist-mill was on Blacklick, in Indiana county, and the nearest house, 
eastward, that of Paul Clover, grandfather of General Clover, which was thirty- 
three miles distant on the Susquehanna, where Curwensville now stands. Fort 
Venango was forty-five miles westward. To reach any of these points the 



34 History of Jefferson County. 

traveler had to travel on foot, or on horseback, over an Indian trail, with only 
the " blaze on the trees " to guide him, and the stars by night. Mr. Barnett 
at one time carried sixty pounds of flour on his back from Pittsburgh. The 
usual way of getting supplies was to run a raft of sawed lumber to Pittsburgh 
in the spring, and take a canoe along, which was loaded with what was 
needed, and then poled, or pushed up the river, and then up Red Bank to 
Port Barnett. To obviate this difficulty of getting breadstuff, Mr. Barnett, 
.about the year 1801, put up a small grist-mill, using the native stones for 
" buhrs." This mill was used for several years, and was patronized by all the 
settlers for miles distant ; the Indians, also, who cultivated small patches of 
corn on the creek bottoms, whenever they could find a clear spot to plant 
it, also patronized Mr. Barnett's mill. The old " toll chest " used in this mill, 
and which "tolled" the first grist ground in the county, is still in the posses- 
sion of Mr. Barnett's grandsons, Thomas and Milton Graham, of Eldred town- 
ship. Mill Creek, on which stream these mills were built, took its name from 
their being built upon it. Mr. Barnett's house was the first "tavern" in the 
county, and for years all travelers, white as well as Indian, stopped with him. 
His Indian guests did not eat in the house, but would in winter make a pot of 
mush over his fire and set it out in the snow to cool, " then one fellow would 
take a dipper and eat his fill of the pudding, sometimes with milk, butter, or 
molasses, then another would take it and go through the same process, until 
all were satisfied. The dogs would help themselves from the same pot, and 
when they put their heads in the pot in the Indian's way he would give them 
a slap over the head with the dipper." The early settlers had little or no 
trouble with these Indians, who came and went as they pleased for a number 
of years, until the too rapid spread of civilization drove them all away. 

Joseph Barnett worked on untiringly at his mills, and by his hard labor had 
gained what in those days was considered a fair competency. He in time built 
a larger house, and besides being the first hotel-keeper, was the first merchant 
in the county. He is said to have been a fair-looking man, five feet eight 
inches in height, and would weigh over two hundred pounds. He was always 
of an aftable, frank disposition, and was honest and strict in his dealings. He 
was an earnest Presbyterian, and carried his religion into his business and daily 
life. Having been brought up to observe strictly the ordinances of his church, 
it is related of him that he took his children to Indiana, a distance of forty 
miles, to have them baptized. Mr. Barnett lived to see new settlements spring 
up all over the county, churches and schools organized, roads laid out, and 
Brookville, the county seat, already taking on the airs of a new city. He also 
held several offices of trust and responsibility, being the first postmaster in the 
county ; a post-office being established at Port Barnett, and so called, January 
4, 1S26, and Mr. Barnett appointed postmaster, which office he held until 
September 10, 1830, when the office was removed to Brookville. Mr. Bar- 



Early Settlers. 35 



nett died at his home at Port Barnett on the 15th of April, 1838, having re- 
sided there for forty-one years. His wife did not long survive him, dying 
about four months after he passed away. Mr. Barnett was in the eighty-fourth 
year of his age, and his wife sixty-five years when they died. They were 
both buried in the old graveyard at Brookville. They had ten children, all of 
whom, except Thomas and Sarah (twins), John and Andrew, were born in this 
county. Sarah married Elisha M. Graham ; Rebecca, the first white female 
child born in the county, married Nathaniel Butler ; Margaret married John 
Lattimer ; Juliet, the youngest child, married Ebenezer Carr ; J. Potter was 
the first male child born in the county. Of these children John, J. Potter, 
Andrew, and Juliet removed to the Western States, and all died there. The 
rest lived and died in this county. Thomas died in 1827, and his twin sister, 
Mrs. Sarah A. Graham, lived until her ninety-fifth year. Mrs. Graham was 
a remarkable woman, as vigorous in intellect as she was in bodily strength, and 
was well fitted for the stirring life that she had been destined to live, and the 
part she was to take in the early settlement and building up of this county, 
with the history of which, for almost ninety years, she was closely identified. 
She was in all respects a very helpmeet, indeed, for an olden time pioneer. A 
woman of strong principles — inherited from her worthy sire — an earnest Chris- 
tian, and of a bright, sunny disposition, she enjoyed life until her sun went 
down in this world to usher her into the brighter radiance of the better land. 
She took a deep interest in all public matters, and read the newspapers of the 
day, so that she kept herself posted in all that occurred. Born amid the stir- 
ring scenes of the frontier dangers, the daughter of a soldier of the Revolu- 
tion, she lived to see her own son go out to fight for the same flag in the War 
of the Rebellion, to see that rebellion crushed, slavery abolished, the grand 
centennial celebrated, before she was called hence. The venerable lady loved 
to recall the early days of Jefferson county, and we reproduce here a paper 
contributed by her to the Jefferson County Graphic in August, 1 877. 

" As a number of people have been bothering me in regard to the early 
settlement of this county, I will try and answer them through your columns. 
I was born in Pine Creek, in Lycoming county, in the year 1790. All I 
remember of that place is that my father, Joseph Barnett, had a saw- mill there 
about the year 1794. My uncle, Andrew Barnett, took a trip to French Creek. 
His route led him through the wilderness of this county, which was then the 
home of the Indian ; the panther, bear, and deer and wolves, were as plenty as 
dogs now are in Brookville. He chose for his home the place where Port Bar- 
nett now stands. Andrew Barnett, Samuel Scott, John Scott, and a man 
named Arthurs, came out there and erected a saw-mill on Mill Creek, near 
where Humphrey's mill now stands. My father returned home in the fall, 
leaving Scott and my uncle to finish some work. My uncle took sick and died 
here, and was buried on the north bank of the creek at the junction of Sandy 



36 History of Jefferson County. 

Lick and Mill Creek. There was only one white man and two Indians at his 
funeral. In the year 1796 Samuel Scott, Moses Knapp, and James Boatman 
came out, finished the mill, and sawed some lumber. In the spring of 1797 
my father moved into the wilderness. I was then seven years old. The first 
white child born in the county was J. P. Barnett. The next family that came 
here was Peter Jones. He settled on the farm now owned by John McCul- 
lough, and the next was Mr. Roll, who settled on the farm now owned by John 
S. Barr. Then came Fudge Vancamp (negro) and built his cabin on the farm 
now owned by John Clark, and ■flien Adam Vasbinder, who settled on the 
farm at the present time owned by Thomas Harris ; William Vasbinder pitched 
his tent on the Kirkmon homestead ; Ludwig Long put up his wigwam on the 
place now owned by Mr. McConnell ; John Dixon came next. He was our 
first school teacher. The school-house was first built on the McConnell farm ; 
built of round logs, with oiled paper for glass ; as everything we used had to 
be carried from the settlements on horseback, glass was too easily broken to 
try to bring it so far. The second school-house was built on the south side 
of the pike, at the forks of the Ridgway road. Here the first graveyard was 
laid out, and the first person buried in it was a child of Samuel Scott. There 
were a number buried in this graveyard. I do not remember the name of the 
next family that came, as the county began to settle pretty fast, and mills were 
erected on the different streams. About the year 1 807 my father built a saw- 
mill on Sandy Lick, between where Garrison's and Bellport now are. This, a 
number of people think, was the first mill built in the county, but, if I have not 
lost a leaf from memory's book, there were three or four other mills built be- 
fore that one. 

" Now, reader, as I have stated, I was seven years old when I came to this 
county, you will find that I have lived eighty years in the county. I have 
seen the Indian give way to the white man, the pack-horse to the wagon, and 
the wagon to the railroad. I remember the screams of the panther, and the 
howl of the wolf as things of the past, and in a few years more, I will, as they, 
be gone forever." 

Samuel Scott, so often mentioned as one of those who came with the Bar- 
netts, and whose skill constructed the first saw- mill in Jefferson county, resided 
in the county until 18 10, when, having, it is said, " scraped together by hunting 
and lumbering about $2,000," he went to Ohio and settled in the Miami val- 
ley, where he bought a section of fine land, which eventually made him quite 
wealthy. 

The present citizens of Jefferson county have reason to be proud of the 
record of tlic early settlers, those who laid the foundation of all that is good 
and great in our county. They were true to the cause of liberty in the dark 
days that tried men's souls. We have already told of Joseph Barnett's service 
in the War of the Revolution, and in this connection would mention another 



Early Settlers. 37 



family whose destinies were entwined with his — the Grahams. John Graham, 
the patriotic ancestor of the Graham family, was born and raised in Scotland, 
where he fell in love with an heiress named Janet Caldwell. Her father ob- 
jecting to his suit, the young couple fled into Ireland, where they were mar- 
ried. The fruit of this union was a son, also called John, who, hearing such 
glowing accounts of the New World, emigrated to the " Land of Penn," and 
settled on a farm in what was then Dauphin county, where he married Miss 
Martha Miller. At the commencement of the Revolutionary War he enlisted 
in the Amercian army, and after being in a'number of battles was captured by 
the British at the battle near Flushing, on Long Island, and held a prisoner for 
two years in New York city, where he was approached by British agents, who 
promised him pardon and reward if he would renounce his American senti- 
ments and take up arms for the king ; but his patriotism could not be bought, 
" even for a crown." He was at last paroled and returned to his home. While 
Mr. Graham was in the service, in the autumn of 1777, the "big runa- 
way " 1 took place on the Susquehanna River. But his wife and children es- 
caped with the other settlers. In their fearful trip down the Susquehanna the 
canoe, in which ]\Irs. Graham had placed her children and such of her house- 
hold goods as she could bring with her in her flight, was upset, and all the 
contents submerged in the river. One of the relics preserved from that peril- 
ous time is an ancient Concordance of the Bible, which is still safely preserved 
by the descendants of the intrepid dame, and which yet shows the effects of 
the baptism it then received. It is a very ancient work, probably the first of 
the kind ever published. 

About the year 181 2 Mr. Graham removed from Crawford county to Jef- 
ferson, locating on the farm in Eldred township now owned by Colonel S. J. 
Marlin, where he died in 181 3, and was buried on the hill east of Brookville, 
as it then was, on a lot now owned by W. C. Evans. Mr. Graham was a mem- 
ber of the Covenanter Church, and a strict disciplinarian. His son, Elisha M. 
Graham, was born in Dauphin county in the year 1772. When he came to 
manhood he engaged in taking out, and running to market, masts for ship 
building — running them down the Susquehanna River to Havre de Grace. 

1 " In the autumn of 1777 Job Gilloway, a friendly Indian, had given an intimation that a powerful 
descent of maurading Indians might be expected on the headwaters of the Susquehanna. Near the 

close of the season the Indiai»s killed a settler on the Sinnemahoning In the spring of 

1778 Colonel Hunter, of Fort Augusta, sent word to Colonel Hepburn, commander of Fort Muncy, 
at the mouth of Wolfs Run, that all the settlers in that vicinity should take refuge in Sunbury. Col- 
onel Hepburn was ordered to pass the notice on to Antis and Horn forts Such a sight 

was never seen before as this convoy from all the forts above. Boats, canoes, hog troughs, rafts 
made of dry sticks, every sort of floating article had been put in requisition, and were crowded with 
women, children, and ' plunder ' — there were several hundred people in all. Whenever any obstacle, 
at a shoal or ritfle, the women would leap out, put their shoulders to the boat or raft, and launch it 
again into deep water. The men of the settlement came down on each side of the river to guard the 
women and children. The whole convoy arrived salely at Sunbury, leaving the entire line of farms 
along the West Branch to the ravages of the Indians." — Historical Collections, Penttsyl-Oania. 



38 History of Jefferson County. 

When, about the year 1797, a colony was formed in Dauphin and Lycoming 
counties, called the " Big Emigration," for the purpose of locating on French 
Creek, Crawford county, young Graham joined the expedition. They loaded 
their effects in canoes and transported them to a point on the Sinnemahon- 
ing, where they were taken overland by pack-horses to the Allegheny River, 
and again loaded on canoes and carried down the river to French Creek, and 
up that creek to a point near Meadville. He remained here until 1804, when 
he came to Port Barnett, and went to work for Joseph Barnett, working on the 
mill, running lumber, etc., until 1807, when he was married to Sarah Ann, 
eldest daughter of Mr. Barnett. In 1821 he moved on to a farm in Union 
township now owned by Sheridan McCullough, where he remained until 1830, 
when he removed to Eldred township, where he resided until his death in 
1854. Mr. Graham came very near having to be a soldier, as his father had 
been before him, as he was "pressed into service" by Colonel Bird in 181 2, 
but after being detained at Waterford some two weeks, was allowed to return 
home. He was clerk for the first board of county commissioners, and served 
for court crier for several years. His venerable widow survived him until Oc- 
tober, 1885, having lived to the great age of ninety-five years. 

One of the pioneer lumbermen of Jefferson county was Moses Knapp, who 
came with the Barnetts from Lycoming county, in 1796 or 1797. He was a 
young man of about nineteen, and an adopted son or protege of Samuel 
Scott, who was a millwright, and from whom young Knapp, having a good 
deal of mechanical skill, soon mastered the rudiments of that trade. A )-ear 
or two after, he left his friends at Port Barnett, and built a mill for him- 
self on the North Fork at the head of the present mill-dam of T. K. Litch & 
Sons. In the fall of that year he went to Indiana, where he attended one term 
of school, and there became acquainted with Miss Susan Matson, a daughter of 
Uriah Matson, of that place, and before he returned they were married, and he 
brought her with him to his mill, where he put up a cabin and went to house- 
keeping. Here in 1801 Polly, the eldest of eleven children, was born, followed 
by Isabel and Samuel. He, after a few years, sold his mill and " betterments " 
to Samuel and WilHam Lucas, and built another cabin for himself at the mouth 
of the North Fork, and then built another saw-mill on what was then known as 
Knapp's Run, now called the Five Mile Run, near where the " Blaine mill " now 
stands. This mill he also sold to Thomas Lucas, and 'then built a log grist- 
mill near his residence, where the North Fork empties into Red Bank. This 
mill had one run of rock stones. The water was gathered by a wing dam of 
brush and stones ; this dam extended up to where the road now crosses Litch's 
mill-dam, and the water was brought into a chute that passed it under a large 
"undershot" water-wheel, with a " face-geer " wheel upon the water-wheel 
shaft, " mashed " into a " trundle-head " upon the spindle which carried the re- 
volving stones, and comprised the primitive propelling machinery. Mr. Knapp's 



Early Settlers. 39 



mill was often taxed to its utmost, and though the flour produced did not equal 
that produced to-day by the " roller-process," the early settlers were glad to 
get it, and brought their grists on horse-back to be ground, for twenty and 
thirty miles around. Some of our oldest citizens still remember this old log 
grist-mill. He resided here from 1807 until 1818. His future operations will 
be noted under the head of Clover township. 

Soon after these pioneer settlers had struck the first blow with the a.x in our 
forests, other settlers commenced to come into this region. Peter Jones first 
followed the Barnetts. John, William, and Jacob Vasbinder came from New 
Jersey and settled on Mill Creek, about three miles from Joseph Barnett, in the 
year, 1802 or 1803. John Matson came in 1805 and settled on the farm where 
his son, R. L. Matson, now resides. 

The first improvement made where Corsica now stands was by John Scott, 
who moved from Lycoming county in 1802. He afterward married a daugh- 
ter of Paul Clover, one of the pioneers of Clearfield county. John and Archi- 
bald Bell settled in the southern part of the county in 1809; soon afterward 
came Archibald Hadden and Hugh McKee ; Jacob Hoover in 18 15 settled on 
the present site of Clayville ; Carpenter Winslovv settled on what is now known 
as the " Winslow homestead" in Gaskill township in 18 18. About the same 
time Abram Weaver, Rev. Charles Barclay, Dr. John W. Jenks and Nathaniel 
Tindell, with their families, and Elijah Heath, came to Punxsutawney ; Jesse 
Armstrong and Adam Long were also among the first settlers in this locality. 
About 1818 or 1 8 19 David, John, and Henry Milliron settled on Little Sandy, 
near where Langvillle now is, and about the same time Henry Nolf built a 
saw-mill there. In 1820 or 1821 Lawrence Nolf settled on Pine Run near the 
present village of Ringgold. About 181 8 John and David Postlethwait settled 
in what is now Perry township ; James McHendry, James Bell and several 
others moved into the Round Bottom in 1822. 

The first settlement in what is now called Clover township was made at 
Troy in 18 14, by Summers Baldwin, who purchased the land upon which that 
village is located from the Holland Land Company. Soon after Solomon Ful- 
ler and John Welch purchased land of Baldwin, and until 1816 were the only 
settlers in that section. Between this and 1820, Frederick Hettrick, Henry 
Lott, Alonzo Baldwin, and the Carriers settled in Troy. In 18 18 Thomas and 
John Lucas located at what was called " Puckerty," about three miles from 
Troy. Then in 1820 James Shields, William Morrison, Hugh Williamson, 
Samuel Magill, John Kennedy, John Magiffin and John Kelso came from 
Huntingdon county, and located near Troy. 

About the year 18 12 some hardy pioneers pushed their way up the Sus- 
quehanna River, and Sinnemahoning to the mouth of Trout Run, on Bennett's 
Branch, where one of the number, Leonard Morey, located and built a mill. 
His companions were Dwight Caldwell, John Mix, and Eben Stevens. About 



40 History of Jefferson County. 

the same time a large tract of land containing some one hundred and forty- 
thousand acres, which had been surveyed on warrants in the name of James 
Wilson, was sold by State authority to Fox, Norris & Co., Quakers of Phila- 
delphia, who sent an agent to construct a road into their lands, and build a 
grist-mill. The road started from a point on the Susquehanna River, passed 
over Boone's Mountain, crossed Little Toby Creek, without a bridge, where 
the Hellen Mills now stand, followed the creek about seven miles to the point 
of " Hogback Hill," up that steep and difficult ascent, and on over the high- 
lands to a spot which had been selected for a mill site, on what is now called 
Elk Creek, about two miles from the present town of Centerville. Jacob Wil- 
son was the first miller, and for many years attended to the wants of the 
people in this direction. Ofttimes he would have to go from his house, a dis- 
tance of over a mile, to grind a grist of two bushels of corn, brought on horse- 
back ; but the good old man always did this uncomplainingly, though the poor 
toll he could take but little compensated him for his trouble. 

About this time, also, came James Green with his sons — James, Isaac, John, 
and William ; William, David, and Elijah Meredith, Josiah Taylor J. R. Han- 
cock, David Reesman, James Reesman, John Keller, and John Shaffer came 
with their families and constituted the " Kersey Settlement." 

In 1818 Captain Potter Goff, Rev. I. Nicholls, Abija B. Weed, Josiah 
Mead, John Macomber, Steven Dennison, Benjamin Leggett, Ebenezer Hew- 
ett, Peter Pearsall, and Elder John Bliss came with their families and settled 
on Bennett's Branch and vicinity. Elder Bliss, who was a Seventh-Day Bap- 
tist, was the grandfather of P. P. Bliss, the noted evangelist and musician, 
whose untimely death in the railroad disaster at Ashtabula, O., a few years 
ago, was so universally lamented 

Shortly after these Consider, Chauncey, and Alonzo Brockway, and some 
others, came from the State of New York and settled in the same neighbor- 
hood. In 1817 Joel Clarke, with his wife and sons Elisha and Joel, jr., came 
from Russell, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., and settled on Little Toby. Milton 
Johnson and wife came at the same time and settled on a small stream which 
now bears his name, at the mouth of Brandy Camp. Later in the year Phi- 
letus Clarke, another son of Joel's, came, also, from Russell, N. Y., and settled on 
Little Toby. The late Dr. A. M. Clarke, of Brockwayville, a son of Philetus 
Clarke, and from whose " Recollections" of the early settlement of the northern 
part of the county we have gleaned the greater part of the early history of 
that region, gives the following description of their coming to the Little Toby 
wilderness: 

" I was about eleven years old when my father, Philetus Clarke, came from 
St. Lawrence county, N. Y., into the Little Toby wilderness. The journey 
was long and tedious ; we moved with oxen in wagons, which were covered 
with canvas, and gave us shelter from sunshine and storm. I was the oldest 



Early Settlers. 41 



child, and there were three of us. Sometimes I had to drive the team while 
my father would support the wagon to keep it from upsetting. The Susque- 
hannah and Waterford turnpike was being made, and we came along an old 
road near it to 'Neeper tavern,' about four miles from where Luthersburg now 
is. I remember the motto that was over the sign-board at ' Neeper': 

" ' It is God's will, 

Tliis wood must yield. 
And the wildwood turn 
To a fruitful field.' 

" From that place the road was very rough — over the hills and mountains. 
We could not get through in one day, and had to stop one night at a place 
where the road-makers had built a shanty, but it had burnt down, and the 
place was called ' Burnt Shanty.' Our wagon gave us shelter, and a good 
spring was pleasant indeed. The next day we passed over Boone's Mountain, 
came to the crossing of Little Toby, near where the Oyster House was built 
many years after. We pursued our journey onward to Kersey Settlement. 
My father thought best to examine the lands for which he had exchanged his 
New York property before going any farther, and was utterly disappointed 
and disgusted with them. He made explorations in various directions in search 
of a mill site, and finally concluded to settle at what is now Brockport, where he 
built a saw-mill, the first ever built on Little Toby. He put a small grist-mill, 
with "bolts," in the saw-mill, which answered tlie requirements of the few set- 
tlers for a while, and afterward built a good grist-mill, which did good service 
for the people, until the great flood of 1847 carried it off." In 1821 Isaac 
Horton, Alanson Viall, Hezekiah Warner, and Chauncy Brockway settled 
on Brandy Camp. In 1821 John S. Brockway purchased at treasurer's sale, at 
Indiana, the " Henry Peffer tract" on Little Toby, and the next year Alonzo 
and James M. Brockway moved over from Bennett's Branch and commenced 
improvements on the land. They had to cut their way five miles down the 
creek from Philetus Clarke's. They planted fruit trees of various kinds as 
soon as the land was cleared, and peach and plum trees were soon in bearing. 
They also made large quantities of maple sugar, raised all their own supplies, 
and with game in abundance, lived luxuriously for those days. This was the 
first settlement in what is now Snyder township. 

In 1823 Jacob Shaffer located about a mile above Brockway's, on the 
Henry Sinet tract. This land had been given to Mr. Shaffer by his father-in- 
law, who had received the grant for services in the United States army. He 
came all the way from Centre county with his little family in a two-horse 
■wagon. He is represented as a "fine old German gentleman of the olden 
time," and a "good Democrat — voting for Jackson for many years." He died 
in 185 1. His brother-in-law, Henry Walborn, who came with him, located 
near by on what was afterwards called Walborn's Run. He soon sold out to 
Joel Clarke, jr., and went away. In 1824 or 1825 Richard Gelatt and W. F. 



42 History of Jefferson County. 

Luce built a saw-mill on Bennett's Branch, two or three miles above Trout 
Run. They expected to soon get rich by lumbering. To keep his courage 
up Mr. Gelatt would sing what he called the "Song of the Mill," "Go penny, 
come pound." But as the years went on, the cost and difficulty in getting 
their lumber to market, and the small prices realized for it, brought loss and 
discouragement — when financial ruin seemed to stare him in the face, the 
cheerful tenor of the song changed, and the mill sang instead, " Go pound, 
come penny." 

In 1826 the Fourth of July was celebrated at Mr. Gelatt's, the first record 
we have of such a celebration in the county. " Spread-eagle speeches were 
made; toasts given, and the day passed in mirth and hilarity." It was some 
time afterwards — for there were no mail facilities, nor telegraphs in this whole 
region of country in those days — before it became known that both Adams and 
Jefferson had died on that day. 

Joshua Vandevort settled in 1825 where "Bootjack" (Mayville) now is. 
He was the pioneer of Warsaw township. In 1824 John Mcintosh and 
Alexander Osborn and Henry Keys settled in the Beechwoods, and in 1826 
Andrew Smith, William Cooper, and John Wilson also settled there. Several 
other families came the same year. It was late in the fall of this year that 
Mr. Cooper found the Wilson family, one morning, in the woods. They had 
lost their way the night before,and had to lie out in the cold all night. Mrs. 
Cooper made them a pot of hasty pudding, and after they had their breakfast, 
put them to bed, for they were all nearly frozen. One of the daughters, after- 
ward Mrs. Henry Keys, was so badly frozen that Mr. Cooper had to carry her 
to his house on his back. 

The old settlers and pioneers of the county will be treated more at length 
in the history of the townships, in which they severally located. The grave 
has closed over much that would have been of great interest and value in the 
preparation of this work. Nearly all of the older citizens have passed oft" the 
stage forever, and in many cases their descendants have preserved but little 
record of them or their doings. 

That these first days of our county's history were days of hardship, priva- 
tion, and ofttimes of suffering, none can doubt. Here and there in the vast wil- 
derness the smoke curled up from some lone cabin, while in the recesses of 
those woods lurked the bear, the wolf and the panther, and the deadly rattle- 
snake crept sometim.es to the very threshold. Rude and rough these cabins 
were, built of logs, and at best containing but two rooms, with, may be, a 
"loft"; with clapboard roof, puncheon doors and floor, and with greased 
paper to serve for windows until such time as glass could be brought from the 
" settlements." Only such articles as could be brought on horseback over the 
rough trails or paths were at first brought into this wilderness — a little bedding, 
clothing, and the necessary cooking utensils, with a few articles of table wear. 



Early Settlers. 45 



Rude furniture was manufactured, in most cases. Tables and bedsteads were 
made of boards, and chairs were "splint-bottom." In the next decade, when 
the travelers came in wagons drawn by sturdy oxen or horses, more comforts 
could be transported. Huge chimneys made of mortar and sticks were placed 
at one end of the cabin, and the cooking was done by suspending a "crane" 
over the fire upon which the kettle and pots were " hung to boil." Wood was 
plenty and close at hand, and though natural gas, kerosene, and even matches 
were unknown, and candles luxuries often unobtainable, the dead and decay- 
ing " pitch pine trees " had left the ground strewn with hard, resinous pine 
knots, which, when split into pieces, produced a far better and cheaper light 
than a dozen candles. But the inhabitants of these lowly dwellings were not 
those who after once " putting their hand to the plow would look back " ; they 
were of a race to persevere and win, and win they did. Mostly young couples, 
just beginning life, they had left the old home in the older settlements to 
make a home for themselves, and had selected this wilderness where land was 
cheap. Their hearts were happy, and their purposes honest and upright, and 
their very surroundings were all ennobling. They could not help but take into 
their very souls the grandeur and beauty of their forest home. The tall pines 
that raised their heads heavenward, the high hills that loomed upward and 
shut them in, seemed to bring them closer to the Infinite Ruler, who protected 
them amid all their perils. The winds sang anthems of praise, the pretty song- 
sters that flitted from branch to branch warbled joyously all the day, while the 
beautiful wild flowers in summer bloomed at their very doors ; and who will 
say that they were not made better men and women from this close commun- 
ing with nature in all its grandeur and beauty ? 

Soon other settlers commenced to come in, and here and there could be 
seen the smoke arising from a new home in the wilderness, and how the first 
settlers rejoiced when they began to have neighbors ! It is true, the distance 
from one neighbor to another was from five to ten and twelve miles, but then 
in those days, a few miles of travel was not thought any hardship. We can 
only imagine how Joseph Barnett and his family, after they had dwelt for 
almost five years alone in the wilderness, welcomed the Joneses, the Vas- 
binders, the Matsons, and others who first followed them into the county. 

New settlers as they came in were received with the warmest of welcomes 
by their predecessors. Good will and kindly feelings prevailed, every one was 
ready to assist his neighbor, and if a new-comer, at a distance of ten or twelve 
miles, wanted to put up a log cabin, or barn, all he had to do was to inform 
those sturdy pioneers and he was sure to have their help at the appointed 
time. Chopping-bees and log-rollings, called in those days " frolics," were 
frequent. It might have been that some were influenced to attend these gath- 
erings on account of the whisky that was freely used on such occasions, for 
one of the first evidences of the settlement of the county was the building of 



44 History of Jefferson County. 

small " still houses," as they were then called; but it was the pure juice of the 
rye, and though undoubtedly injurious in its effects, was free from drugs and 
poison that is its principal ingredients in these days, and delirium tremens did 
not lurk in the cup as it does now. As those sturdy pioneers felled the trees, 
plowed the fields, or rafted the lumber down to Pittsburgh, they were laying 
the foundation of a county whose people, to-day, have no peers for intelli- 
gence, patriotism, and true nobility of character. Rude and illiterate some 
of them may have been, but they were strong of heart and limb, brave and 
enduring, possessing all the elements of true manhood and womanhood; earn- 
est Christians most of them were, and they have left their impress upon the 
present generation. Those days of privation, toil and danger, had their green 
spots, and are yet held dear in the hearts of the few old people who still linger 
with us. Those very toils and sufterings made them sacred, and though the 
■present generation have escaped all the hardships of their pioneer ancestors, it 
is to those days that this county owes all its prosperity, and all the blessings 
we now enjoy. Those early pioneers laid the foundation that we might enjoy 
the grandeur of the edifice ; they planted the tree, we are eating the fruit ; 
they sowed in tears and poverty that we might reap in joy and gladness. Let 
ns honor and revere them for those sterling qualities that gave our county its 
first start towards its present greatness. 



CHAPTER V. 

EARLY INCIDENTS. 

Pioneer Incidents — Early Rafting on the Mahoning and Little Toby — Hunting Wolves, 
Bears, Panthers, etc. 

IN the winter of 1800, or 1801, Stephen Roll, August Shultz, and a negro 
named Fudeon Vancamp, started on foot from near Easton, Pa., to come to 
Barnett Settlement, of which they had heard such glowing accounts. They 
got along on their journey all right until they reached the mouth of Ander- 
son's Creek, in the Susquehanna River, from which place their route lay 
through the unbroken wilderness. Not being accustomed to pioneer travel- 
ing, they started on the last stage of their journey, a distance of thirty-three 
miles, without providing anything to eat on the way. Soon after they left the 
Susquehanna River a heavy snow storm set in, and it continued to snow all 
day until the snow was over two feet deep. Fudge Vancamp, the negro, was 
the largest and strongest man of the party, and undertook to break the road 



Early Incidents. 45 



for the other two ; but the cold and hunger at last overcome him, and when 
within about a mile of Barnett's he gave out and had to make the rest of the 
way on his hands and knees. He reached Mr. Barnett's about midnight, so 
much exhausted, and so nearly frozen, that it was almost an hour before he 
revived sufficiently to inform his host of the situation in which he had left his 
companions. As soon as they learned that there were others in danger of 
perishing, four or five men started to rescue them. Roll was met a few rods 
from the house. He had made the last stage of the journey in the same man- 
ner that the negro had done. Shultz, however, had given out some two miles 
back, and was found almost frozen. He lost three toes off one foot, and the 
great toe off the other, and eventually his life was the forfeit, for he never 
recovered from the effects of this terrible journey, but died a few months after 
reaching his home again. Roll and Vancamp recovered in a few days. They 
both settled near Port Barnett and lived to be old men. 

Mrs. Graham, when about fourteen years old, was sent one evening to bring 
home the cows ; but the animals had strayed farther than she anticipated, and 
before she found them night set in, and a thunder storm coming on, she became 
bewildered and frightened, and lost her way. Imagining that the wolves were 
in pursuit of her, she feared to stop in the woods, and making her way to Mill 
Creek, she waded out to a large rock in the middle of the stream, and there 
spent the night in terror. She heard the cries of those who were searching 
for her, but thought their calls, as well as the barking of the dogs, was the 
howling of the wolves. She was rescued about daylight, when the water was 
rising rapidly, and before noon the rock was obliterated by the mad flood, 
and Mill Creek a raging torrent. Mrs. Graham said she was never sent to 
hunt the cows again, but had her father bade her go, she would have gone in 
spite of her fear, for, though kind to his family, he was strict in discipline, and 
none of his children ever thought of disobeying him. It is said that when his 
son Andrew was a married man with children and a home of his own, if his 
father told him to do a thing he obeyed at once, without any questioning. 

The greatest economy had to be exercised in those early days of which we 
have spoken, both in regard to food and clothing. No supplies could be had 
without a long and dangerous journey of forty or fifty miles, and sometimes 
families found themselves reduced to the greatest straits for food. A venerable 
lady, of one of the " first families " of the county, informed me that the hard- 
est time she ever experienced was living for a week on dried apples and corn 
bread, and that their greatest treat was to to be able to have " white wheat 
cakes at Christmas." Another family is said to have been so hard pressed for 
food that they had to boil the seeds of pumpkins, and yet another who sub- 
sisted on green corn for two weeks. 

Mrs. Edwin English, of Brookville, relates an incident of her father, Rev. 
Gara Bishop, one of the pioneer ministers of this region. He was residing in 
4 



46 History of Jekkerson County. 

1825 or 1826 in "Old Town" (Clearfield), and was called to perform a mar- 
riage ceremony near the line of Jefferson and Clearfield counties. Mr. Bishop 
drove in a sleigh — it being in the depth of winter — a distance of twenty miles to 
the appointed place, and on reaching the house, which stood lone and forlorn in 
the midst of the white waste, he inquired of the young man who came to 
meet him at the door, and who appeared to be the sole occupant of the house, 
whether he could get something for himself and horse to eat, but was informed 
that he could not procure anything unless he went ten miles farther on. He 
then inquired for the bride, and was told she would soon be there, and pretty 
soon his host announced, " There they come now," and looking out he beheld 
two women wading through the snow, which was more than " knee deep." 
When they reached the cabin the bride went up into the " loft " to put an her 
wedding dress, which she had brought in a bundle with her. She returned in a 
few minutes, and the simple ceremony was soon over. The groom then asked 
the bride whether she had brought anything with her to eat, as the preacher 
had had no dinner. She produced a loaf of bread, from which Mr. Bishop 
was supplied, and when he had appeased his hunger with this dry food, he 
turned his face homeward, having to drive another twenty miles before he 
could get anything for his poor horse, and this, too, over roads that the heavy 
fall of snow had made almost impassable; and for this hard day's journey he 
received one dollar. 

Dr. A. M. Clarke relates the following incident: "When I was about 
twelve or thirteen years of age, I was sent in the winter season with a yoke of 
oxen and a sled to procure a load of corn from any source from which it could 
be obtained, and found myself belated in the woods, but at last came to a lit- 
tle clearing, where there was an old man by the name of Stevens and his wife 
living in a poor log cabin. I was made welcome to the warmth of their fire, 
which was very pleasant, as I was cold, tired, and perhaps hungry. I had 
brought forage with me, and the team was soon cared for ; and the old lady 
busied herself for some time in preparing a supper for me. She first fried some 
salt pork, then greased a griddle with some of the fat procured from the meat, 
and baked some corn cakes, then made what she called ' a good cup of rye 
coffee,' sweetened with pumpkin molasses. I was not hungry enough to much 
enjoy this repast. In the morning, on inquiry of my host, I learned that six 
miles further down the stream (Bennett's Branch), I could likely get the corn 
at a Mr. Johnson's. I must not return without it, so onward we went in the 
morning, bought the corn and returned home. " 

One of the first settlers of the southern portion of the county, and if tradi- 
tion serves us right, one of the earliest lumbermen of the Mahoning, was Jesse 
Armstrong, who built his cabin in a bend of the creek, now called Armstrong's 
Bend, a short distance below where the mill of James U. Gillespie now stands. 
He, with William Neal, devised the plan of constructing a raft, and early in the 



Early Incidents. 47 



spring of 1818 the two men, with Sally, Armstrong's wife — and tradition says 
assisted by two Indians who had been in the neighborhood, perhaps visiting 
the graves of their people — started on their raft to explore the lower waters of 
the Mahoning, a peaceful enough stream in summer, but when swollen by the 
spring rains and melting snows, a veritable, rushing, foaming river. The raft, 
which was not one of the deftly put together square timber, or board rafts of 
the present day, but constructed of round logs roughly withed together, was 
swept down the mad current. The oars were poor, and the oarsmen and pilot 
unskilled and ignorant of the stream, and at length the frail craft struck on 
the rocks, and the crew barely escaped with their lives to the shore. Indeed, 
poor Sally Armstrong would have found a watery grave had not Billy Neal 
caught her by her long red hair, and pulled her out of the seething flood. It 
it said that the eddy where this catastrophe occurred was ever after known as 
"Sally's Eddy." Just before this mishap occurred, Sally had prepared some 
food from the stores which they had with them ; but Owenoco, one of the In- 
dians, said, " No, no ; we no eat now ; may be never eat ; " at the same time 
he was trying with great strength and skill to keep the tossing craft from dash- 
ing against the great rocks that loomed up on every side. Suddenly they 
were drawn into the fearful eddy, and the oar of Owenoco breaking off sud- 
denly, he lost control of the raft. Extricating themselves with difficulty from 
their perilous predicament, the white men and Indians finally got their broken 
raft safely moored to shore and tied fast to a tree. Then, by the aid of flint 
and torch, the Indians called down the sacred fire, which they ascribed as a 
gift from their Manitou, and soon the little band of lumbermen, and the poor 
drenched lumber- woman, were gathered around the welcome fire ; all their 
provisions, with the exception of some bread and salt that Sally had placed in 
a box, which was saved, had gone down into the watery flood, with some 
crocks of honey, the product of the wild bees, which Sally was taking to Pitts- 
burg to purchase finery with. The bows and arrows of the Indians soon, how- 
ever, procured them food, and in the cheerful light and warmth of the fire they 
soon regained their spirits, and after a night's rest, were ready early the next 
morning to again undertake the perilous journey, and without any more 
serious mishaps gained their journey's end, being safely landed at Pittsburgh, 
where their dusky companions bade them farewell forever, and wended their 
way to Canada, there to join the remnant of their tribe. 

Armstrong and his wife exchanged their logs for such provisions and wear- 
ing apparel as they could carry, and returned on foot to Punxsutawney. It 
was after night when they came in sight of their cabin, where Adam Long 
and his wife dwelt with them. The loud barking of the dog announced their 
coming, and Adam said to his wife, " I bet a deerskin it bees Jess and Sail 
comin'," and soon the weary travelers were seated around their own fireside, 
enjoying the rest they so much needed, and while they partook of the repast of 



48 History of Jefferson County. 

bear's meat, etc., that Mrs. Long hastily provided for them, they told the story 
of their perilous journey and its successful ending, and Adam Long in turn 
narrated the story of his fight with the bear whose skin was then drying on the 
wall of the cabin, and which he had killed near their very door. " Oh, Lor' ! 
but I am tired " said Mrs. Armstrong, " I would not do that again for all the 
plagued raft and honey. I feel so crippled up I can scarcely walk." " Yes," 
said Adam, " put ye give the hunny to te fesh, an' to te alegatorsh." "Yes, 
I lost my seven crocks of honey, and if it hadn't been for Billy Neal I would 
have went with the honey. I'll always respect him for that. Jesse never tried 
to put out his hand to catch me," said the irate dame. " Why Sally," said 
Armstrong, " you know that when you jumped in I was trying to save myself 
on the other side of the raft." "But what te tivel you do mit Neal?" said Adam; 
" did de Injun kill him, or did you sell him mit your raft ?" " Oh !" said 
Jesse, " Neal went with us to Pittsburgh, where we left him. We got on 
Leslie Ramsey's boat. I helped push the boat up to Kittanning, and Sally and 
me come afoot from there along the Indian path. We come it in two days." 

Then Adam Long told his story of the bear's death. His dog had started 
the bear on the hill above the creek, and they had followed it from crag to 
crag until it at last, just on the bank of the creek, it turned to give them bat- 
tle, and caught the dog in its embrace, when the hunter dealt the huge beast 
a powerful blow with his hatchet. The furious animal rela.xed its hold of the 
dog and sprang at Adam with extended jaws, and seemed to realize that the 
conflict was for life or death. The hunter's gun was useless. He had no time 
to aim at the bear, but springing aside, he drew his long keen hunting-knife, 
and returned to the charge. The huge black beast was standing erect and 
received the thrust of the knife in his neck, and as Long was about to give 
him another blow with his knife he struck him with his powerful paw and 
stretched him on the ground, while his knife flew from his hand into the creek, 
and had not the dog at this juncture come to the rescue, poor Adam would 
never have lived to tell of this exploit ; but seeing his master at the mercy of 
their common enemy, he sprang upon the bear and there ensued a fierce strug- 
gle ; but the bear was badly wounded, and the dog at last threw him almost 
into the creek, when the bear gave up the contest, and springing into the 
water, made for the other shore, the brave dog still holding on to his flank. 
Adam Long had by this time recovered his faculties, and reloading his gun 
fired at the bear, the ball taking effect in his shoulder. He then plunged into 
the creek and encountered him upon the other shore with his hatchet, and 
soon dispatched him. He believed that the huge beast would have weighed 
at least four hundred pounds. Adam always loved to narrate this story. 

Long had left Westmoreland county to escape being pressed into the serv- 
ice to fight the British in the War of 1812, preferring to be a Nimrod than an 
Achilles. 



Early Incidents. 49 



As we have said before, the country abounded in wild animals when the 
early settlers first came ; the bear and wolf especially being the terror of the 
farmer, and the ever vigilant foe of his sheep-fold and pig-pen. Many are the 
hunting stories related of those times, but we only reproduce a few of them, 
which come to us well authenticated. In the year 1806 a law was passed al- 
lowing a bounty of eight dollars for the scalp of each wolf or panther, and as 
the skins of these animals were also very valuable, nearly every man turned 
hunter, not only for the purpose of protecting themselves and their flocks from 
the depredations of these beasts of prey, but also for the revenue they derived 
from killing them. They would watch the dens of the wolves when the young 
wolves had attained a certain size, and capture them, trying to time their visit 
when the old wolves were absent. 

Some time in the spring of 1823 two men, named Timblin and Porter, came 
to David Postlethwaite's, in Perry township, to get some whisky — Mr. Postle- 
thwaite kept a "still house" at the time — stating that they were going to hunt 
for wolves. During the evening the two hunters imbibed so much whisky that 
Postlethwaite concluded they would not hunt any wolves that evening, and af- 
ter they left he went to his brother John and told him that if they were going 
to hunt the wolves they must do it that night, as the other parties would likely 
start in the morning. They knew where the wolves had a den in a cavern 
under a huge rock, about three-quarters of a mile from Postlethwaite's, and 
about a quarter of a mile from the present Brookville and Indiana road. 
Just as they came round the rock, David told his brother that the old wolf was 
in, for he had heard her. His brother doubted this at first, but soon found 
that David was right. It was then about dusk in the evening. David said, 

"Well, John, will you go in and shoot her? " " No, I'll be if I do, " said 

John. " Well, if you won't, I must," said his brother, and at once prepared to 
go into the den, taking with him his gun, hunting-knife, and a long pole, nine 
or ten feet long, to feel for the wolf, so that he should not get too near her un- 
awares. After proceeding into the hole about fifteen feet he came to a short 
turn to the left, where the passage became so narrow that he could proceed 
with difficulty ; about six feet further on he came to another turn to the right, 
and feeling ahead with his pole, touched the wolf He had some difficulty in 
getting her to look towards him, so that he could see her eyes to fire at. He 
finally got a good aim, leveled, and fired at the brute's eyes, and then got back 
as fast as he could past the first turn in the passage, when he listened to see 
whether his shot had taken effect ; but for a time the report of the gun as 
it reverberated through the cavern was deafening ; when this died away he 
knew by the absence of the old wolf's breathing that she was dead. His 
brother then went in and brought her out and nine whelps with her. David's 
bullet had struck her a quarter of an inch from the eye. Rattlesnakes were 
also very plenty, and the danger from them was very great. Some time in the 



50 History of Jefferson County. 

fall of 1823 David Postlethwaite found a rattlesnake den not more than half a 
mile from his house, and killed forty or fifty of the reptiles. The next spring 
he and Nathaniel Foster went out to the den to have " a spree killing rattle- 
snakes." Just as the two men were starting from the house, they met James 
Stewart, a neighbor, who was coming to Postlethwaite's on an errand, and in- 
vited him to accompany them ; so the three, armed with a club apiece, went to 
the den and in less than two hours had killed three hundred snakes. Mr. Pos- 
tlethwaite, who related the story to our informant, said that they counted them, 
and that from forty to sixty dead reptiles lay in a circle of ground not more 
than ten feet in diameter. 

In 1834 or 1835 a man named Long, and John and Jacob Kahle, sons of 
Frederick Kahle, caught eight young wolves from a den near the present town 
of Sigel. Long made a hook and fastened it to a stick four or five feet long, 
and John Kahle, the oldest boy, who was about fourteen, went in and fasten- 
ing the hook into the hide of a young wolf, would pull it out. He took a pine 
torch with him, and had a rope tied to his foot, and when he would get hold 
of a young wolf he would pull on the rope and the others would pull him 
out This was repeated eight times, but on the ninth trial he caught the old 
wolf; she growled and snapped her teeth at him. He jerked on the rope but 
was not strong enough to pull her out. When he got out and told Long, the 
latter oft'ered him ten dollars if he would go in and bring her out ; and on his 
refusal, tried to get Jacob to go in. Long then made several attempts to go in 
after her himself, but did not succeed in getting very far. He then tried to get 
the old animal by blasting the rock with powder ; but this also failed, and they 
then closed up the entrance to the den ; but she worked herself out through 
some other opening, and escaped with her remaining young one. When they 
commenced to capture the young wolves they thought the old wolf was not in 
the den. 

About the year 18 16 Lewis Long and his son William shot five wolves 
without moving out of their tracks. They first killed the leader of the pack, 
and then called the rest back by imitating their howling. 

William and Jackson Long were noted hunters, hunting and trapping being 
their occupation for many years, and they had many daring and hair- breadth 
escapes. Their sure and trusty rifles did much to rid all this wilderness of 
the dangerous wild beasts that infested it. As their game grew scarce in this 
region, they removed to the wilder sections, " Boone's Mountain " being a fa- 
vorite hunting-ground. Both lived to be old men. The impression prevails 
that a she bear will fight for her young until she dies, but this is not always the 
case. In 1836 William and Mathew Smith, of the Beechwoods, gave chase to 
a bear with three cubs ; two of the latter ran up a tree and were captured, 
while the old bear ran oft' with the remaining cub, and never came back to look 
for the missing ones. In 183 1 Mrs. Nancy McGhee, of the same locality, heard 



Early Incidents. 51 



the pigs squealing, and exclaimed : " The bears are at the hogs," and Mr. 
McGhee being absent, she and the hired man, Philip McAfiferty, each picked 
up an ax and hastened to the rescue of the imperiled swine. The bear had 
one down and was preparing to make a meal of it, but fled on their approach ; 
but the hog was so badly hurt that it had to be killed. The panther was the 
most cautious and crafty animal that the hunters had to contend with. In 1833 
Jacob Vasbinder found a panther's den on Boone's Mountain. He went with 
his boys, dogs, and guns to kill the old and capture the young animals. One 
of the dogs got loose, and unnoticed ran ahead and frightened off the old pan- 
ther, and scattered the young ones so that they only caught one alive. The 
dogs killed the rest. The one that was captured was about the size of a cat. 
It was kept for about a year and then sold to a traveling showman. 

In 1834 the Long brothers and Andrew Vasbinder captured a full-grown 
elk. They surrounded it with their dogs and forced it to take refuge on a high 
rock. Here the dogs did not dare approach it, for it would have soon trampled 
them to death with its sharp hoofs. The hunters after some trouble succeeded 
in throwing a rope over its head, and thus captured it ; but they forced it 
home too roughly, and it only survived the capture three weeks. 

The boldest feat on record is that of Jackson Long, a son of William, who 
as late as the year 1850, entered a panther's den and shot the savage animal 
by the light of his glowing eyes. 

We have no record of any deaths occurring from wild animals, but the 
above incidents will show how wary the early settlers had to be at all times, 
and the perils they had to undergo in ridding the county of these beasts of 
prey. In those times " vigilance was the price of safety." 

In 1828 the Little Toby lumbermen came to the conclusion that money 
could be made by running their lumber to Pittsburgh, but the accumulation 
of driftwood, rocks, and short bends in the stream, caused it to be unnavi- 
gable, and much work had to be done removing the drift, blasting rocks, and 
making new channels, so that no rafts could be started for the market until in 
May, 1830, when the lumber from the three mills on Little Toby, operated by 
the Brockways, Philetus Clarke, J. Horton, H. and L. Warner, Alanson Viall, 
and perhaps some others, was with much labor and difficulty got ready to 
run. The late Dr. A. M. Clarke gives the following account of this first at- 
tempt at lumbering on Little Toby : 

" I went with the first lumber that was sent from Little Toby to Pittsburgh. 
It was a great company craft, awkwardly put in and poorly managed from 
beginning to end. After a great deal of trouble by the way, and much stav- 
ing, the rafts were all collected and coupled together in one unwieldy raft at 
Miller's Eddy, on the Allegheny River. On account of the exceeding rough 
appearance of this raft it was called the ' Porcupine.' Want of experience and 
lack of skill nearly wrecked the whole business, for in their anxiety to get to 



52 History of Jefferson County. 

market, and encouraged by their pilot, the unwieldy craft — I think it was three 
abreast, and thirty-two platforms long — was started in very high water. They 
soon discovered their mistake, but were unable to land, and went rushing for- 
ward, and miles of foaming water were traversed before the frightened crew 
effected a landing. I was sent to take care of my father's share in the adven- 
ture. We went down in May, 1830, and came back in July. Our best sales 
were made for five and ten dollars per thousand feet for common and clear 
stuff. 

" I was but a stripling in size, weighed perhaps one hundred pounds. Of 
course I was of no account among the ' Olean Hoosiers.' One day at ' Dal- 
rymple's hotel,' which was the lumbermen's headquarters at that time, while 
sitting in the waiting-room, quietly waiting for dinner, suspecting no mischief, 
I felt a severe pinch above my knee, making the muscles tingle with pain. 
The hand that gave the pinch belonged to a tall, robust, heavy lumberman 
from Smithport, named Gideon Irons. I sprang up on the instant and gave 
him a blow with all the force I was able. I suppose he felt my puny fist, for 
looking down on me, he cooly said, ' Pretty well for Little Toby.'" 

Another lumberman gives the experience of lumbering on the same stream 
more than ten years later : 

" In April, 1842, Nelson Allen, Patrick Cairns, and others started from 
what is now Brockwayville, on a raft for Pittsburgh. They soon ' stuck,' but 
the water was rising and they got off again. It was quite late when they 
reached a place where they could land for the night. There was no house 
near and they could get no fire started, and they had to lay all night in their 
wet clothing on some hemlock boughs, benumbed with cold. But little sleep 
visited them. The next afternoon they reached a good landing place, but still 
no house, and fearing to run the risk of not being able to effect a landing if 
they ventured on, they tied up. They had very short rations for dinner, and 
a long fast was before them. Soon another raft came down the stream, the 
crew of which called to them for bread, but they had none to give. A piece 
of raw, salt pork gave them a small 'scrap ' apiece. The men suffered severely 
from the wet and cold and for want of food, as it was two o'clock in the after- 
noon of the next day before they reached a house of entertainment, and where 
the good women of the house found it hard to find food enough to satisfy 
the almost famished raftmen. From this place they 'ran out' to Pittsburgh 
without further trouble. But for all this suffering and hardship they only re- 
ceived seven dollars and fifty cents per thousand for their timber." 

These are only a few of the many perils and privations attendant upon early 
lumbering in Jefferson county waters. 



Early Schools and Churches. 53 

CHAPTER VI. 

EARLY SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 

The First Old Log School-House — Primitive Education — Tlie First Schools in Pine Creek 
and Perry Townships — Schools of Ye Olden Time — The Presbyterians the First to Sow the 
Good Seed in .lefferson County — Reverend McGarragh the Pioneer Minister — The First Cliurch 
in the County — The First Marriages — The Early Baptist Church — The First Coming of the 
Seceders — The Planting of Methodism in the County — Early Ministrj' of Reverend George 
Reeser. 

AS soon as the people got their cabins ready for habitation they began to 
plan for the building of school-houses and the organization of churches. 
Mrs. Graham informs us that the first school in the county was taught in the 
winter of 1803 by John Dixon. He was the father of the venerable John 
Dixon, of Polk township. The house in which this school was taught was 
built of rough logs, with no windows except " chinks " left between the logs 
over which greased paper was tacked, the floor was of puncheons, and the 
seats of broad pieces of logs hewn smooth on the upper side, and with pins in 
the under side for legs. Boards fastened to the walls served as writing desks, 
and a log fire placed at one end of the house supplied that want. A year or 
two later a man named John Johnson taught in a house between Port Barnett 
and Brookville. This house was somewhat of an improvement on the first 
one in that it had real glass in the windows. The first school in the south end 
of the county was near where Perrysville now is, at John Bell's. The school- 
house was almost a fac simile of the one described above. These schools 
were maintained and the houses built by those who felt interested in having 
school in the neighborhood and who had children old enough to attend. The 
wages paid were very low, but were all that the times afforded. We notice 
that a schoo Itaught on Little Toby, somewhere in 1828, the teacher received 
twelve dollars per month, paid in maple sugar. In those days the requirements 
for teachers were not very exacting, and no rigid examinations had to be un- 
dergone. 

Mrs. Ann Smith, one of the early settlers of the northern part of the county, 
left Ireland at the age of ten years, and never went to school in America. She 
married at the early age of sixteen, and could have had but little opportunity 
for study at home, yet in her old age she taught school. When her husband 
became discouraged and wanted to leave the backwoods, she was so anxious 
to remain and build up a home for her children that she offered him one year's 
work on the farm if he would stay on, and for twelve months she went to the 
field as early and toiled as late as he did. W'e have before us two old school 
books, one "The American Accountant, or School Mafter's New Affiftant," 
by Benjamin Workman, published in Philadelphia in 1793. The other is a 



54 History of Jefferson County. 

" Short, but Comprehensive System of the Geography of the World," pub- 
lished in 179s by Dr. Nathaniel Dwight, of Hartford. The books, which are 
both in good preservation, show that in those early days the boy or girl who 
was so lucky as to own a book knew how to take care of it. In the geography 
is written, " Sandy Lick saw-mill, Pensylvany, Erastus Turner," and in the 
arithmetic, in very legible, though old-fashioned characters, 

" Do not Steal this book for Fear of Shame, 
for underneath hes the owner's name ; 
Elish.\ Grah.\m, 
Joseph Mason, 

His hand and pen, 

Sept. the 30th, 1794." 

And these are the books handed down from the first days of our county, 
and from which in that old rude school -house in Pine Creek township the first 
rudiments of arithmetic and geography were taught. The history of the 
schools of Jefferson county, from the rude beginnings which we have men- 
tioned, up to the present time, which will be given in a subsequent chapter, 
will show what progress has been made in the method of teaching, books used 
and school buildings. 

The Presbyterian Church seems to have been the first that gained a foot- 
hold in this county, and the ministers of that denomination the first who 
" sowed the good seed " in this wilderness. 

The first account we have of religious services being held in the settlement 
was in June, 1809, when Rev. Robert McGarragh preached at the house of 
Peter Jones, near where John McCuUough now lives in Pine Creek township — 
"held the communion and baptized certain persons." Mr. McGarragh was 
undoubtedly the pioneer minister of the count}'. He had come to the Clarion 
region as a licentiate of the Presbytery of Redstone in 1803, and removed, 
with his family, to take charge of the churches of Licking and New Rehoboth, 
now in Clarion county, in 1804. He seems to have taken charge of the little 
congregation of Port Barnett, but how long he ministered unto them is not 
known. Mr. McGarragh did not " serve his Master for hire," for the people 
he preached to were too poor to pay for his services, and the good man was 
used to poverty. It is told of him that when a student at Cannonsburg in 
1803, he and his wife kept boarders, students of the same institution. " One 
night Mrs. McGarragh found the stock of provisions so low that she declined 
to sit down to the table lest there might not be enough for breakfast. They 
urged her to partake of the food, and agreed to keep the morrow as a fast day. 
Next morning, as they held a prayer-meeting, a knock came to the door, and 
upon opening it a countryman was found who inquired for Mr. McGarragh, 
stating that he wished to sell him some provisions. 'But,' said he, ' though I 
need provisions, I have no money.' ' If you can pay me in six months it will 
do,' said the farmer, ' I am not afraid to trust a Presbyterian student.' He 
bought a side of beef and two hundred pounds of flour. That very day his 



Earlv Schools and Churches. 55 

father came to see him and brought fifty dollars, which he had saved to help 
him. The next day he hired a man to go out fourteen miles into the country 
and pay the stranger." The good man remained poor, and on one occasion 
Mr. Wilson, of Strattanville, when he went to engage him to preach, found 
him busy " logging," and of course expected him to change his clothes, but 
found that the only suit he owned was the one he had on. This man, " poor 
in purse but rich in goodness," was he who first preached the gospel to the 
people of Jefferson county. 

The first meeting-house built was about three miles from Brookville, on the 
Clarion road. It was built of logs, without a floor, and slabs or boards on 
logs constituted the seats. The pulpit was a board supported by two posts. 
Rev. William Kennedy was the pastor, and is the first settled minister in the 
county of the Presbyterian Church of whom there is any record. This church 
was organized about the year 1824, and was called the "Bethel of Jefferson 
County." 

In 1826 Rev. William Kennedy went from his home in the Beech woods to 
marry Henry Keys and Catharine Wilson, and at the same time baptized Nin- 
ian Cooper. Rev. Gara Bishop, in 1830, came from his home in Clearfield to 
the same locality to marry James Waite and Martha Mcintosh, and at the same 
time baptized Susan Mcintosh ; so that in those days they were in the habit 
of " killing two birds with one stone," either in a religious or secular way. In 
1 83 1 Rev. Cyrus Riggs, another Presbyterian, made a missionary tour into the 
county, and besides preaching several times made a pastoral call upon each 
family. The people of the Beechwoods did not want to send him away with- 
out some remuneration for his services, but money was a scarce article in those 
days. It was found, however, that Matthew Keys had a five dollar bill, and 
the rest all agreeing to pay him twenty-five cents apiece as soon as they got 
the money, if he would give the money to the preacher, Mr. Keys agreed to 
the proposition, and Rev. Riggs carried away with him all the money in the 
settlement. When Mr. Riggs first came there he told Mrs. Keys that he was 
looking after the " stray sheep." " Oh, indeed," said the old lady, " you'll find 
none of them here." "Oh, mother," said her daughter Betty, "it is the lost 
sheep of the house of Israel he is after." 

Rev. Jonathan Nichols, a Free Will Baptist, settled in Brandy Camp in 
1822. He was the first minister in the northern part of the county for many 
years, and was, in fact, the first who settled in the county, and who labored in 
his Master's vineyard until death called him to his reward. He was also the 
first physician, and spent his life in ministering both to the souls and bodies of 
the people with whom he had cast his lot. His ministrations were well received 
by the people without regard to sect or denomination, as in those days " every 
body went to meeting," in summer on foot, and in winter with ox-sleds. 
There was no money to pay the preacher, and so the gospel was dispensed 
^'without money and without price." 



$6 History of Jefferson County. 

Dr. Nichols, who was the father of Mrs. Dr. A. M. Clark, of Brockwayville, 
died in May, 1846. Dr. Clark says of him : " He was a generous, kind-hearted 
gentleman, somewhat of the olden school, genial and urbane in his manner, 
with a helping hand ready to assist the needy, and kind words to comfort the 
sorrowing. He was the friend of my childhood, and rendered me much assist- 
ance in my medical studies. I remember him with gratitude, and wish that 
the world contained many more such as he." 

The first United Presbyterian, or as it was called in those days, Seceder 
Congregation in the county, was organized at Dowlingville in 1828. Revs. 
Joseph Scroggs and Thomas Ferrier were instrumental in the organization and 
dispensed the sacrament of the Lord's Supper there, and begun what has ever 
since been one of the leading churches in the county. 

Although there may have been occasional sermons preached by some of 
the pioneer preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the territory now 
embraced within Jefferson county, earlier, we find no record of any such, until 
the year 1821, when Rev. Elijah Coleman, a local preacher, formed a society, 
or class, of ten members at Punxsutawney, at the house of Jacob Hoover. 
This society was attached to the Mahoning Circuit of the Baltimore Confer- 
ence, which circuit was formed in 181 2, and was large enough for an annual 
conference. Rev. Mr. Dorsey was the preacher in charge. In 1822 Mr. Hoo- 
ver's house was a "regular preaching place." As late as 1827 and 1828 the 
Erie Conference had only one preacher in all the territory east of the Alle- 
gheny River, the old Shippenville district. Rev. James Babcock, then Rev. 
Nathaniel Callender, were the first preachers on this circuit. Their work was 
mostly done in the Clarion District, but they preached occasionally in Jeffer- 
son. In 1828 a class of six members was formed in Pine Creek township, the 
meeting being held in an old mill north of Brookville. David Butler was the 
leader, and Cyrus Butler superintendent of a Sunday-school organized at the 
same time. In 1829 this society met for service in a school-house that stood 
where the jail now stands. In 1829 the Shippenville Circuit had two preach- 
ers. Revs. John Johnson and J. C. Ayers, and a " gracious revival of religion 
on the circuit attended their labors." A class or society was organized at 
Troy, of some ten or twelve members. 

Rev. George Reeser, who spent the first thirteen years of his ministry in 
this region of country, sends us a sketch of his labors in this field, and as it is 
general in character, embracing all the territory now covered by Jefferson 
county, we give it here in full. Mr. Reeser, who is one of the oldest mem- 
bers of the Erie Conference, now sustains a superannuated relation to that 
body : — 

" In the month of July, 1840, 1 was admitted on trial in the Erie Conference 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which held its annual session that year in 
Meadville, Pa., and sent as preacher in charge, with Israel Mershon for my 



Early Schools and Churches. 57 

colleague, to what was then Red Bank circuit, which embraced a large por- 
tion of the south side of Jeft'erson, but included Bethlehem in Clarion, Putney- 
ville, and two other appointments in Armstrong, and three in Indiana county. 
The principle preaching places in Jefferson county were Punxsutawney, Hope- 
well Church, Gahagans, Troy, Heathville, and Sprankle's Mill. Among the 
early and leading members of the Methodist Church in Punxsutawney, Jacob 
Hoover, Daniel Burkett, John Hunt, John Drum, Jacob Bear, Joseph Weldon, 
and Thomas Robinson and their wives deserve honorable mention. Joseph 
Weldon was subsequently licensed to preach, and admitted into the Erie Con- 
ference, and did good service for a number of years. 

" Punxsutawney was favored this year with a wonderful revival of religion. 
Rev. John Bain — of precious memory — our presiding elder, at his second 
quarterly visit remained with us some ten days, and preached the grand old 
gospel of Christ with matchless simplicity and power — often holding crowded 
congregations spell-bound from one hour and a half to two hours. A general 
awakening and serious thoughtfulness upon this subject of their soul's best in- 
terests prevaded the community for miles away. Of the fruits of this meet- 
ing, which lasted but two weeks, the Methodist Church recorded eighty-three 
new names to the roll of her membership. The Baptist and Cumberland 
Presbyterian Churches also shared largely in the benefits of this revival. 

" As neither myself nor colleague were at this time ordained ministers, we 
could not perform the marriage ceremony, and were mainly dependant for this 
service on Rev. Elijah Coleman, a venerable patriarch, and for many years a 
popular and useful local preacher. In early life Father Coleman resided at 
Morrison's Cove, but had now lived many j'ears on the south side of Mahoning 
Creek, in Indiana count)^ On one of his visits to our charge he consented to 
remain over Sabbath and preach. His text on this occasion was the parable 
of the sick man. Dives, as he called him, and Lazarus. An old German, and 
an acquaintance of Mr. Coleman while they lived together at Morrison's Cove, 
heard the sermon, and on his way home, it was said, he remarked to a friend 
who had also heard the sermon : ' Dem tings what we heard to-day about 
Divis and Lashurus ish all a pack of lies. I knew Mr. Divis and Lashurus 
well doun dare at Morrison's Cove. It is true, Divis was a rich man, but 
den he was not a proud man, nor a stingy man, and it ish true too, dat Lash- 
urus was a poor man, but he was never so poor as to have to beg hish bread. 
He had a yoke of oxen, and he drove around de town many tings, and some- 
times he just had slugs of money.' 

" Daniel and Jacob Swisher, two brothers, formerly of Lewistown, Pa., were 
at this time the most prominent members of the Hopewell Church, four miles 
west of Punxsutawney. It was largely through their influence that the ap- 
pointment was established, sustained, and a house of worship erected there. 
The house of Daniel Swisher was always a welcome home for the weary itin- 



58 History of Jefferson County. 



erant. Never can I forget the kindnesses shown to me by the entire family 
during the two years of my pastorate. 

" Next to Punxsutawney, Troy, in Jefferson county, was the most important 
point on our field of labor ; but where, or by whom, Methodist preaching was 
first introduced, I have no means of ascertaining. Prior to the general con- 
ference of 1836, Erie Conference had no existence, and the Pittsburgh Confer- 
ence, to which all that territory belonged, supplied the Methodist Churches 
with its pastors. I found in Troy a church of some fifty members, but we had 
no better place in which to hold our public services than an old and somewhat 
dilapidated school- house. Nathan, Darius, Euphrastus, and Hiram Carrier, all 
brothers, Elijah Heath, Philip Clover, a Mr. Fairweather, and a Mr. Fuller, and 
some others whose names I cannot recall, were among the prominent and in- 
fluential members of the church at this time. The revival spirit pervaded our 
societies generally, and many were added to the church. 

" In the summer of 1841 our conference held its annual session in Cleveland, 
Ohio. I was reappointed to Red Bank charge. Israel Mershon was removed, 
and John Graham was sent to take his place as junior preacher. The form of 
our circuit remained unchanged. Two camp-meetings, one at Putneyville, the 
other at Punxsutawney, were held this year, which resulted in great spir- 
itual good ; conversions at both were numerous, and in some instances very 
powerful and clear. As a whole, we had a laborious, but pleasant and pros- 
perous year; many were added to the church, and its spirituality greatly in- 
creased. The salary which I received from the entire charge the first year was 
a trifle less than one hundred and thirty dollars. The second year, with a 
greatly increased membership, I was paid less than two hundred dollars, and 
yet, strange to tell, I was never obliged to go to bed hungry. During this con- 
ference year Brother Graham made tlie acquaintance of Miss Cornelia Gaskell, 
at Punxsutawney, to whom he was subsequently married. Brother Graham has 
served many important charges, and filled the office of presiding elder for eight 
years, and is still in the active work of the ministry, a true and good man. 

" In July, 1850, I was appointed to Brookville Mission, as it was then called, 
with Thomas Elliott as junior preacher. For some years prior to this Brook- 
ville and Luthersburg, with a few outlying appointments at both ends, consti- 
tuted the mission field. Dean C. Wright, my immediate predecessor, preached 
in Brookville and in Luthersburg on alternate Sabbaths. Luthersburg was 
now cut off from Brookville, and formed into a new charge, and the Brook- 
ville mission field was greatly enlarged, so as to take in Greenville, Kearney's 
school-house, and Canada, as it was called. These appointments were in Clar- 
ion county, and with Troy, and Holts, Brookville, Warsaw, Richardsville, 
Ebenezer Church, a mile or two from Sigel, and Hominy Ridge, near the 
Clarion River, constituted our Sabbath appointments; and with two preachers 
on the charge, we were able to give them public services once in two weeks. 



Early Schools and Churches. 59 

But in addition to these we had a good many other preaching places, and fee- 
ble societies which could be reached and served only on week days and nights. 
Thomas Elliott, being a young man and a novice in the ministry, thinking 
the labor and sacrifices too great, became discouraged, and fled ingloriously 
from the field before the year was half ended. This occasioned my labors and 
responsibilities to be greatly increased ; but later on Samuel Warren was sent 
to my assistance. He was kind, companionable, and faithful to his work. He 
was after this received into the Erie Conference ; served a number of charges, 
then moved to Missouri ; entered the conference there, and subsequently be- 
came a presiding elder, and for anything I know to the contrary, he is still 
alive, and in the active work of the ministry. 

" On my arrival in Brookville I found a feeble society, numbering, to the 
best of my recollection, but twenty-six in all ; of these, fully one-third lived 
four to six miles away, and were seldom seen at any of our Sabbath services. 
Elijah Heath and Christopher Fogel, a local preacher, had transferred their 
residences and membership to Brookville, and with Martin Travis, Reuben 
Hubbard, John Long, Samuel Clark, Daniel Silvis, and James Moore, and their 
wives, were the principal members. 

'■ As we had no church edifice, and the court-house not always available for 
public services, I early began to agitate the matter of building a church of our 
own. This, however, was decidedly opposed by the official members gen- 
erally, and particularly by Judge Heath, who affirmed that no man could raise 
a thousand dollars in Brookville to build a Methodist Church. With per- 
sistent agitation, however, their consent was obtained not to oppose the enter- 
prise any further, provided I would agree to solicit the subscriptions, and 
collect the funds, to which I gave a willing assent, and in a comparatively 
short time I had good pledges to the amount of $1,500. The judge very 
frankly acknowledged his mistake, and became quite enthusiastic to see the 
building commenced and carried on to completion as rapidly as possible. 
This was soon done, and 1 had the very great pleasure of preaching and 
worshiping with my people in our own house of prayer during the latter nine 
months of my second year on the charge, and pushing the subscription as 
much as my time would allow. I had the entire cost of lot, building, etc., can- 
celled with the exception of about $450, with nearly that amount of sub- 
scription uncollected, before my alloted time expired. 

" In the month of January, 185 i, I commenced a series of meetings in the 
court-house, hoping thereby to get the church revived, and her membership 
increased. I was not disappointed — the result was a glorious revival, such as 
. had never been witnessed before in Brookville. Of the new accessions many 
were heads of families, and became stable and useful members of the church. 
We were blest with a similar revival soon after we began to worship in the 
new church. One of the converts, Rev. J. K. Mendenhall, became an itiner- 



€o History of Jefferson County. 

ant minister in the Erie Conference. From this time on tlie Methodist Epis- 
copal Church has had a respectable showing, and has been a power in Brook- 
ville. The missionary appropriation was now withheld, outside appointments 
were formed into other charges, and the church in Brookville became an 
independent station. Three sessions of the Erie Annual Conference have been 
held and creditably sustained there. 

" In the summer of 1852 I was appointed to Punxsutawney, and remained 
there two years. The revival spirit prevailed generally over the charge. 
Many new and valuable members were gathered, especially at Punxsutawney 
and Ringgold. The latter place was a new appointment; a flourishing society 
was organized and the ' Union Bethel Church ' erected, which was built and 
held in common by the Evangelical and Methodist denominations. Paradise, 
near Reynoldsville, was a new appointment, and a house of worship was 
erected there soon after I had left the charge, chiefly through the liberality 
and peristent efforts of a Mr. Syphert. 

"Two of this Brother Syphert's daughters were afterwards married to Meth- 
odist preachers, and are still itinerating and toiling with their husbands in the 
Master's vineyard. 

"In the summer of 1854 I was sent to Luthersburg, and remained there two 
years. By special invitation I visited Washington township, in Jefferson 
county, and established a preaching place not far from Rockdale Mills. A 
series of revival meetings held in a school-house proved a great blessing; a 
society of some fifty members was formed, and the ' Beech Wood's Church,' 
as it was called, became one of the most important Sabbath appointments 
on the charge. Mathew and John Smith, Michael Grogan, Daniel Groves and 
three of his sons — James, Thomas, and John, and many others whose names 
I cannot now recall were among the earliest members. James Groves was 
afterward licensed to preach, and admitted into the Erie Conference, and did 
the church good service for a number of years. 

"From Luthersburg I moved to Clarington, on the north side of the Clarion 
River, but I had several preaching places in Jefterson county. In 1866 and 
1867 I was reappointed to Clarington and remained two years again, and had 
the same preaching places in Jefferson as before. In 1868 and '69 I was at 
Brockwayville. The charge was a laborious one and lay entirely within the 
limits of Jefferson county. Fourteen years of my ministerial life and labors 
were thus spent, either wholly, or in part, in Jefterson county. When I first 
entered the county as a Methodist preacher there was not a single parsonage, 
and but one house of worship owned by the Methodists in the county. That 
house was in Punxsutawney, and was a mere shell, small, old, and somewhat 
dilapidated, in which a feeble society had been worshiping for a number of 
years. The second house of worship erected by the Methodists was the Hope- 
well Church, of which I have spoken before ; the third was at Troy, the 



From 1807 to 1830. 61 



fourth at Brookville, the fifth at Gahagan's, in the southern part of the county. 
Our preaching was done chiefly in school-houses, private dwelUngs, grist-mills, 
and in the open air, but ' the hand of the Lord was with us working with 
signs and wonders,' and hundreds were added to the church. Of the older 
members of my acquaintance many have departed, I trust in peace ; others 
moved away, and when I consider how many parsonages and houses of wor- 
ship have been built, and how many new societies have been organized, and 
how many preachers are employed and liberally sustained within the limits of 
the county, I am constrained to exclaim ' What hath God wrought!'" 

The first Catholics who came into the county, as far as we can learn, were 
those two sturdy, honest Irishmen, John Dougherty and John Gallagher, who 
settled in Brookville, in the year 1 831, and who were both prominently con- 
nected with the town and county for so many years. Soon others came in • 
some from Belgium, who settled on the south side of Red Bank, in what has 
ever since been known as Belgiumtown. They were for a long time minis- 
tered unto by priests from St. Mary's, Pa., and from the older Catholic settle- 
ments in the Clarion region, until 1853, when, during the pastorate of Rev. 
Father Ledwith, they built the brick church on Water street, which was for a 
long time the finest church edifice in Brookville. 

Although there were members of the Baptist, Lutheran and other denomi- 
nations in the county prior to 1830, they had no organization, nor any preach- 
ing, except that of Dr. Nichols, in the northern part of the county, before 
noted. 

The rapid growth, the fine church edifices, with full statistics of the different 
church organizations within the county the past half of a century, will be given 
elsewhere. 



CAAPTER Vn. 



FROM 1807 TO 1830. 



F'rst Assessments and Elections — First Roads — Population — Statistics of Agriculture — 
Commerce and Manufactures. 

THOUGH the county was organized provisionally in 1804, there seems to 
have been no records kept nor any elections held until 1807. The fol- 
lowing is the first assessment of property on record : 



62 History of Jefferson County. 

" loo acres Joseph Barnett, (improved), val $3-29 

John Dixon, (weaver), 

EHjah M. Graham 

Joseph Hutchison, 

lOO acres Peter Jones, (blacksmith), (improved), 1.95 

100 " Samuel Scott, (miller), 6.00 

100 " John Scott 2.22 

100 " Jacob Vasbinder, S. M.,i 2.47 

100 " William Vasbinder, 2.0I 

100 " Adam Vasbinder, 2.22 

Total val $33- 13- 

"No. of taxables, 18; No. of horses, 23 ; No. of cows, 35." 

The first election returns are as follows: 

1807. 

"Jefferson county — At an election held at the house of Samuel Scott, in 

said county, on Friday, the 20th of March, A. D. 1807, the following persons 

were duly elected : 

"Supervisors — John Scott had 18 votes. 

Peter Jones " 18 " 

" Signed Sam'l. Scott, ) r , ,, 
, T t Judges. 

Thos. Lucas, > 

1808. 

" At an election held at the house of Samuel Scott in said county, on the 

1 8th day of March, A. D. 1808, the following persons were duly elected as 

returned below : 

"Supervisors; John Jones, ) were duly 

Alex. McCoy, ) elected. 
Auditors ; Samuel Lucas, Samuel Scott, 
Moses Knap, and Adam Vasbinder, 
Were duly elected. 

" Signed Samuel Scott, 
John Dickson, 

The above returns are as copied from the records of Indiana county, where 
the returns had to be made, this county then being under the legal jurisdiction 
•of Indiana. 

In the next three years the white population according to the census of 
18 10, was 161 whites, one colored, showing that the settlements in the county 
within the first ten years proceeded very slowly. 

The American, published at Indiana, Pa., of February 10, 1817, publishes 
the receipts and expenditures of Jefferson county as follows : 

" Receipts and Expenditures. — In the Treasury of Jefferson County, from 
the Second of January, 18 16, to January First, 18 17, both days inclusive. 

1 Single man. 



Judges." 



From 1807 to 1830. 63 



John Taylor, Esq., Treasurer. 
Dr. " 

Dols. Cts. 
To cash of Joseph Barnett, Collector 
of Pine Creek Township for 1813, 

i n f u 1 1 1 7- 43 ^^ 

Received on Unseated Lands 2,475.61^ 

Land sold 101.92 



$2,594.97 
Lisl of outslanding debts. 

Due from the Collectors for 1815 $ 7- 70^4 

On unseated Lands before 1816, for 
which the lands have been sold to 

the Commissioners 2,140.27 

County Tax 1816 790.92 

$2,938.89^ 
Attest. 

Daniel Stanard, Clerk. 



Cr. 

By Cash paid on .Sundry road orders. $1,626. 76 

" Election orders 34.00 

" Wolf orders 157-37.J^ 

** to Road viewers 18.00 

'* Contingent expenses.. 102.00 

Paid to Indiana County the propor- 
tional part of the general expenses 298.56 
Treasurer's fees of sixty-five tracts of 

Land sold to Commissioners 186.92 

Treasurer's fees on $1,933.13^ at 2 

per cent 38.66 

Balance in Treasury 132.63^ 



$2- 594-97 
Garwin Sutton, ) 
Thomas Sharp, > Commissioners. 

Thomas Laughlin, ) 



By an act of the Legislature Pine Creek township was established in 1 806, 
and comprised the entire county until 1818, when Perry was established; and 
until the year 1826, when Young was formed from a portion of Perry, these 
two townships, Pine Creek on the north, and Perry on the south, with Little 
Sandy as the dividing line, were the only two districts in the county. The 
elections were held at the house of Joseph Barnett for Pine Creek, and at the 
house of John Bell for Perry. In 1826 Ridgway township was formed from a 
portion of Pine Creek. Previous to this all the settlers mentioned heretofore 
as having settled on Litde Toby and the West Branch, in what is now Elk 
county, had to come to Port Barnett to vote, while all other legal business had 
to be enacted at Indiana. In 1827 Rose was formed from Pine Creek. 

Previous to the War of 18 12, there were no roads ; the " Chinklacamoose 
path" from Clearfield, through Punxsutawney, and "Meade's trail" from 
Clearfield, through Brookville, westward, were the only highways. Previous to 
the beginning of the war a government road was projected through this territory 
for the purpose of transporting troops from the eastern part of the State to Lake 
Erie, and is said to have been " brushed out." That the troops from the east- 
ern part of the State passed through this county on their way to the scene of 
hostilities at Lake Erie is well authenticated. Colonel Bird, with his regiment, 
rested three days at Port Barnett, and the next night after leaving there bi- 
vouacked at the " F"our Mile Spring," on the Afton farm, in Eldred township. 
Several persons were impressed by the commander of this expedition, among 
the number being E. M. Graham, who, with his team, was taken to aid in car- 
rying supplies. Mr. Graham was taken as far as Waterford, in Erie county, 
and after an absence of two weeks was allowed to return home. 

During the building of the Low Grade division of the Allegheny Valley 
Railroad through this county, in the year 1872, near the western county line^ 
there was found imbedded in the hardpan some six feet below the the surface, 
and covered by nearly that depth of solid sandstone, some relics of a past age. 
One was what appeared to be a Queen Anne musket. The stock and wooden 



64 History of Jefferson County. 

part of the gun had entirely disappeared, but the flint-lock of extraordinary- 
proportions, and the length and style of the barrel proved its identity. Near 
the gun lay a huge bridle-bit, the size of which gave some indication of the 
ideas of utility of the people of that remote age. The sides were not less than 
eighteen inches long, and terminated in immense rings, and the ponderous ar- 
ticle was large enough for an animal ten times the size of the horses in use at 
the present day. These relics of antiquity were in a comparatively good state 
of preservation. How they got so deeply imbedded in the "hardpan," and 
when and by whom they were deposited there, was a source of much conjecture, 
and is a question not easily answered ; but it has been presumed that the spot 
where they were found marked the road over which troops had marched dur- 
ing the early Indian wars, or the)- may have been deposited in the grave of 
some Indian brave who had stolen them. 

The first effort to make a State road through Jefterson county was by the 
passage of an act, February 22, 1812, to' enable the governor of the Common- 
wealth to incorporate a company for making an artificial road from Waterford 
in the county of Erie, through Meadville and Franklin to the river Susque- 
hanna, at or near the mouth of Anderson's Creek, in Clearfield county. The 
governor was empowered to subscribe $12,000 in shares toward the building 
of this road, and Thomas Forster and John Boyd, of the county of Erie ; 
James Harriott and Henry Hurst, of the county of Crawford ; William Moore 
and George Powers, of the county of Venango ; Ebenezer Magoffin, and Be- 
son Pearson, of the county of Mercer ; Joseph Barnett and Peter Jones, of the 
county of Jefferson ; Joseph Bond and Paul Clover, of the county of Clearfield ; 
George Lattimer and Jeremiah Parker, of the city Philadelphia ; and William 
Dunn and John Shaw, of the county of Philadelphia, were appointed commis- 
sioners to receive subscriptions for stock. The shares were put at twenty-five 
dollars each, and the several counties named were required to take a certain 
number of said shares ; Jefferson county's apportionment being fifty shares. 

This road — which was called the Waterford and Susquehanna Turnpike — 
was incorporated in the year 18 17, and work was begun in 18 18. March, 
182 1, an act was passed, by which $2,500 was appropriated for improving said 
road, and persons appointed from each county to receive the sum to be ex- 
pended in their respective counties, Charles C. Gaskill and Carpenter Winslow 
being appointed to represent Jefferson county. 

" November 3, 1830, a contract was made between the commissioners of 
Jefferson county and John Lucas for making eighty perches of road through 
the borough of Brookville, to intersect the Susquehanna and Waterford turn- 
pike road, being Sections 3, 4, and 7. Twenty perches east, counting from 
east of town, to be made in same manner as the pike, to be finished by the ist 
of December next. Amt. for work $79." 

William Lucas is also mentioned as making " 50 perches of turnpike, being 



From 1807 to 1830, 65 



that part of the alteration of the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike road 
through the borough of Brookville." This road was finished in 1822, and has 
ever since been the principal thoroughfare from east to west through Jefferson 
county. It is still a State road. In 1840 the tolls received were $4,109.10. 
Amount paid for repairs, $3,338.17. Salaries of gate-keepers, $784.33. 

By an act passed March 26, 1821, "the sum of $8,000 was appropriated 
for opening and improving a State road, recently laid out from the town of 
, Kittanning, in Armstrong county, to the State line in the direction of Hamil- 
ton, in the State of New York, which road passed through the counties of 
Armstrong, Jefferson, and McKean, to be expended in the said counties, in 
proportion to the distance it passed through the same respectively, and John 
Matson and John Lucas, were appointed to receive and expend the same for 
Jefferson county." This road, still known as the Olean road, was finished in 
1822. 

In 1825 another State road was laid out from the town of Indiana, through 
Punxsutawney, in Jefferson county, and Smethport, in the county of McKean, 
to the town of Ceres, in McKean county. This road, known as the Ceres 
road, was finished in 1828. 

In 1830, through the exertions of Judge Gillis, a road was made from 
Milesburg, in Centre county, through the Ridgway and Kersey settlements in 
Jefferson county, to intersect with the Olean road, near the town of Olean, 
N. Y., the State appropriating $20,000 towards the same. 

There was not much done in the way of improvement in Jefferson county 
in the first quarter of a century. The land was too rugged and heavily tim- 
bered to allow the few settlers to make much progress in farming. The soil, 
however, enriched by the accumulations and decayed vegetation of centuries, 
was very productive, and when tilled, yielded productively ; but it required so 
much hard labor to clear the ground that during these first years only a soli- 
tary clearing here and there proclaimed the presence of the husbandmen. 
During the troublous times attendant on the War of 18 12, the few settlers 
lived in constant dread of an incursion of Indians and British, but were unmo- 
lested. 

Another decade showed only 551 whites and ten negroes as the aggregate 
population, but during the next ten years settlers commenced to come in more 
rapidly. The settlements in the northern and southern portions of the county 
already noticed were made, and the census of 1830 gives the population as 
2,003 whites, twenty-one free colored, and one slave. Those of the present 
generation will scarcely credit the fact that a slave was at one time, and that 
as late as 1830, owned in Jefferson county ; but we learn that the slave reported 
in Jefferson county by the census of 1830, was Charles Sutherland, who was 
brought from Virginia to this county about the year 181 2. 

Captain E. R. Brady in the Jeffersonian of January 20, 1852, notices the 



66 History of Jefferson County. 

death of this venerable negro, the only slave ever owned in Jefferson county : 
" In this day's paper we record the death of Charles Sutherland (colored), who 
was one of the oldest inhabitants of this county and had arrived at the ad- 
vanced age of nearly one hundred years. He came to what is now Jefferson 
county upwards of forty years ago, when the ground upon which Brookville 
now stands was but a howling wilderness. Many there are in this borough 
who will miss the familiar and friendly visits of ' old Charley ' who, with hat in 
hand, and his venerable head uncovered, asked alms at their hands. No more 
will they hear from him a description of the ' Father of his country,' when he, 
Charley, held his horse at the laying of the corner-stone of the capitol at 
Washington City. His breath is hushed, his lips are sealed, and his body is 
wrapped in the cold habiliments of the grave. Resqiiiescat in pace." 

The progress in other respects was as great as in the increase of population. 
Until the year 1826 there were no mail facilities. In all those years no letters, no 
papers, no tidings from the outside world reached these dwellers in the wilder- 
ness except a special messenger was sent to the town forty or fifty miles dis- 
tant. In January, 1826, a post-office was established at Port Barnett, and Jo- 
seph Barnett appointed postmaster. In February of the same year another 
office was established at the Ridgway Settlement, and James Gillis appointed 
postmaster. This office was called Montmorency. 

An office was established in 1826 at Punxsutawney, with Charles Barclay 
as postmaster, and that at Brockwayville, Alonzo Brockway, postmaster, in 
1829. These were all the post-offices in the county during the first thirty 
years. In 1828 a post-route was established, and the mail was carried once a 
week on horseback from Kittanning to Smethport in McKean county. Letter 
postage at that time was 6\, \2\, i8f, to 25 cents per ounce, according to the 
distance the letter had to go. Each letter was wrapped in a separate wrapper, 
and the postmasters at the sending and receiving offices had to keep a correct 
record of every letter passing through their hands. The advent of the mail 
service in the county was a great event, and the weekly visit of the " post- 
boy " was looked for eagerly by those who for so long had been deprived of 
all communication with the outside world. 



I'-ROM 1830 TO i860. 6j 



CHAPTER VIII. 

FROM 1830 TO 1860. 

The Lumber Trade — Progress in Aericulture — Growth of Settlements — The First Public 
Buildings — The First Newspaper — Agricultural and Manufacturing Statistics. 

WITH the commencement of the year 1830 Jefferson county seemed to 
take a great stride forward in every respect. From being a dependency 
of Indiana county, as regarded all legal or official business, she found herself 
clothed with full power to enact her own business, and take care of her own 
interests. 

The county seat was established, Brookville laid out, and the first settle- 
ment effected there. Roads had already been made throughout the county, 
new settlements were being made in every direction, while the forests were 
giving way beneath the sturdy blows of the lumbermen and the farmer. 

Although lumbering had been carried on in a desultory way from the first 
settlement of the county, it was not until 1830 that a real beginning was made. 
In a sketch of Jefferson county published in 1843 in the " Historical Collec- 
tions of Pennsylvania," the early lumbering business of the county is referred 
to thus : 

" The impulse given to the lumber trade by the speculations in the State 
of Maine was not without its influence upon remote sections of the Union. 
The keen sagacity of the Yankees discovered that there were vast bodies of 
pine lands lying around the sources of the Allegheny River not appreciated 
at their full value by the few pioneers who lived among them. The Yankees 
had learned to estimate the value of pine land by the tree, and by the log ; 
the Pennsylvanians still reckoned it by the acre. Somewhere between 1830 
and 1837 individuals and companies from New England and New York pur- 
chased considerable bodies of land on the head waters of the Red Bank and 
Clarion Rivers from the Holland Land Land Company and other large land- 
holders. They proceeded to erect saw-mills, and to drive the lumber trade 
after the most approved methods. The little leaven thus introduced caused 
quite a fermentation among the lumbermen and landholders of the county. 
More lands changed owners; new water- privileges were improved; capital was 
introduced from abroad, and during the spring floods every creek and river 
resounded with the preparation of rafts, and the lively shouts of the lumber- 
men, as they shot their rafts over the swift chutes of the mill-dam. The pop- 
ulation of the county was trebled in ten years." 

The lumber trade, which for so many years after this commencement was 
the principal business of the county, will be treated more at length, and com- 
parative statistics given in a chapter devoted to lumber and coal interests. 



68 History of Jefferson County. 

In 1832 the first newspaper was established in the county by John J. Y. 
Thompson. It was called the Jejfersoti Democrat, and was Democratic in 
politics. 

In 1832-3 the first jail and court-house were erected, the jail building be- 
ing completed first and used for holding court, etc., until the completion of the 
court-house. 

In 1834 two runaway slaves were lodged by their captors in the Brook- 
ville jail for safe-keeping during the night. Hon. Elijah Heath, who was an 
outspoken abolitionist, determined that no such outrage should be perpetrated 
upon the free soil of Jefferson county, and conveyed to the prisoners through 
Mr. Arad Pearsall, who was the jailor at the time, implements for filing off the 
lock of their cell, and in the morning when the slave owners came to the jail 
to take charge of their property the captives were well on their way to 
Canada. They eventually learned of Mr. Heath's complicity in the matter, and 
brought suit against him, which, under the fugitive slave law, was decided in 
favor of the slave-holder, and Judge Heath's act of humanity cost him $2,000. 

In 1835 Barnett township was formed from part of Rose, and Snyder from 
part of Pine Creek, and in the second quarter of a century the number of 
townships was increased to twenty-six. 

In 1843 Ridgvvays township was separated from Jefferson county to form 
part of the new county of Elk, and the same year Jenks and Tionesta town- 
ships, and that part of Barnett lying north of the Clarion River was separated 
from Jefl'erson county to form part of the new county of Forest. In the next 
ten years the population of the county increased rapidly, the census of 1840 
giving 7,196 white, and 57 colored. The next decade found much improve- 
ment in all parts of the county, although the attention of the greater part of 
the population was engaged with the lumber trade. Yet the statistics show 
considerable improvement in agriculture and manufactures, while, notwith- 
standing the departure of the townships above mentioned, the population was 
largely increased, being in 1850, 13,424 whites and 94 colored. 

The improved lands increased in value, and there was a proportionate in- 
crease also in all kinds of crops and stock. 

The following statistics show the growth in these respects in the years 1840 
and 1850 : 



1840. 



No. of bushels of wheat 43.59S 

" ■' oats 77,077 

O^e 24,467 

'• " buckwheat 14.504 

" " corn 23,369 



1850. 
56,850 acres improved land. 
122,900 acres unimproved land. 

Cash value of farms 5:1,307,096 

Value of farming implements and 

machinery 83.7S5 

Bushels of wheat 76.999 

oats 145,828 

rye 40.743 

" buckwheat 30,897 

corn 53,877 



From 1830 to i860. 



69 



1840. 

No. pounds of wool 12,171 

hops 583 

flax 241 

Bushels of potatoes 64,1 10 

Tons of hay 3.605 

Pounds maple sugar 27,067 

Horses and mules 1,420 

Cattle 5,773 

Sheep 7,342 

Swine 8,898 

Estimated value of poultiy of all kinds. $ 3,110 

Value of dairy products 14,002 

" orchard products 560 

" homemade goods 8,382 

Furs and skins i ,029 



1850. 

Pounds of wool 33.327 

hops 

flax 3,139 

Bushels fiax seed 181 

Bushels potatoes 28,746 

Tons of hay 9,116 

Pounds of maple sugar 33.570 

Gallons of maple molasses 2,265 

Horses and mules 2,278 

Cattle 9,685 

Sheep 13.999 

Swine 7,208 

Value of dairy products .$150,166 

" orchard products I.047 

homemade goods 5,126 

Beeswax and honey, lbs 2,885 

Value of live stock $251,881 

animals slaughtered 45.003 



In 1850 the value of all taxable property in the county was $980,953. 
The general statistics for the year ending June, 1850, gives: — 



Whole number of white males attending 
school during year 1.422 

Whole number of white females attend- 
ing school during year 1.3 1 3 

Whole number of colored females at- 
tending school during year 3 

Whole number colored males attending 
school during year i 

Of these 2,706 were natives, and thirty- 
two foreigners. 



Number of children born during year. . . 440 

persons married •' .153 

died " . .^ 78 

" dwelling houses in county. . .2,253 

" families 2,307 

public schools 80 

" teachers employed Si 

" pupils attending school 2,738 

Income from taxa'n for school purposes.. $7,595 

public funds 1.021 

Whole income for support of schools. . .8,616 

The number of persons in the county who could not read or write was 373 
whites, colored fifteen ; natives 370, foreigners eighteen. 

The census of 1840 gives two fulling and one woolen mill in the county, 
with a capital of $570. In 1850 the total amount invested in manufactures 
was $141,800, and the estimated value of products was $105,145, showing a 
marked increase in manufactures. 

In the spring of 1843 the first murder was committed in Jefterson county. 
Daniel Long, one of the Long brothers who were so noted in the pioneer an- 
nals of the county as woodsmen and " mighty hunters," was a son of Ludwig (or 
Lewis) Long, one of the first settlers of Pine Creek township. Daniel, though 
like his brothers, fond of the chase, did not follow hunting to such an extent as 
they did. He was married in February, 1832, to Miss Rebecca McCulIough, 
by Judge Elijah Heath, and settled on the farm now owned by Lawson Geer, 
in Pine Creek township, where he resided at the time of his death. Like 



70 History of Jefferson County. 

nearly all the settlers of the county at that time, he was engaged in the lumber 
business, and in the spring of 1843 he was lumbering on the Clarion River, 
having taken up a tract of land (as was the custom in those days) near where 
Raught's Mills, in Elk county, now are located — all that territory then be- 
ing embraced in Jefferson county. There was a dispute between him and a 
man named James Green for the possession of this land, though it is claimed 
that Long had the first squatter's claim to the land. On April 29, 1844, Green 
and his son, Edwin, took possession of Long's shanty during his temporary 
absence. On his return, in company with a man named Samuel Knopsnyder, 
Long was shot by the younger Green as he attempted to enter the shanty, 
and killed, the weapon used being Long's own gun. Knopsnyder was also 
assaulted with an ax by the Greens, and so badly wounded that he died May 
3, 1844. 

The Greens were arrested and confined in the Brookville jail and tried for 
murder. The records of the court in the case are as follows: 

"May sessions, 1844. Commonwealth vs. James Green and Edwin Green, 
September term, No. 16. 

" Indicted for the murder of Daniel Long. Case of Edwin Green, jury 
paneled as follows : Hiram Fuller, George Depp, Elijah Campbell, Samuel 
Gibson, William Williams, Henry Smith, Lemuel Carey, Levi M. Wharton, 
Robert Law, John McClelland, Andrew Gibson, David Gillespie. Verdict 
rendered of murder in second degree. Sentence of court one dollar fine and 
costs of prosecution, and four years solitary confinement at hard labor in the 
Western Penitentiary. D. B. Jenks, esq., counsel for prisoner. Common- 
wealth represented by the district attorney, George R. Barrett. 

" Edwin Green was tried at the same term, and by the same jury, for the 
murder of Samuel Knopsnyder, the result and sentence being the same as in 
the former trial. 

"No. 16, December 9, 1844, James Green brought upon the stand. Case 
reached and jury paneled: George Slaysmen, John McCloskey, George 
Henderson, Jacob Hoover, Jesse Hannah, Robert Stout, John Sprankle, 
Thomas Kindel, Benjamin Gilhousen, James Stewart, James Garey, Samuel 
Fleming. Verdict, murder in second degree. Sentenced to four years solitary 
imprisonment at hard labor in Western Penitentiary, one dollar fine and costs 
of prosecution. D. B. Jenks, counsel for prisoner, G. R. Barrett, district attor- 
ney, for Commonwealth." 

The trial of James Green for the murder of Samuel Knopsnyder, was held 
at the same court, and by the same jury, with the same result and sentence. 

Long's friends claim that the influence brought to the aid of the Greens 
cleared them of murder in the first degree. They never reappeared in Jeffer- 
son county after their trial, and it is said that the younger man, Edwin Green, 
was killed, after his release from the penitentiary, by Indians while crossing 
the plains on his way West. 



From i860 to the Present Time. 71 

Daniel Long left a wife and three little children. His son, Daniel, is a 
worthy citizen of Brookville. 

The Mexican War, which occurred in 1S47 ^"d 1848, only caused a small 
ripple of excitement in our backwoods county ; the only volunteer of whom 
we find any mention being Robert McCullough, a blacksmith from the Beech- 
woods, who was killed in one of the battles of that war. 

In the summer of 1850 the dysentery prevailed in an epidemic form in the 
county. In Brookville and vicinity the mortality was very great, and one of 
the newspapers of that year says that "in a space of not more than six square 
miles, between Red Bank and Little Sandy, there were thirty-four deaths in 
July and August." 

June 4, 1859, will long be remembered as the date of the " big frost." It 
was a regular freeze, and destroyed all kinds of vegetables ; grain, fruit, pota- 
toes were all killed, and the grass crops much injured, while the forests looked 
as though a fire had scorched their foliage. Almost a panic ensued, and the 
farmers seemed to see starvation staring them in the face. Flour and grain 
advanced at once in price ; the former as high as sixteen dollars per barrel. 
In one locality, in one of the churches, on the Sunday following the frost, a 
subscription was taken up to purchase breadstuffs. But the " scare was worse 
than the hurt," grain was shipped into the markets from the Western States, 
and soon declined almost to its nominal price. The new crops of corn and 
potatoes which were planted at once, to replace those destroyed, gave a good 
yield, and the efiects of the frost were not near so disastrous as was anticipated. 
A similar frost occurred in 1843. 

The Jefferson Star oi October 16, 1850, notes that "twenty-five fugitive 
slaves passed through Brookville last Monday morning on their way to Can- 
ada ; " so the first railroad in Jefferson county was the underground railroad, 
and from the above notice it would appear that travelers from the " Sunny 
South" to Canada were quite numerous. 

In i860 the population of the county is given at 18,189 whites, and eighty- 
one colored. 



CHAPTER IX. 

FROM 1860 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 

Tornadoes—Floods— Railroads— The Eelicllion— Murder of Betty McDonald— General Im- 
provements — Statistics of Agriculture — Manufactures — Commerce, Etc. 

THE last twenty-seven years of the county's history has been an era of 
prosperity and improvement. 
In 1870 we find the population of the county was 21,588 white, and sixty- 
eight colored, an increase in ten years of 3,386. One of the well-remembered 



72 History of Jefferson County. 

events of i860 was the great tornado, or cyclone, as we would call it in these 
days, which swept over a portion of the county. It first destroyed the town 
of Maysville, in Clarion county, causing the death or wounding of quite a 
number of the citizens of that little village. From there it crossed the Red 
Bank into Jefferson county, where it first destroyed the house and barn of Paul 
Gearhart, all the buildings of Isaac Mottern, the house and barn of Henry Spare, 
the large barn of McLain Ferguson, the upper story of whose house was carried 
away, and one of his children slightly injured. After leaving Beaver township 
it passed into Knox and Pine Creek townships, crossing the Indiana road be- 
tween Little Sandy and the residence of John Montgomery. Samuel Mont- 
gomery, who was caught by the storm on the road leading from Knox town- 
ship to Brookville, had both his limbs broken by falling trees. The horse he 
was riding was killed, but the one he was leading escaped uninjured, but was 
penned in so securely by the fallen trees that food had to be carried to it for 
several days, until a road could be cut into the fallen timber to extricate it. 
The house of Jacob Rinestein, in Pine Creek, was demolished, and all its con- 
tents destroyed. In Knox and Pine Creek the course of the storm was about 
a mile in width. It crossed the turnpike near Reynoldsville, where it de- 
stroyed two or three houses, and where a son of Mr. Dietrich had a leg broken, 
Mr. Dietrich's buildings being torn to pieces. 

In the entire pathway of the tornado not a tree or anything else escaped 
its fury. The loss in timber was immense, and the course of the storm may 
yet be traced by the "windfalls," as they are termed, on which not a large tree 
is seen, only the growth of underbrush since that time. These " windfalls" are 
covered with blackberry bushes, and annually yield a large supply of that 
fruit. 

After the tornado passed over the county pieces of oak shingles were found 
in the vicinity of Brookville, and in other parts of the county, which must have 
been carried by the force of the wind from Clarion county, as only pine shingles 
were used in Jefferson county. It seems miraculous that no lives were lost, 
and so few casualties occurred in this county. The same day Brookville and 
other localities in the county were visited by a severe rain and hail storm, 
accompanied by thunder and lightning, but strange to say with very little wind. 
The hail was very large, and the measurements taken at that time give the 
largest that fell at from five to ten inches in circumference. 

July 4th of the same year the little town of Roseville and portions of Union 
townships were visited by a similar storm. The houses and barns of Isaac 
Siars, Daniel Lamb, and William Kelly were destroyed, John Fitzsimmons's 
barn unroofed and fences destroyed. The large brick house of Richard 
Hughes was badly shattered, the kitchen torn away, and the roof lifted up and 
then let down to its place again. The orchards, laden with fruit, of Messrs 
Hughes and Kelly were destroyed, and fences carried away, making the loss 
in the small area covered by the storm very heavy. 



From i860 to the Present Time. -jt, 

The streams which for so many years were the commercial highways of 
Jefferson county — which in summer are generally small creeks — become, when 
at " high flood," mad, rushing torrents. The most destructive floods occurred 
in January, 1828, February, 1832, spring of 1847, September 27, 1861, March 
16, 1865, and June, 1884. 

The flood of 1861 was a very disastrous one, the waters being higher than 
ever before except in 1847. Great damage was done, and millions of feet of 
timber and boards were carried off. The next flood in 1865 was almost a rep- 
etition of that of 1 86 1. The winter previous an unusually large amount of 
timber had been put in ready for rafting, and the loss was very great to the 
lumbermen on all the streams. The latest destructive flood was that of June, 
1884, which caused great devastation in and about Brookville. The North 
Fork bridge was destroyed, and Messrs. Thomas K. Litch & Sons lost heavily 
in damage to mills and lumber lost. The dam of Carrier, Verstine & Co.'s 
mill, on the North Fork, was torn out, and they lost heavily in lumber. 

In 1861 the war, premonitions of which had been felt for some time, was 
precipitated upon the country ; but it found the loyal citizens prepared for the 
issue, and the alacrity with which they responded to the call for men to aid in 
putting down the rebellion was a surprise, even to those who knew the deep- 
seated loyalty of our people. The history of the part taken by the soldiers of 
Jefferson county is given elsewhere, and fully shows their gallant service dur- 
ing the great struggle. 

During the four years of the war, the history of Jefferson county is that of 
every county in the loyal North. With the greater portion of her able-bodied 
citizens in the army, all departments of business suffered, for the farmer had 
gone forth leaving the plow in the furrow, the lumbermen had left his ax stick- 
ing in the pine tree, the lawyer closed up his office, the merchant left his coun- 
ter, and the mechanic his bench and forge, the printers nearly all forsook the 
case. Then the noble women of the county " came to the front "; the mothers, 
wives, and sisters took up the work where their sons, husbands, and brothers 
had laid it down, and they bore the burden nobly until the end came, and 
peace was once more restored. We could not give the history of those days as 
far as the women of the county are concerned, for no parade was made of what 
they did for the county in those long and bloody days of the war ; but we 
know that when, with pale cheeks and faltering lips they bade their loved ones 
hasten to the defense of the flag, they stepped into the gap their absence crea- 
ted, and worked untiringly and uncomplainingly to keep the machinery of the 
homes running. They took the men's places in the stores, offices, and work- 
rooms, and in the field, even in some instances plowing, sowing, and reaping, 
and in all those years of long suspense and hope deferred, they cared for the 
wants of the soldiers in the field, in preparing and forwarding supplies for the 
sick and wounded. 



74 History of Jefferson County. 

During the years of the war business of all kinds suffered ; but with the 
dawn of peace new life was infused into the county, and prosperity again 
reigned. 

From an early period in the history of the county the railroad question 
was agitated more or less, and numerous surveys were made through Jefferson 
county, which would for the time being cause the people to think that they 
were to secure an outlet to the outer world ; but for a long time these expecta- 
tions were not realized, and the county seat of Jefferson county was " forty 
miles from anywhere," it being about that distance by stage- to Indiana, Kit- 
tanning, Franklin, Ridgway, or Clearfield, points to be reached before the cars 
could be taken by the traveler. 

In the spring of 1853 ground was broken at Pittsburgh on the Allegheny 
Valley Railroad, or, as it was then called, the " Pittsburgh, Kittanning 
and Warren Railroad," and as the survey of the road ran through Jefferson 
county, the commissioners of the county subscribed ninety thousand dollars 
to the stock of said road, issuing bonds for the same ; but the Allegheny 
Valley road, instead of coming through Jefferson county, followed the Alle- 
gheny River to Oil City, and our people were again "left out in the cold." 
In August, 1 87 1, however, work was commenced on the Low Grade division 
of the Allegheny Valley road running from the mouth of Red Bank, on A. V. 
R. R., through the counties of Armstrong, Clarion, Jefferson, Elk, and Clear- 
field, to intersect with the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad at Driftwood, in 
Cameron county. This road was finished in May, 1874, the first through 
train of cars going over the road May 4th. The building of this road, bringing 
into the county so much ready money, and giving employment to so many 
men, helped our people to tide over the panic of 1873-4 without their feeling 
its effects to any great degree. The extent of railroads in the county will be 
given elsewhere. 

On the 19th of February, 1876, a murder was committed in Jefferson 
county that caused a widespread feeling of horror. Mrs. Elizabeth, or as she 
was better known, Betty McDonald, an old lady of eighty years of age lived 
alone on a small farm in Washington township. She had a few hundred dol- 
lars in money, and to secure this was the object of the murder. When she 
was found horribly murdered on the day succeeding her death by her neigh- 
bors, suspicion at once rested upon two strangers who had come into the 
neighborhood a few months before. Warrants were issued for their arrest, and 
Charles Chase, one of the suspected men was arrested at Ridgway the next 
day, and conveyed to the Brookville jail, and at the May term of court follow- 
ing, he was tried and convicted of the crime, and sentenced to be hung. 
Hon. James Campbell presided at the trial, and Messrs. I. G. and A. L. Gor- 
don, and John McMurray, esq., with the district attorney, L. A. Grunder, esq., 
represented the Commonwealth, while the prisoner was ably defended by 
Messrs. P. W., W. P., and G. A. Jenks. 



From i860 to the Present Time. 



75 



The jury was composed of the following persons: Charles Jacox, Fulton 
Shoffner, Silas Brooks, Abel Fuller, Andrew Hawk, William Williams, W. A. 
Hadden, William Altman, Thomas North, Darius Blose, William Norris, and 
James Buzzard. August 23, 1867, Chase paid the penalty of his crime, the 
sentence being executed by Sheriff Nathan Carrier, in the jail-yard at Brook- 
ville. Dean Graves, Chase's accomplice in the crime, having succeeded in 
eluding the officers of justice, the commissioners offered a reward of five hun- 
dred dollars for his apprehension, and on the 29th of October he was arrested, 
after a desperate resistance, by the sheriffs of Kent and Verick counties, Mich. 
Sheriff Carrier, accompanied by Colonel W. W. Corbet, armed with a requi- 
sition from the governor of Pennsylvania, went to Michigan and brought 
Graves to Brookville, where he was tried at the December term of court and 
convicted of murder in the second degree, and sentenced to solitary confine- 
ment in the Western Penitentiary for eleven years and eight months. In this 
trial the Commonwealth was represented by District Attorney A. C. White 
and the Messrs. Gordon, and the defense by the Messrs. W. P. and G. A. 
Jenks. 

The jurors in the trial of Graves were Ephraim E. Johnson, James F. 
Hawthorne, James L. Whitman, William Best, jr., John Frampton, Israel Graf- 
fius, Peter Galusha, John Coon, Miller Harding, George S. Campbell, James 
M. Morris, and Charles B. McCain. 

The last half of a century has done wonders in the way of improvement, 
and developing the resources of the county. Though there is yet considerable 
valuable timber in the county, the wholesale, indiscriminate, and in some cases 
wanton destruction of our forests, has greatly diminished the supply. Lum- 
bering was for so long the only business by which money could be made, that 
nearly all the grand old pines have fallen victims ; no voice was raised for the 
woodman to "spare that tree," and year by year vast quantities of lumber was 
carried off by our streams to find a market, often, too, at paltry prices; but all 
this has come to an end now ; what timber is left is held at its just value by 
the owners, and the cessation in the lumber trade has caused that attention to 
be given to farming, which had been neglected while the lumber business was 
in the ascendency. Farms that in former years scarce yielded a pittance, have 
now been brought to a high state of cultivation. The unsightly stumps are all 
disappearing, good fences have been built, while the best and most approved 
farming implements and machinery are in general use. On the farms the log 
cabin, and the rude stable have given place to the large, well-appointed dwell- 
ings, and commodious barns. The homes of the farmers are comfortably, and 
in a great many instances, luxuriously furnished. The organ or piano, and 
well selected libraries are found in nearly every farm house, showing that the 
farmers of Jefferson county believe in surrounding their children with that 
which is ennobling and refining. In every home also is found the weekly news- 
paper, and papers and magazines treating on agricultural and literary subjects. 



76 



History of Jefferson County. 



Within the last few years a great interest is being taken in the improve- 
ment of stock, and now some of the very best grades are to be found in this 
county, until it has become noted abroad for the fine horses and cattle raised 
and owned by our stockmen. 

Jefferson county is also becoming noted as a fruit-producing region, her 
soil and climate being especially adapted to the raising of almost all kinds of 
fruit except the peach, which usually succumbs to our severe frosts. Apples, 
pears, cherries, grapes, etc., are grown in the greatest profusion and perfection. 
Great attention has been paid to the planting of the very best varieties of ap- 
ples, and it is rare indeed that Jefferson county has not more than enough for 
home consumption. 

The development of the immense deposits of excellent coal that underlies 
so much of the surface of the county, has also given a new impetus to busi- 
ness. Two new railroads built into the coal fields within the past two years, 
the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh, and the Ridgway and Clearfield Rail- 
road, a branch of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad, have done much toward 
developing the eastern and southern portions of the county. 

The population of Jefferson county at the last census was 27,898 white, and 
thirty-seven colored, showing an increase over the census of 1870 of 6,347. 
It will be seen by the figures of the different censuses that the colored people 
do not take very kindly to Jefferson county, the entire number given by the 
■different censuses being 369. 

The statistics of agriculture and manufactures for 1870 and 1880 show the 
great strides the county has taken in that direction : 



1870. 



Value ot improved land ^ 104,220 

farms 5,362,623 

Value of all farm productions, in- 
cluing all betterments and addi- 
tions to live stock 1.437,269 

Spring wheat, bushels 319 

Winter " 78,299 

Rye 64,678 



Corn 200,484 

Oats 390,151 

Buckwheat 46,632 

Pounds of wool 56,621 

Bushels of potatoes 54.596 

Pounds of butter 497.95 ' 

" cheese 246 



Census of 1 880. 



Farms and farm values. 

Numbers of farms 2,576 

Acres of improved lands 154,636 

Value of farms, including buildings 

and fences $7.3ii,37i 

Value of implements and machinery. 266,692 

livestock 747,162 



Cost of building and repairing fences 

in 1879 $ 55,328 

Cost of fertilizers in 1879 6,793 

Value of orchard products 78,712 

Estimated value of all farm produc- 
tions, sold, consumed or on hand 
in 1879 933.J44 



From i860 to the Present Time. 



77 



Size of Farms in Jefferson County. 



Over 3 and under lo acres. 
" 10 " 20 " . 

" 20 " 50 " 

" 50 " 100 " 



• 99 
. 100 

•336 

•857 



Over 100 and under 500 acres 1,166 

" 500 " 1,000 " 14 

1 ,000 and over 4 



No. of horses 5.596 

mules 38 

" oxen 154 

" milch cows 7,612 

other cattle 1 1,452 

" sheep 1 7.082 

" swine 1 5.306 



Live Stock and Production. 

Pounds of wool 71,824 

butter 669,788 

'■ cheese 731 

Gallons of milk 3',o5o 



Poultry and Eggs, produced in 1 879. 



Poultr)' on hand June i, 1880, exclu- 
sive of spring hatching 

Barn-yard fowls 63,692 



Other fowls 3.605 

Eggs produced in 1879, doz 295,122 



Honey, 1879, lbs 



Apiarian Products. 
....14,039 I Wax. 1879, lbs. 



.340 



Grain Products. 



No. bushels of wheat 113,361 

rye 59.13/ 

corn 341.031 

oats 452.435 

" buckwheat 78,401 

No. pounds maple sugar 3.689 



Tons of hay 1 9,468 

Pounds of tobacco 1.378 

Bushels of flax seed 28 

Tonsofflax straw '.356 

Gallons of maple molasses i ,703 



Grass Lands and Forest Products — 1879. 



Hay crop, tons 1 9,468 

Acres mowed 23,639 

Clover seed, bu 2,427 

Grass seed, bu 1.230 

Potatoes, acres i .768 

bushels 156,217 



Amount of wood cut, cords 84,809 

Pulse — Canada peas (dr}) bu 24 

Beans (dry) bu 1,315 

Broom corn raised, lbs 47 



Manufactures. 



Establishments 189 

Capital invested $1,282,650 

Hands employed 580 



Paid in wages per annum % 113, 4'2 

Amount of material used 679,684 

Value of products $1,003,145 



Assessed Value and Taxation. 



Real estate, value $1,893,630 

Personal property, value 290,8 1 5 

Total value of property 2,184,445 

7 



Taxation, State $ 664 

county 21,047 

borough and school . . .62,739 

Total taxation 84.450 



78 History of Jefferson County. 

Local debt of county, not including any portion of the State debt: Bonded 
debt, $102,808; floating debt, $10,026; gross, net, $112,834. This debt has 
been largely reduced in the last six years, the "Auditor's Statement" for the 
year ending December 31, 1886, giving the bonded debt as $26,600 ; floating, 
$871.22 ; total liabilities of county, $27,741.22. 

The census of 1880 classifies the population of the county as follows: 
Total males 14,327, females 13,608 ; school age, between five and seventeen, 
males 4,814, females 4,625 ; military age, between eighteen and forty-four, 
5,055 ; twenty-one and over, 6,291. 1870 — native born 20,568, foreign born 
1,090; 1880 — native born 26,587, foreign born 1,338. 

Triennial assessment of Jefferson county, showing the amount of real and 
personal property in the county for the year 1886, and the valuation thereof: 



No. of acres seated 272,297 

Valuation 11,205,841 

Average per acre $ 4.42 

No. of houses and lots 4,204 

Valuation $ 577.886 

No. of grist and saw-mills 87 

Valuation $ 56,468 

No. acres unseated lands 89,421 

Value $ 355.197 

Average value per acre $ 3.90 

Acres surface 14.859 

Value $ 43,244 

Average value per acre ^ 2.91 

Acres, mineral 22,277 

Valuation * 85,685 

Average value per acre . ij 3.83 



No. of horses 4,920 

Value $ 147.276 

Average value $ 29.92 

No. of cows 1,418 

Value $ 62,637 

Average value $ 9.76 

Oxen 89 

Value $ 1,629 

Occupations 4.319 

Value $ 119,747 

Average | 27.70 

Total valuation subject to county 

tax $2,652,550 

No. of carriages i . 1 90 

Value $ 28,285 

Money at interest $ 660,587 



This assessment does not give the real, only the assessed value, which is only 
about one-fifth of the real value on real estate, and one-third on personal prop- 
erty. Hereafter we believe property is to be assessed at its true value, and the 
percentage of taxation lowered, which is the only true method of taxation. 



CHAPTER X. 

POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST. 

Votes Cast for President and (governor at the Difl'erent Elections, 1832-1886 — Names of 
all Person.*! Holding Office in the County or Repre.senting the County in the United States 
Congress or in the State Legislature, 1814-188G — Present Officials of the County — Sum- 
mary of Acts of the Legislature Passed for Jelterson County. 

ALTHOUGH the county of Jefferson was erected in the year 1804, no 
elections were held within its bounds until an act was passed March 31, 
1806, making it a separate election district, and fixing the place for holding 



t i 



Political Record and Civil List. 79 

the election at the house of Joseph Barnett, on Sandy Lick. The county was 
still, however, only a " provisional county," and though voting for general offi- 
cers from the year 18 14, no record was kept of the vote as a separate county, 
but it was counted in with the vote of the district to which it was attached. 
Previous to that time those who wished to avail themselves of the right of 
franchise had to go to Indiana to cast their ballots. Whether the first voters 
of the county went all that distance to avail themselves of this privilege we 
cannot tell. 

The first elections held in Jefferson county for president of the United 
States, and for governor of the State were held in the year 1832. Below will 
be found the result of these elections, and all votes cast for president and 
governor since that time. 

For President. 

1832 — Andrew Jackson, 175; William Wirt, 105. Democratic majority 
70. 

1836 — Martin Van Buren, 244; William H. Harrison, 231. Democratic 
majority 13. 

1840 — Martin Van Buren, 592 ; William H. Harrison, 476. Democratic 
majority 1 16. 

1844 — James K. Polk, 731 ; Henry Clay, 591. Democratic majority 
140. 

1848 — Zachary Taylor, 887 ; Lewis Cass, 972; Martin Van Buren, 19. 
Democratic majority 85. 

1852 — Franklin Pierce, 1,469; Winfield Scott, 1,094. Democratic ma- 
jority 375. 

1856 — James Buchanan, 1,463; John C. Fremont, 1063 ; Millard Fill- 
more, 583. Democratic majority 400. 

i860 — Abraham Lincoln, 1,704; John C. Breckenridge, 1,136; Stephen 
A. Douglass, 6. Republican majority 562. 

1864 — George B. McClellan, 1,756; Abraham Lincoln, 1,614. Demo- 
cratic majority 142. 

1868 — Ulysses S. Grant, 2,147; Horatio Seymour, 2,068. Republican 
majority 79. 

1872 — Ulysses S. Grant, 2,253; Horace Greeley, 1,156. Republican 
majority 1,097. 

1876 — Rutherford B. Hayes, 2,350; Samuel Tilden, 2,459. Democratic 
majority 109. 

1880 — James A. Garfield, 2,750; Winfield S. Hancock, 2,635; J- B- 
Weaver, 137. Republican majority 115. 

1884 — James G. Blaine, 3,418; Grover Cleveland, 2,978; Benjamin F. 
Butler, 131 ; St. John, 1 12. Republican majority 440. 



8o History of Jefferson County. 

Vote for Governor. 
1832 — George Wolf, 250; Joseph Ritner, 173. Democratic majority 

77- 

1835 — George Wolf, 356; Joseph Ritner, 246; H. A. Muhlenberg, 3. 
Democratic majority no. 

1838 — David R. Porter, 591 ; Joseph Ritner, 421. Democratic majority 
170. 

1841 — David R. Porter, 678; John Banks, 447. Democratic majority 
231. 

1844 — Francis R. Shunk, 727; Joseph Markle, 617. Democratic major- 
ity I I o. 

1847 — Francis R. Shunk, 709; James Irwin, 454; F. J. Lemoyne, 3. 
Democratic majority 255. 

July 9, 1848 — Governor Shunk resigned on account of ill health, and 
William F. Johnson, the speaker of the Senate, was sworn in as acting 
governor. 

1848 — William F. Johnson, 783; Morris Longstreth, 992. Democratic 
majority 209. 

1851 — William Bigler, 1,240; William F.Johnston, 1,002. Democratic 
majority 238. 

1854 — James Pollock, 1,559; William Bigler, 988; Benjamin F. Bradford, 
160. Whig majority 401. 

1857 — William F. Packer, 1,268; David Wilmot, 1,125; Isaac Hazle- 
hurst, 54. Democratic majority 143. 

i860 — Andrew G. Curtin, 1886; Henry D. Foster, 1493. Republican 
majority 393. 

1863 — Andrew G. Curtin, 1,754; George W. Woodward, 1,698. Repub- 
lican majority 56. 

1866 — John W. Geary, 2,015; Heister Clymer, 1,912. Republican major- 
ity 103. 

1869 — John W. Geary, 1,967; Asa Packer, 2,039. Democratic majority 
72. 

1872 — John F. Hartranft, 2,407 ; Charles R. Buckalew, 2,247. Republi- 
can majority 160. 

1875 — John F. Hartranft, 1,923; Cyrus L. Pershing, 2,248; R. A. Brown, 
458. Democratic majority 325. 

1878 — Henry M. Hoyt, 1,944; A. B. Dill, 2.140; S. R. Mason, 814. 
Republican majority . 

1882 — James A. Beaver, 2,598; Robert Pattison, 2,581 ; John Stewart, 
125; T. A. Armstrong, 165. Republican majority 17. 

1886 — James A. Beaver, 3,038 ; Chauncy A. Black, 2,713 ; Charles Wolf, 
97 ; Houston, 40. Republican majority 325. 



Political Record and Civil List. 8i 

jefferson county civil list. 
Congress. 

We give the names of all who have represented the county of Jefterson in 
Congress, with the counties comprising the dili'erent districts to which it has 
been attached from the year 1816 to the present time. 

District composed of the counties of Indiana, Westmoreland, and Jeffer- 
son. 1816-18, David Marchand; 1820, George Plummer; 1820-24, George 
Plummer; 1826-28, Richard Coulter; 1830, Richard Coulter. 

District composed of Jefferson, Armstrong, Butler, and Clearfield. 1832— 
34, Samuel S. Harrison; 1836-38, William Beatty; 1840, William Jack.* 

District composed of Jefferson, Venango, Erie, Warren, Potter, McKean, 
and Clearfield. 1843, Charles M. Reed; 1844-48, James Thompson; 1850, 
Carlton B. Curtis. 

District composed of Jefferson, Clarion, Venango, Clearfield, Elk, McKean, 
and Warren. 1852, Carlton B. Curtis ; 1854, David Barclay * ; 1856, James L. 
Gillis; 1858, Chapin Hall; i860, John Patton. 

District (known as the Wild Cat district) composed of the counties of Erie, 
Warren, McKean, Cameron, Elk, Forest, and Jefferson. 1862 to 1870, Glenni 
W. Scofield ; 1872, Carlton B. Curtis. The twenty-fifth district composed of 
Indiana, Armstrong, Jefferson, Clarion and Forest. 1874, George A. Jenks*; 
1876-78, Harry White; 1880, James Mosgrove ; 1882, John D. Patton ; 1884, 
Alexander C. White* ; 1886, James T. Maffett. 

Those marked with a star, are the only citizens of Jefferson county who 
have represented her in the halls of Congress. 

ST.A.TE Senate. 

In 1814a Senatorial District was composed of Jefferson, Indiana and West- 
moreland. 181 5, John Reed; 18 19, Henry Alsehouse. 

In 1 82 1 the district was composed of the counties of Jefferson, Indiana, 
Cambria, Armstrong, Venango, and Warren. 1822, Robert Orr, jr.; 1825, 
Ebon S. Kelly. 

In 1828 Jefterson, Indiana, Armstrong, Venango, and Warren, made up 
the district. 1829, Joseph M. Fox; 1830, William D. Barclay; 1831, Philip 
Mechling; 1834, Meek Kelly. 

In 1835 Jefferson, Venango, Warren, McKean, and Tioga comprised the 
district. 1838, Samuel Hays. 

In 1842 the district was composed of Elk, Jefterson, Potter, McKean, War- 
ren, and Clarion. 1842, William P. Wilcox; 1845, James L. Gilhs ; 1848, 
Timothy Ives. 

In 1849 the district was composed of Jefferson, Elk, McKean, Potter, Tio- 
ga, and Clearfield. 1852, Byron D. Hamlin; 1855, Henry Souther. 



82 History of Jefferson County. 



In 1856 the district was composed ofjefterson, Elk, Clarion, and Forest. 
1857, Kennedy L. Blood*; 1861, Charles L. Lamberton. 

In 1863 a district was composed of Jefferson, Indiana, and Cambria counties. 
1865-68, Harry White; 1871, David McClay ; 1874, Reuben C. Winslow • ; 
1876, Thomas St. Clair*; 1880, William J. McKnight * ; 1884, George W 
Hood. 

Jefferson county has had but three members of the Senate — Kennedy L. 
Blood, in 1858; R. C. Winslow, in 1874; and W. J. McKnight, in 1880 — in 
the seventy years that she has voted for that office. 

Assembly. 

■ In 1814 a legislative or assembly district was composed of the counties of 
Jefferson, Indiana, and Armstrong, and was represented as follows. 18 16, 
James M. Kelly, Joshua Lewis ; 1 8 1 7, James M. Kelly, Samuel Houston ; 1 8 1 8, 
Samuel Houston, Robert Orr, jr.; 1819, Robert Orr, jr.; 1820, Robert Orr, jr., 
Robert Mitchell; 1 821, Robert Mitchell, James Taylor ; 1822-23, John Tay- 
lor, Joseph Rankin; 1824, Joseph Rankin, William Lawson ; 1825, William 
Lawson, Thomas Johnson; 1826, David Lawson, Joseph Rankin; 1827, Rob- 
ert Mitchell, Joseph Rankin ; 1828, Joseph Rankin, David Lawson. 

In 1829 Jefferson and Indiana were made into a district, and assigned one 
member. 1829, Robert Mitchell; 1830-31, William Houston; 1832, James 
M. Stewart; 1833-34, W'illiam Banks; 1835, James Taylor. 

In 1836 the district was composed of Jefferson, Warren, and McKean, with 
one member. 1836-37, Carlton B. Curtis ; i 838-39, William P. Wilcox; 1840, 
James L. Gillis * ; 1841, Lewis B. Dunham * ; 1842, Joseph Y. James. 

In 1843 a new district was formed of Jefferson, Clarion, and Venango, with 
two members. 1843, Joseph R. Snowden, David B. Long ; 1844, James Dow- 
ling,* Robert Barber ; 1845, Robert Barber, Robert Mitchell; 1846-47, John 
Keatly, William Perry; 1848-49, John Hastings,* John S. McCalmont. 

In 1850 the district was composed of Jefferson, Clarion, and Armstrong, 
and allowed three members. 1850, Thomas McKee,* Reynolds Laughlin, 
John S. Rhey ; 1851, William W. Wise,* Reynolds Laughlin, John S. Rhey ; 
1852, J. B. Hutchison,* Thomas Magee, J. Alexander Fulton; 1853, George 
W. Zeigler,* David Putney, Thomas Magee; 1854, George W. Zeigler,* Philip 
Clover, Abner W. Lane; 1855, Michael K. Boyer,* Philip Clover, Darwin 
Phelps; 1856, R. J. Nicholson,* William M. Abrams, John K. Calhoun. 

In 1857 the district was composed of Jefferson, Elk, McKean, and Clear- 
field, with two members. 1857, Joel Spyker,* William P. Wilcox; 1858, 
William P. Wilco.x, T. J. Boyer; 1859, Isaac G. Gordon,* A. M. Benton; i860, 
Isaac G. Gordon,* S. M. Lawrence; 1861, George W. Zeigler,* C. R. Earley; 
1862, C. R. Earley, T. J. Boyer ; 1863, T. J. Boyer, A. M. Benton. 

In 1864 the district was composed of Jefferson and Clarion, with one mem- 



Political Record and Civil List. 83 

ber. 1864-65, W. W. Barr : 1866-67, W. P. Jenks*; 1868-69, R- B. Brown; 
1870, Edmund English*: 1871, A. J. Wilcox*; 1872-73, D. P. Baird ; 1874, 
R. B. Brown. 

In 1874 Jefferson county was made a separate district with one member. 
1876, James U. Gillespie; 1878, Robert J. Nicholson; 1880, James E. Long; 
1882, Robert J. Nicholson; 1884-86, William Altman. 

County Officers. 

Prothonotary, Register and Recorder, afid Clerk of Courts. — The prothon- 
otary was appointed by the governor until 1839, when the amended constitu- 
tion made the office elective for a term of three years. 

Those appointed were, 1830, James Corbet ; 1832, Thos. Hastings; 1835, 
Thomas Lucas; 1839, Levi G. Clover. Elected, 1839, Levi G. Clover; 1842, 
John McCrea ; 1845, John J. Y. Thompson; 1848, Samuel H. Lucas; 1851, 
William McCandless ; 1854, David C. Gillispie ; 1857, Wakefield W. Corbet; 
i860, Joseph Henderson; 1863, Henry Brown; 1869-72, John M. Steck ; 
1875-7S, Joseph B. Henderson; 1881-83, Thos. K. Hastings; 1885, Scott 
McClelland. 

Sheriff. — The first sheriff elected in the county was Thos. McKee, who, dy- 
ing before his term of office expired, William Jack was appointed to fill his 
place until the next election. 1830, Thomas McKee; 1833, William Jack; 
1836, Joseph Henderson; 1839, John Smith; 1842, Thompson Barr; 1845, 
Thomas Wilkins ; 1848, James St. Clair; 1851, George McLaughlin; 1854, 
Thomas Mitchell ; 1857, James McCracken ; i860, Philip H. Shannon ; 1863, 
Manuel W. Reitz ; 1866, Nathan Carrier; 1869, A. D. McPherson ; 1872, 
John S. Barr; 1875, Frederick Crissman ; 1878, William P. Steel; 1881, Sam- 
uel P. Anderson ; 1884, Henry Chamberlain. 

Treasurer. — The first treasurer for Jefferson county appears to have been 
appointed in 1825. June 20, 1837, Treasurer McKnight died, and Daniel 
Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy. The appointments were made by 
the county commissioners until 1841, when the office was made elective for a 
term of two years. 

Those appointed were, 1825, John Matson ; 1827, Christopher Barr; 1829, 
Andrew Barnett ; l83i,Jared B. Evans; 1833, William A.Sloan; 1834, J. 
M. Steadman; 1835, James L. Gillis; 1836, Alexander McKnight; 1838, Daniel 
Smith; 1839, William Rodgers ; 1840, Jesse G. Clark; 1841, Nathaniel 
Butler. 

Elected, 1841, Samuel Craig; 1843, Joseph Henderson; 1845, Samuel 
Craig; 1847, Benjamin McCreight ; 1849, John Gallagher; 1851, Evans R. 
Brady; 1853, David Harl ; 1855, Augustus R. Marlin ; 1857, John E. Carroll ; 
1859, Henry Hoch ; 1861, John E. Carroll; 1863, Parker P. Blood; 1865, 
William H. Newcom ; 1867, Christian Miller; 1869, John Mills; 1871, 



^4 History of Jefferson County. 

Christian Miller; 1873, Enoch H. Wilson; 1875, Martin V.Shaffer; 1877, 
Scott McClelland: 1881, Nelson D. Corey; 1884, William D. Kane. 

District 07- Prosecuting Attorney. — By an act passed May 3, 1850, the of- 
fice of district or prosecuting attorney was made elective, and the term fixed 
for three years. Previous to that time the attorney-general appointed ; but 
we find no record of any appointments in Jefferson county. 1850, Richard 
Arthurs; 1853, James McCahan ; 1856, William McKee ; 1858-61, A. Lewis 
Gordon; 1864, Lewis A. Grunder; 1867-70, A. C. White; 1873, Charles 
Corbet; 1876, William M. Fairman ; 1879, Samuel A. Craig; 1882-85, C. C. 
Benscoter. 

Commissioners. — The first commissioners for Jefferson county were elected 
in 1824. Thereafter one was elected each year, giving each a term of three years 
in office, the oldest incumbent's time being expired when the newly-elected offi- 
cer took his place. In the spring of 1834 Charles R. Barclay resigned, and John 
Lattimer was appointed to take his place until the next election. George W. 
Porter died March 31, 1849, but no appointment was made to fill the vacancy. 
In December, 1857, Joel Spyker resigned, and at the request of the remaining 
■commissioners, the court appointed Francis Shrauger to fill the vacancy until 
the next election. 1824, Andrew Barnett, John Lucas, John W. Jenks ; 1825, 
David Postlethwaite ; 1826, Frederick Hettrick ; 1827, Thomas McKee; 1828, 
Thomas Lucas; 1829, Elijah Heath; 1830, Robert Andrews ; 183 1, John B. 
Henderson; 1832, Charles R. Barclay; 1833, Levi G. Clover; 1834, James 
Corbet; 1835, James Winslow ; 1836, John Philliber ; 1837, John Pierce; 
1838, Daniel Coder; 1839, Irvin Robinson; 1840, Benjamin McCreight ; 
1841, Joel Spyker; 1842, John Gallagher; 1843, John Drum; 1844, Enoch 
Hall; 1845, David Harl: 1846, George W. Porter; .1847, James Wilson ; 1848, 
Alexander McKinstry ; 1849, Abram Winsor ; 1850. Charles B. Hutchison; 
185 1, Thomas Hall; 1852, Jacob S. Steck ; 1853, David Henry; 1854; C. 
McCullough ; 1855, Benjamin McCreight; 1856, Joel Spyker; 1857, John 
Boucher; 1858, John Thompson ; 1859, Charles R. B. Morris ; i860, Andrew 
Smith; 1861, Charles B. Hutchison; 1862, Benjamin McCreight: 1863, Da- 
rius Carrier: 1864, Charles B. Hutchison; 1865, Joseph P. Lucas; 1866, An- 
drew J. Monks; 1867, James M. Morris ; i 868, Joseph P. Lucas ; 1869, Rob- 
ert Dougherty ; 1870, Henry A. Hum; 1 871, Martin V. Shaffer ; 1872, Robert 
A. Travis; 1873, Samuel A. Hunter. 

Under the new constitution the entire board of commissioners were elected 
at the same time, to serve for three years. 1875, R. A. Travis, S. A. Hunter, 
R. A. Summerville ; 1878, R. A. Summerville, W. D. Reitz, Oliver Brady; 
1 88 1, James B. Jordan, Samuel McDonald. The vote for the third commis- 
sioner was a tie between Uriah Matson and G. B. Carrier, and Kennedy L. 
Blood was appointed by the court. 1884, Edward Barry, James B. Jordan, 
Thomas H. Wilson. 



Political Record and Civil List. 85 



Auditors. — The first county auditors were elected in 1825. Jonathan Coon 
died in the spring of 1828, and Samuel Nevvcom was appointed to fill the va- 
cancy until the next election. 

In 1837 there appears to have been quite a contest over this office, and 
there were four candidates in the field ; C. A. Alexander, Elijah Heath, Daniel 
Coder and Joseph McGiffin. The Brookville Republican, the only paper pub- 
lished in the county at that time, published the following announcements by 
two of these candidates. 

" To the free and independent electors of Jefferson county, who are opposed 
to petty aristocracies and serving friends out of the public treasury, I offer my- 
self as a candidate for the office of county auditor, and pledge myself, if elected, 
to pay some regard to the oath of office, and oppose the settlement of any 
account paid out of the county treasury that is not strictly legal. 

" Elijah Heatil 

"Brookville, August 24, 1837." 

" To the Free and Independent Electors of Jefferson County : To all who 
are opposed to petty aristocracies, to serving friends and pensioners out of the 
public treasury, and, in short, to all who are opposed to petty monopolies, 
petty tyrants, and to those who sacrifice honor, truth, and honesty at the shrine 
of mammon, or in any manner worship the golden calf, at the hazard of the 
damnation of their souls, I, on the suggestion, and at the earnest solicitation of 
many friends, offer myself at the ensuing election as a candidate for the office 
of county auditor, and I hereby stand pledged, if elected, to pay full and com- 
plete regard to the oath of office, and to oppose the settlement of any account, 
not in good faith strictly honest. C. A. ALEXANDER. 

"Brookville, Pa., August 31, 1837." 

It will be seen that Mr. Alexander's stirring appeal carried the day and he 
was elected. 

In the summer of 1861 A. H. Tracy enlisted in the army and Ira 
Bronson was appointed to serve as auditor in his place until the next elec- 
tion. The following comprises a full list of the auditors elected in the county : 
1825, James Corbet, Alonzo Baldwin, Thomas Robinson; 1826, James Brock- 
way ; 1827, Jonathan Coon ; 1828, John Christie ; 1829, Joseph McCullough ; 
1830, John Hess; 1 831, William Kelso ; 1832, David Postleth wait ; 1833, John 
Welsh; 1834, William Ferguson; 1835, J- J- ^- Thompson; 1836, Hance 
Robinson; 1837, C. A. Alexander; 1838, Jesse Smith; 1839, M. Johnston; 
1840, James Gray; 1841, James Perry; 1842, Woodward Reynolds; 1843, 
John Pifer ; 1844, A. McKinstry ; 1845, James Perry; 1846, William Davis; 
1847, C. R. B. Morris; 1848, J. K. Ormond ; 1849, Samuel Milliron ; 1850, 
B. S. Wesson ; 1851, Irwin Robinson ; 1852, Robert Moorhead ; 1853, Robert 
Gourley ; 1854, George W. Andrews ; 1855, Joseph B. Graham ; 1856, Wood- 
ward Reynolds; 1857, Truman London; 1858, Robert R. Means ; 1859, A. 



86 HisTORV OF Jefferson County. 

H. Tracy; i860, W. W. Reed; 1861, Joel Spyker ; 1862, Charles Jacox ; 
1863, Ninian Cooper; 1864, Miles Vasbinder ; 1865, Joseph L. Millen ; 1866, 
J. B. Morris; 1867, R. R. Means; 1868, Eli Coulter; 1869, R. M. Matson ; 
1870, W. E. Simpson ; 1871, M. C. Thompson ; 1872, D. S. Orcutt. 

In 1873 the new constitution provided for the election of the, three auditors 
at the same election to serve for three years. 1875, James F. Hawthorn^ M. 
H. Williams, Eli Coulter; 1878, James F. Hawthorn, Henry A. Smith, Sam- 
uel McDonald ; 1881, W. A. Andrews, W. C. Smith, Robert Dougherty; 1884, 
Thomas R. Harris, W. A. Andrews, Frank M. Woods. 

Coiuity Surveyor. — By an act passed and approved April 9, 1850, the 
county surveyor was elected for a term of three years. Previous to said act 
they were appointed by the surveyor-general. There does not appear to have 
been any appointments made for Jefferson county. 1850, Cyrus Blood ; 1853, 
Joel Spyker; 1856, John J. Y. Thompson ; 1859-1862, James Caldwell ; 1865, 
JamesW.Drum; 1 868-1 871, James Caldwell ; 1874, WiUiam J. Drum ; 1877, 
EH Coulter; 1880-1883, Abner Spyker; 1886, James B. Caldwell. 

Coroner. — The first coroner was elected in 1830 for the term of three 
years. 1830, John Lucas ; 1833, J. Christie : 1836, Joseph Sharp ; 1838, John 
Earheart ; 1839, John Lucas; 1842, Henry Freas ; 1845, James K. Hoffman; 
1847, Jacob Shaffer ; 1848, John W. Jenks; 185 i, D. C. Gillespie ; 1854, Mar- 
tin R. Cooley; 1856, A. M. Clarke; 1857-1867, none elected; 1867, Hugh 
Dowling; 1874, M. Rodgers ; 1875, J. T. Bennett; 1881, Martin J. Sarvey ; 
1884, Wm. M. Rockey. 

Jury Commissioners. — Prior to 1867, when the first jury commissioners 
were elected, the different juries were drawn by the sheriff and county com- 
missioners. 1867, M. H. Shannon, Joel Spyker; 1870, L M. Temple, J. P. 
George; 1873, J. B. Morris, Alexander McConnell ; 1876, Paul Fiscus, J. 
H. Lewis; 1879, R. A. Gourley, P. S. Crate; 1882, James McGhee, A. G. 
Dougherty; 1885, William Campbell, P. S. Crate. 

Judiciary. — Hon. Isaac G. Gordon, of Brookville, elected to the supreme 
bench, 1873, for a term of fifteen years. 

President Judges. — By an act of the Legislature, passed April 2, 1830, Jef- 
ferson county was attached to the Eighteenth Judicial District, and to the West- 
ern District of the Supreme Court, and by an act of April 15, 1835, the time of 
holding court fixed for the second Mondays of February, May, September, 
and December, one week. By an act of March, 1855, the different terms of 
court were continued two weeks if necessary. 

The following named gentlemen have served as president judge in the dis- 
trict, either by appointment or election, since 1830: 

1830, Thomas Burnside, resigned; 1835, Nathaniel B. Eldred, resigned; 
1839, Alexander McCalmont ; 1849, Joseph Buflington. 

Under the amended constitution the president judge was elected for a term 
of ten, and the associate judges for five years. 



Political Record and Civil List, 87 

185 I, John C. Knox was elected but resigned, in the spring of 1853, on ac- 
count of being appointed to the supreme bench, and John S. McCalmont was 
appointed to fill the vacancy. 

1853, John S. McCalmont was elected, but in June, 1861, resigned to 
accept a colonelcy in the army, and G. W. Scofield was appointed to fill the 
vacancy until the ensuing election. 

1 86 1, James Campbell; 1871, W. P. Jenks;i 1 881, James B. Kno.x. Judge 
Knox, died while holding court at Brookville in December, 1884, and William 
L. Corbet, esq., of Clarion, was appointed by Governor Pattison to fill the 
vacancy until the next election, when, in 1885, Theodore S. Wilson was elected. 

Associate Judges. — The associate judges appointed and elected in the 
county are as follows: Appointed, 1830, John W. Jenks, Elijah Heath ; 1835, 
Wiliam Jack, vice Heath, resigned; 1837, Andrew Barnett, vice Jack, resigned; 
1841, James Winslow ; 1843, James L. Gillis. In 1843 Judge Gillis resigned 
on account of living within the bounds of Elk county, which had just been 
formed, and Levi G. Clover was appointed in his stead. 1846, Thomas Hast- 
ings; 1847, John W. Jenks, vice Clover, resigned. In December, 1850, Judge 
Jenks died, and J. B. Evans was appointed to fill the vacancy. 1851, Robert 
P. Barr. Elected, 1851, Robert P. Barr, J. B. Evans; 1855, James H. Bell, 
appointed in place of Barr, resigned, and elected at ensuing election; 1856, 
Joseph Henderson was elected, but resigned on account of receiving the nom- 
ination for prothonotary, and Samuel M. Moore was appointed to take his 
place until next election; i860, James Torrance; 1861, John J. Y. Thompson. 
Judge Thompson resigned in May, 1865, and C. Fogle was appointed in his 
place. At the election in 1865 two associate judges were elected for a term of 
five years, Philip Taylor and James St. Clair. 1 870, William Altman, Robert 
R. Means; 1875, James E. Mitchell, John B. Wilson; 1880, John Thompson, 
Stephen Oaks; 1885, Henry Truman, J. W. Foust. 

At the election held in 1872 to elect delegates to the Constitutional Con- 
vention from the district composed of the counties of Jefferson, Armstrong, 
Clarion, and Poorest, George W. Andrews, esq., and John McMurray, esq., of 
Jefferson, and Hon. John Gilpin, of Armstrong, were elected. 

At the election held December 16, 1873, on the adoption of the new con- 
stitution, the vote in Jefferson county was as follows: For the new constitution, 
i>396 ; against it, 912. 

Present County Officers. 

The present county officials are : Associate judges, Henry Truman, J. W. 
Foust ; prothonotary, register, and recorder, Scott McClelland ; sheriff, Henry 
Chamberlain; treasurer, William D. Kane; district-attorney, C. C. Benscoter; 
commissioners, Ed. Barry, J. B. Jordan, T. H. Wilson ; auditors, Thomas R. 

1 Judge Jenks is the only citizen of Jefferson county who has held the office of president judge in 
the district. 



88 History of Jefferson County. 

Harris, W. A. Andrews, Frank M. Woods; coroner, W. M. Rockey; clerk to 
prothonotary, H. W. Mundorfll'; clerk to commissioners, W. A. Neal ; janitor, 
Alexander Fullerton. 

Summary of Acts of the Legislature of Pennsylvania Relating 

TO Jefferson County. 

For the convenience of those who may have occasion to consult the differ- 
ent acts passed by the Legislature relative to Jefi'erson county, we give a brief 
summary of such acts, with date and where they may be found : 

Act erecting Jefferson county out of parts of Lycoming county ; bound- 
aries defined ; Legislature to fix a place for holding courts, at any place not 
more than seven miles from the center of said county, etc. Act of 26th of 
March, 1804, sec. i. — Smith's Laws, vol. IV, page 176. 

Powers of the commissioners and other county officials of Westmoreland 
county extended over Jefferson county. Act of February 3, 1806, sees, i, 2, 
and 3. — Smith's La%vs, vol. IV, pages 269-270. 

The county district of Jefferson annexed to the county of Indiana. Act 
of March 18, 1806, sec. 9. — Smith's Laws, vol. IV, page 291. 

Jefferson county made a separate election district, the electors thereof to 
hold their general elections at the house of Joseph Barnett, on Sandy Lick. 
Act of 31st of March, 1806, sec. 9. — Smith's I^ai^'s, vol. IV, page 349. 

Jefferson county divided into separate districts, not to exceed six, for the 
appointment of justices of the peace. Act of 14th March, 18 14, sees. 1-4. 
— Smith's Laws, vol. VI, page 124. 

Treasurers of Indiana and Jefferson counties authorized to sell unseated 
lands for taxes. Act of 23d Dec, 1822. — Smith's Laws, vol. VIII, page 5. 

The provisional county of Jefferson to elect three county commissioners 
and three county auditors, etc. Act of 21st Jan., 1824, sees. 1-4. — Smith's 
Lazvs, vol. VIII, page 185. 

Appointment of commissioners to fix upon a proper site for the seat of 
justice in Jefferson county; to take assurances by bond, deed, or otherwise, of 
any lands, lots, money, or other property, which hath been or may be offered 
for the use and benefit of the said county, either for the use and benefit of said 
county, either for the purpose of erecting public buildings, or for the support of 
an academy, or other public use. Act of 8th April, 1829, sees. 1-2. — Smith's 
Lazvs, vol. X, page 396. 

Provisional county of Jefferson organized for judicial purposes; attached to 
the Fourth Judicial District and to the Western District of the Supreme Court; 
election of sheriffs and other officers ; time of holding courts fixed ; transfer of 
suits originally commenced in Indiana county ; erection of court-house; seat 
of justice established at Brookville ; Brookville to be laid out. Act of 2d 
April, 1830, sees. i-io. — P. L., pages 161-164. 



Political Record and Civil List. 89 

Boundary line between Venango and Jefferson county established. Act of 
7th Feb., 1832, sees. 1-2. — P. L., page 53. 

Formation of Eighteenth Judicial District, composed of Potter, McKean, 
Warren, and Jefferson counties, and time of holding courts fixed. Act of 8th 
April, 1833, sees. 8. — P. L., page 315. 

Time of holding courts in the Eighteenth Judicial District altered, those of 
Jefferson county fixed for second Mondays of February, May, September, and 
December. Act of 15th April, 1835, sees. 2. — P. L., page 374. 

For the better ascertaining and establishing the boundary line between the 
counties of Jefferson, Warren, McKean, and Clearfield. Act of 17th March, 
1840, sees. I. — P. /,., page 146. 

Time of holding township elections in Jefferson county changed to second 
Tuesday in February of each year. Act of Sth March, i84i,sec. 29. — P. L., 
page 71. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to subscribe five hundred 
dollars to the Brookville Academy, and to have trustees elected, etc. Act of 
29th May, 1841, sec. 22. — P. L., page 411. 

Deeds made by commissioners of Jefferson county for divers tracts of un- 
seated lands, and lots in the borough of Brookville legalized. Act of Sth 
April, 1846. — P. I.., page 273. 

The Eighteenth Judicial District to consist of the counties of Venango, 
Clarion, Jefferson, Elk, and Forest. Courts to be holden in Jefferson county 
on second Mondays in May, September, December, and February one week. 
Act of 5th April, 1849, sees. 1-4. — P. L., page 367-8. 

Certain acts relative to premium on fox and wild cat scalps, and to hunt- 
ing of elk or deer, extended to Jefferson county. Act of loth of April, 1849, 
sees. 1—2. — P. L., page 631. 

Act for transfer of records from Indiana to Jefferson county. Act of 2ist 
April, 1852, P. /.., page 389. 

Chancery powers and jurisdiction vested in the Court of Common Pleas of 
Philadelphia county, extended to Jefferson and the counties composing the 
Eighteenth Judiciary District. Act of 21st April, 1854. — P. L., page 462. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to borrow sum of money, 
not exceeding five thousand dollars, for building jail. Act of 5th April, 1855, 
sec. 182. — P. L., page 165. 

Continuing terms of court in Jefferson county to two weeks, when neces- 
sary. Act of 9th March, 1855. — P. L., page 69. 

Fixing time for holding township and borough elections in Jefferson county 
to the first Monday in February in each year. Act of i6th April, 1858. — P. 
L., page 328. 

The time of redemption of all lands purchased by the counties of Jeft'erson 
and Potter, at treasurer's sale, fixed at two years. Act of 8th April, 1862. — 
P. L., page 17. 



90 History of Jefferson County. 

Commissioners authorized to have assessments of real and personal estates 
in the several townships and boroughs of Jefferson county made prior to the 
year i860, transcribed, etc. Act of 6th of March, 1863. — P. L., page iio. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to levy additional tax for 
purpose of building a court-house, and borrow money and issue bonds for the 
same. Act of i8th of April, 1864. — P. L., page 461. 

To enable soldiers in the service to vote at borough and township elections 
in county of Jefferson and other counties. Act of loth of March, 1865, sees. 
1-9. — P. L., pages 309-311. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to appropriate unexpended 
relief fund of said county to building of new court-house. Act of i6th of 
March, 1866. — P. L., page 236. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to borrow money for build- 
ing of court-house, not exceeding $50,000, and to issue bonds therefor, to 
bear interest not exceeding eight per cent. Act of 2d of February, 1867. — P. 
L., page 134. 

A part of Fox township, Clearfield county, annexed to Jefferson county, 
and made part of Snyder township. Act of 4th of April 1868. — P. L., pages 
651-652. 

Commissioners of Jefferson county authorized to borrow money, not ex- 
ceeding $45,000, and to issue bonds therefor, at rate of interest not exceeding 
eight per cent., to be appropriated to the payment of certain articles of settle- 
ment and compromise made by and between the county of Jefferson and the 
Allegheny Valley Railroad Company. Act of 19th of February, 1870. — P. L., 
page 212. 



CHAPTER XI. 

POST-OFFICES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

Early Mai! Facilities — First Post-Offices in tlie County — Names of Offices — AVhen 
Established — Names of Postmasters — First Mail Route — Oldest Postmasters — A Quarter 
of a Century in Charge of a Post-Office. 

WE are enabled, through the courtesy of the post-office department, to give 
a complete history of the post-offices established in this county, from 
the first office at Port Barnett until the present time. 

Port Barnett, established January 4, 1826, and Joseph Barnett appointed 
postmaster. Changed to Brookville, September 10, 1830. 



Post-Offices in Jefferson County. gi 

Brookville. — Postmasters, Jared B. Evans, appointed September lO, 1830; 
Cephas I. Dunham, March 30, 1833; WilHam Rodgers, January 19, 1835; 
John Dougherty, August 18, 1840; Samuel H. Lucas, June 25, 1841 ; Daniel 
Smith, November 21, 1844; Barton T. Hastings, May 9, 1845; John Hast- 
ings, June 18, 1846; David S. Deering, December 14, 1848; James Corbet, 
September 23, 1850; David S. Deering, February 24, 1853; Kennedy L. 
Blood, April 20, 1853 ; Parker P. Blood, April i, 1857 ; Alexander P. Heich- 
hold, March 9, 1861 ; John Scott, April 20, 1864; Barton T. Hastings, Sep- 
tember 8, 1866; John Scott, April 5, 1869; F. A. Weaver, April 23, 1884; 
Laselle R. Erdice, December 5, 1885. 

Aliens Mills, established July i, 1874. Postmasters, E. W. Clark, appointed 
July I, 1874; J. G. Allen, April 19, 1877. Office discontinued, August 21, 
1877. Re-established, August 2, 1880. Jerry G. Allen, appointed August 
2, 1880. 

Alvaii. — Postmasters, Alvan H. Head, appointed July 13, 1848; John 
Arner, May 11, 1850; Alexander McConnell, March i, 1852; Thomas Ted- 
lie, April 9, 1862 ; office discontinued October i, 1862. 

Baxter. — Postmaster, Richard Baxter, appointed February 24, 1875. 

Beeclitrcc. — Richard Woodward, appointed April 4, 1882; John H. Bell, 
November 25, 1885. 

Broivn's Mills {Bell's Mills). — Postmasters, Henry Brown, appointed Feb- 
ruary 4, 1859; discontinued February 15, i860; re-established March 9, 
i860, and Henry Brown, reappointed; name changed to Bell's Mills October 
24, 1863, and James H. Bell appointed postmaster; William E. Bell, Decem- 
ber 20, 1878, William W. Graffius, November 27, 1885. 

Brockwayville. — Postmasters, Alonzo Brockway, appointed April 13, 1829; 
discontinued January 3, 1838; re-established March 14, 1838, and Asaph M. 
Clark appointed postmaster; Robert W. Moorhead, December 6, 1856; Will- 
iam H. Schram, September 2, 1862 ; Jonas G. Wellman, January 9, 1866 ; W. 
W. Wellman, March 20, 1872; Robert O. Moorhead, February 18, 1880; 
Barrett T. Chapin, October 30, 1885. 

Big Rich. — Postmasters, James U. Gillespie, appointed August i, 1854; 
Joseph McPherson, May 4, 1858 ; David C. Gillespie, October 17, 1865 ; An- 
drew McClure, February 5, 1869; George K. Tyson, July 14, 1870; Andrew 
P. Cox, 23d October, 1874; Philip Enterline, April 6, 187S ; Andrew P. Cox, 
March 21, 1881 ; Charles V. Wilson, August 12, 1885. 

Clarion. — Postmaster, John McNulty, appointed February 8, 1833; discon- 
tinued September 3, 1834. 

Corsica. — Postmasters, John J. Y. Thompson, appointed November 29, 
1843; John C. Ferguson, April 21, 1852; John H. Dill, January 19, 1853; 
Mark Rodgers, April 22, 1853; William H. Barr, December 3, 1857; Will- 
iam Love, January 20, 1859; William W. Reed, July 9, 1861; Sarah A. Reed, 
June 12, 1862. 



92 History of Jefferson County. 



CloHser. — Postmasters, George Kramer, appointed February 15, 1884; W. 
W. Clouser, July i, 1884. 

Coal Glen. — Postmaster, Austin Blakeslie, appointed May 27, 1886. 

Cool Spring. — Postmasters, James Gray, appointed April 17, 1838; John 
Scott, October 4, 1844; Thompson A. McKinstry, January 10, 1856; discon- 
tinued April 25, 1857; re-established September 20, 1869, and Thomas Hep- 
ler appointed; Miles R. Kunselman, March 13, 1882; John R. McKinstry, 
August 6, 1885. 

Creashaw. — Postmaster, William V. Parmley, appointed January 19, 1887. 

Dolingville. — Postmasters, Joseph Broadhead, appointed July 15, 1869; 
Gilbert B. Burrows, May 26, 1 870; Thomas Doling, January 3, 1871; discon- 
tinued September 7, 1871. 

Dora. — John H. Geist, appointed postmaster July 9, 1883; discontinued 
July 14, 1884. 

Dunkle. — Postmaster, George W. Dunkle, appointed August 21, 1882. 

Ella. — William P. Painter, appointed postmaster July 15, 1886. 

Emcrickville. — Postmasters, Emanuel Weiser, appointed May 6, 1872; 
George Zettler, April 13, 1881 ; Emanuel Weiser, December 17, 1885. 

Emcrickville. — John R. Hetrick, appointed postmaster June 21, 1851 ; dis- 
continued February 21, 1855. 

Erdice. — Postmaster, William McMillen, appointed April 4, 1887. 

Frostburg. — Postmasters, Charles R. B. Morris, appointed March 30, 1858; 
Robert Hamilton, April 8, 1859; Charles R. B. Morris, February 24, 1881 ; 
Tobias S. Newbold, January 18, 1886. 

Fuller. — Abel Fuller appointed postmaster September 20, 1875 ; changed 
to Rocky Bend, December 10, 1877, and ^bcl Fuller appointed; changed 
again to Fuller February 25, 1878, and Abel P"uller reappointed; Henry 
Miller, appointed June 3, 1881 ; H. C. Fuller, March 6, 1883; Henry E. 
Fuller, April 3, 1883. 

Grange. — Postmasters, Albert D. Sprankle, appointed May 31, 1880; 
Nathaniel S. Sprankle, May 9, 1882 ; Ezra C. Gourley, April 13, 1883 ; Lafay- 
ette Sutter, August 6, 1885. 

Handy. — Joshua Jones, appointed postmaster May 26, 1884; discontinued 
August 4, 1886. 

Hazen. — Postmasters, William R. Anderson, appointed April 7, 1882; dis- 
continued March 15, 1883; re-estabhshed January 24, 1885, and Isaac Lyle 
appointed postmaster. 

llantilton now Hay. — Postmasters, Robert Hamilton, appointed February 
16, 1852; Joseph W. Sharp, July 23, 1866; John N. Heckendorn, February 
14, 1868 ; James G. Mitchell, January 8, 1885 ; David Neal, August 12, 1885 ; 
changed to Hay, February 24, i886, and David Neal reappointed; Sharp 
Neal, May 18. 1886. 



Post-Offices in Jefferson County. 93 

Packer now Hcatliville. — Postmasters, Leopold Einstein, appointed June 
29, 1857; John Osborn, February 5, 1858; George W. Gumbert, December 
12, 1863; Thomas Edmunds, July 2, 1866; PhiHp Shafier, December 30, 
1870; changed to Heathville April 9, 1879; Henry Hepler, April 9, 1879; 
Curtis S. Guthrie, March 27, 1886. 

Heathville. — Postmaster, Elijah Heath appointed September 24, 1841 ; dis- 
continued February 17, 1842. 

Hoivc. — Postmasters, Thomas J. Lyle, appointed February 9, 1882; Bar- 
ton M. Whitehill, November 10, 1885. 

Hudson. — Postmasters, Augustus G. Winslovv appointed June 30, 1869; 
Tobias J. Long, August 12, 1885. 

* Knoxdale. — Postmasters, Henry N. Milliron, appointed February 25, 1863 ; 
Samuel Stewart, March 8, 1865; Michael E. Steiner, November 9, 1869; Eve- 
lyn D. Sharp, May 4, 1870; John G. Steiner, December i, 1870; John G. 
Steiner, jr., June 16, 1873; Daniel I. Steiner, December 20, 1880; Hugh E. 
McCracken, September 11, 1883. 

La7ies Mills. — Robert Humphrey appointed postmaster January 13, 1885. 
Langville. — Walter J. Bracken appointed postmaster June il, 1886. 
Lindsey. — John W. Parsons appointed postmaster January 24, 1882. 
Merata. — John Philliber appointed postmaster February 19, 185 1 ; dis- 
continued August 8, 1853. 

Mimtmorency. — Postmasters, Reuben A. Aylesworth, appointed February 
14, 1826; Jesse Morgan, March 13, 1828 ; James L. Gillis, April 7, 1828 ; dis- 
continued March i, 1832. 

Mcndorf now Muiidorf. — Newton Webster, appointed postmaster February 
5, 1885 ; changed to Mundorf March 5, 1886. 

Neiu Petersburg. — Postmasters, John H. Hinderleter, appointed December 
3, 1869; James N. Chambers, April 16, 1872 ; Henry Snyder, April 4, 1873 ; 
Henry Hinderleter, August 9, 1876 ; Daniel F. Harrison, November 1 1, 1878 ; 
discontinued, March 15, 1883. 

W/irZ-wrg-.— Postmasters, Eli Miller, January 7, 1862 ; Rachel Bell, June 
13, 1866; William H. Redding, September 25, 1871 ; Henry M. Means, May 
29, 1873; John B. Fink, September 28, 1875. 

Oyster. — Reuben J. Thompson appointed postmaster November 20, 1883. 
Ohl. — Postmaster, Edward M. Ohl, December I, 1886. 
Pancoast. — Postmasters, M. J. Farrell appointed May 17, 1876; Hannibal 
Hutchinson December 17, 1882. 

Panic. — Postmasters, James B. North appointed July 1 1, 1881 ; George A. 
Morrison, March 10, 1882 ; Albert T. Sprankle, July 7, 1882 ; Norman Brown, 
October 29, 1883. 

Pansy. — Samuel Thomas appointed postmaster June 27, 1884. 
Patton's Station. — Walker Smith appointed postmaster September 13, 1879. 
9 



94 History of Jefferson County. 

Porter. — Postmasters, Henry Snyder, appointed June 21, 1850 ; discontin- 
ued August 13, 1850; re-establislied April 15, 1854, and Robert A. Travis 
appointed; Martha Travis, February 2, 1875 ; James H. Elkins, January 30, 
1880; John A. TimbHn, March 27, 1886. 

Punxsutawney. — Postmasters, Charles R. Barclay, appointed February 28, 
1826; John W. Jenks, December 15, 1828; David Barclay, November 2, 
1830; Charles R. Barclay, December 21, 1831; John Hunt, October 17, 1837; 
James McConaughey, February 11, 1839; John R. Rees, December 29, 1843; 
John M. MCoy, August 6, 1845; Thomas L. Mitchell, November 13, 1849; 
Thomas McKee, June 6, 1853; Andrew J. Johnston, March 19, 1861 ; Will- 
iam Campbell, August 20, 1863; William Davis, August 13, 1864; Homer C. 
Bair, April 20, 1885. 

Ratlmiel. — Luther A. Hays appointed postmaster November 27, 1883. 

Ricliardsville. — Postmasters, David W. Moorhead, appointed Jan. 18, 1849; 
William R. Richards, July 6, 1852; David W. Moorhead, August 14, 1858; 
Joshua Long, February 2, 1859; Jackson Moorhead, Feb. 20, i860; William 
Evans, July 31, 1883 ; Lewis Rhoads, July 17, 1885. 

Prospect Hill (changed to Rcynoldsvillc). — Postmasters, Tilton Reynolds, 
appointed May 18, 1842 ; Thomas Reynolds, Dec. 29, 1845. 

Reynoldsville. — Postmasters, Thomas Reynolds, appointed Feb. 23, 1850; 
John S. Smith, January 6, 185 i; Orlando Gray, Oct. 27, 1854; John S. Smith, 
Sept. 26, 1856; Frederick C. Farmer, Feb. 16, 1858; discontinued August 
31, 1859; re-estabhshed September 13, 1859; and Thomas Reynolds appointed 
postmaster; Thos. Montgomery, Dec. 12, 1862; Thos. Reynolds, April 5, 1865 ; 
Tilton C. Reynolds, June 9, 1881 ; William C. Schultze, Oct. 19, 1885. 

Ringgold. — Postmasters, Robert McFarland, appointed Nov. 11, 1847; 
George Mercer, May 30, 1850; Philip H. Shannon, July 8, 1852; Robert T. 
Perry, June 6, 1854; Samuel Miller, Sept. i, 1856; John A. Freas, Oct. 10, 
1856; Martin H. Shannon, Dec. 3, 1857; Philip H. Shannon, Oct. i, 1859; 
James Dean, Oct. 12, i860; A. J. Monks, Sept. 3, 1861 ; Robert Perry, Nov. 
6, 1861 ; Susanna Reitz, Aug. 6, 1885. 

Sandy Valley. — Postmasters, John W. Riggs, appointed August 20, 1872; 
William Boner, July 31, 1876. 

Rockdale Mills. — Postmasters, William H. Gordon, appointed Jan. 13, 
1863; Elisha L. Evans, April 26, 1864; Thomas Montgomery, May i, 1867; 
Scott McClelland, March 29, 1872; C. D. Evans, May 22, 1876; Sophia 
Evans, April 8, 1878; Anne Mathews, October 2, 1878; Sophia Evans, Nov. 
4, 1879. 

Mary Annsville (changed to Schoffner's Corners). — Postmaster, Thomas 
Craven, appointed June 10, 1858. 

Schoffner's Corners. — Postmasters, George Smith, appointed Jan. 20, 1859; 
Philip Hettrick, Aug. 3, 1863; John Snyder, March 17, 1864; Henry Heber, 
June 16, 1864; John Andrews, June 22, 1865 ; Sylvester Davis, May 9, 1866. 



Post-Offices in Jefferson County. 95 

Sigel. — Postmasters, James McNeal, appointed May 26, 1862; Henry- 
Truman, March 3, 1868; George A. Carroll, Aug. 24, 1885. 

Sprankle's Mills. — Postmasters, Peter Seller, appointed Aug. 24, 1857; 
Mary Seller, Jan. 24, 1863 ; William Eisenhart, March 7, 1863. 

Stanton. — Potmasters, James Hill, appointed April 15, 1862; James R. 
Hill, Jan. 11, 1864; Alexander Hill, Sept. 7, 1864; Abner J. Smathers, 
Nov. 9, 1865 ; Edward Reitz, July 20, 1869; Jacob R. Miller, Dec. 20, 1875 ; 
Edward Reitz, Jan. 23, 1879. 

Sugar Hill. — Postmasters, Alexander McConnell, appointed Feb. 27, 
1877; William A. Shaw, April 28, 1886; John H. Simmons, May, 27, 1886. 

Siimmervillc. — Postmasters, David Losh, appointed Feb. 14, 1839 ; Geo. 
Richards, Oct. 4, 1839; Samuel B. Taylor, Oct. 20, 1840 ; James Gardner, 
Oct. 4, 1841 ; Ira Baldwin, Jan. 12, 1843 ; Jonathan Milliron, Dec. 15, 1846; 
Benjamin S. Wesson, Jan. 28, 1848 ; Hiram Carrier, Feb. 22, 1849; Leopold 
Heilbruner, March 21, 1856; Benjamin S. Wesson, Dec. 6, 1856; Harlow R. 
Bryant, Feb. 4, 1862 ; Hiram Carrier, Aug. 28, 1866 ; Harlow R. Bryant, May 
17, 1867; John H. Strong, Oct. 16, 1871 ; PVederick J. Strong, March 3, 
'^^7l\ Joseph Guthrie, July 28, 1885. 

Sykesville. — Postmaster, Jacob B. Sykes, appointed Oct. 8, 1883. 

Valier. — Postmasters, John N. Means, appointed Aug. 4, 1885 ; Mary M. 
Postlethwait, April 9, 1886. 

Wallston. — Postmaster, Daniel N. Mclntyre, appointed Nov. 25, 1885. 

Warsaiv. — Postmasters, Thomas McCormick, appointed Aug. 15, 1836 
David McCormick, Jan. 17, 1838; Moses B. St. John, May 12, 1839; John 
H. McKee, June 23, 1853 ; Jacob Raught, Jan. 25, 1854; John Reed, Sept. 
9, 1854; John Sheasley, June, 8, i860; Isaac W. Temple, July 12, 1861 ; Wm. 
P. Mathers, Nov. 12, 1871 ; S. W. Temple, Jan. 9, 1882. 

Whiiesville. — Postmasters, John Keim, appointed Dec. 14, 1835 ; James C. 
Maize, Oct. 6, 1836; discontinued Oct. 17, 1837; re-established Sept. 24, 1841, 
and Gilmore Montgomery apppointed postmaster ; discontinued February 17, 
1842. 

Worthville — Postmaster, Henry Fox, appointed Feb. 6, 1854; discon- 
tinued March 28, 1855. 

Worthville — .Postmasters, John C. McNutt, appointed June 2, 1864; Mor- 
ris R. Putney, Feb. 2, 1875 ; Samuel V. Shick, March 13, 1883. 

The first mail route was established in 1826 from Kittanning to Olean, 
N. Y., a distance of one hundred and ten miles, over which the mail was car- 
ried once in two weeks. The contractor was Roswell B. Alford, of Wellsville, 
Ohio, and he received for his services four hundred dollars per annum. This 
route supplied all the offices there were then in Jefferson county. 

In the first thirty years of the county's existence there were only five post- 
offices ; now there are fifty-nine, nearly all of which are supplied with a daily 



96 , History of Jefferson County. 

mail, and the majority of the smaller offices with a tri-weekly mail. The office 
at Brookville receives and dispatches seven daily mails, and all the larger offices 
in the county are similarly supplied. 

The oldest living ex-postmaster in Jefferson county is Hon. Jared B. Evans, 
of Washington township. Mr. John Scott was connected with the post-offices 
of the county for about thirty-five years, seventeen years of that time being 
postmaster at Brookville. Mrs. Sarah Reed, postmistress at Corsica, will, June 
12, 1887, celebrate her quarter of a century as the incumbent of that office. 



CHAPTER Xn. 

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.i 

Progress of Education Previous to t'.ie lutroduction of the Common Schools — State Aid- - 
County Superintendents — School.'? Under the Common School Law —Township Institutes — 
Acaderai.'S and Select Schools. 

Organization of Schools Previous to the School System. 



JEFFERSON county's first school- house was built on the Ridgway road, 
about two miles northeast of Brookville. The house was built of rough 
logs, and had neither window sash nor pane of glass. The light was admitted 
through chinks in the walls, over which greased paper was fastened. The floor 
was made of puncheons, and the seats of broad pieces, split from logs, with 
pins in the under sides for legs. Boards laid on pins driven into the walls 
supplied the pupils with writing-desks. A log fire-place, the entire length of 
one end, furnished the warmth when the weather was cold. 

In this rude structure John Dixon, the pioneer teacher of Jefferson county, 
taught the first school during the winter of 1803 or 1804. The length of 
term was three months, and the patrons paid the teacher a certain sum per 
scholar. Mr. Barnett, RTr. Matson, Mr. Vastbinder, and some others were 
among the citizens most prominent in building the house and having the school 
organized. The second school was taught a year or two later by Job Johnson, 
in a school-house built near the old grave-yard, between Port Barnett and 
Brookville. They had window glass in that house, and a ten plate stove, and 
the large boys brought the wood and cut it to keep up the fire. Other schools, 
the names of whose teachers have been forgotten, were organized later in the 
vicinity of Brookville. 

1 By G. Ament Blose, A. M. 



Schools of Jefferson County. 97 

The first school-house in the southern part of the county was built of 
logs in the fall of 1820, near John Bell's, a little more than a mile northwest of 
where Perrysville stands. It was built after the style of the first school-house 
in the county, with paper instead of window glass, boards pinned to the walls 
for desks, floor and seats made from puncheons, and fire-place along one end. 
John Postlethwait, sr., John Bell, Archibald Hadden, Hugh McKee, and James 
Stewart, sr., were the principal citizens intrumental in organizing and starting 
the school. John B. Henderson taught the first school in this part of the 
county, in that house, the first winter after it was built. The Testament, Bible, 
Catechism, and the United States Spelling-book were used as text books in the 
school. Ira White, a Yankee, from the State of New York, succeeded Mr. 
Henderson as teacher. Some time afterwards a school was taught by Craw- 
ford Gibson, in a house near the county line, about a mile south of Perrysville — 
some parties claim that Gibson taught before Henderson. Somewhat later a 
school was taught by John Knox, in a log house across the creek, south- 
east of Perrysville. They paid him in grain, in part, at least. James C. Neal, 
sr., then a young man, hauled a load of grain with a yoke of oxen from Perrys- 
ville to some place near Troy, a distance of about twenty miles, through the 
woods, to pay Mr. Knox for teaching. The first school in Punxsutawney 
was opened by Andrew Bowman about 1823, in a house then owned by 
John Henderson. The house was still standing in 1877, and was owned by 
Thomas McKee. Dr. Jenks, Charles Barclay, Judge Heath, Rev. David Bar- 
clay, a Mr. Black, and others took an active part in starting the school. They 
hired a teacher by the year. The tuition for the small pupils was twelve dol- 
lars each, and for the large ones fifty dollars a year. The first school-house 
was built in Punxsutawney by the above named gentlemen about 1827, where 
the Baptist church now stands. Hugh Kenworthy was the first man, well ed- 
ucated, who was employed as a teacher there. The next teacher was Dr. 
Robert Cunningham. After him came Thomas Cunningham, since Judge 
Cunningham. Alexander Cochran taught the first school in what is now 
Washington township, in 1830 or 1 831, in a school-house near the Beech- 
woods grave-yard. Messrs. Cooper, Keys, Mcintosh, and the Smiths were 
instrumental in organizing the school. 

Brookville's first school was taught in the old jail by a Mr. Butler in the 
the fall of 1830. Boards laid on blocks, sawed from logs, supplied them with 
seats. Alexander McKnight, father of Dr. McKnight, taught there in a small 
brick school-house in 1832. 

A school was started somewhere in the locality of Troy, some time be- 
tween 1825 and 1830, and was taught by a Mr. Knox. 

The first school was commenced within the present limits of Union town- 
ship about 1834 or 1835. James Barr taught first, in the summer. There 
were about twenty pupils, and the tuition was fifty cents a month for each 



98 



History of Jefferson County. 



pupil. Samuel Davison, Robert McFarland, John W. Monks, John Hughes, 
and Robert Tweedy were prominent in organizing the school. 

About 1835 a school was taught by Benjamin Gilhousen in an old log house 
on land now (1887) owned by the Smith heirs, in Oliver township. It was 
continued only one term. 

In every locality in the county, in which the population was dense enough 
to support a school, one seems to have been organized previous to the com- 
mon school system. 

State Aid. — The first money received from the State for school purposes by 
this county was by an order drawn August 5, 1836, on the State treasurer, 
Joseph Lawrence, esq., to the treasurer of Jefferson county, by Thomas H. 
Burrows, superintendent of common schools, under an act entitled, " An Act 
to Establish a General System of Education by Common Schools," passed on 
the 1st of April, 1834, and a supplement thereto, passed April 15, 1835, for 
$104.94, for the year 1835. Also on the same date $104.94 for the year 1836. 
The following table will show the townships receiving State aid, the officers of 
the school boards, the numbers of warrants, and the amounts received: 



Townships. 



Barnett 

Eldred 

Perry 

Pine Creek . 
Ridgway. .. 

Rose 

Snyder 

Young 



No. 
Warrant. 

76 


State Aid 


$49.20 


37 


23-59 


209 


35-3' 


103 


66.68 


40 


25.89 


252 


163.14 


41 


26.54 


146 


94.52 



Treasurers. 



Cyrus Blood, 
Wm. M. Henderson, 
Isaac Lewis, 
Samuel Jones, 
L. Wilmarth, 
Benj. McCreight, 
A. Ross, 
W. Jenks, 



Presidents. 



W. P. Armstrong, 
Tohnias Hall, 
Tho. Williams, 
William Cooper, 
J. Gallaglier, 
William Kelso, 
.K. Brockway, 
Wm. Campbell, 



Secretaries. 



Cyrus Blood. 
John W. Monks. 
John Philiber. 
.•\. Barnett. 
L. Wilmarth, 
C. .\. .■Me.xander. 
William Shaw. 
J. Winslow. 



It would seem from the above table that it includes the appropriation for 
1837 also. The State appropriation for the year ending June I, 1875, was 
$4,075.74, and for the year ending June i, 1876, it was $6,462.91, being an 
increase in one year of $2,387.17. From 1835 to 1876 the State appropria- 
tion increased from $104.94 to $6,462.91. The State appropriation for the 
year ending June i, 1885, was $6,893.46. 



Organizations Under the School Svste.m. 

From the best information to be had it appears that Cyrus Crouch taught 
the first school in Brookville under the common school system. No one seems 
to know the date of its organization. He taught two terms and was followed 
by Jesse Smith, and Craighead, and Hannibal. 

As early as the fall of 1835, ^ "lan by the name of Timblin made applica- 
tion for the school in Punxsutawney. He was examined by the board of direc- 
tors, and was the first teacher under the new school system. The members of 
the board were C. C. Gaskill, James Winslow, and James Torrence. Mr. Gas- 
kill attended to the examination of the teacher. It was held in an old log 
house in which Mr. Torrence lived. The house was known as the old farm- 



Schools of Jefferson County. 99 

house of Dr. Jenks, and was the first house built in Punxsutawney. The 
teacher was examined in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The United States 
Speller, the English Reader, and the Western Calculator were the text-books 
used in the school. At that time Young township included Bell, McCal- 
mont, Gaskill, Henderson, and parts of Winslow and Oliver. There was a 
great deal of hostility to the common school system at first in Punxsutawney. 

Four schools were organized under the new school system in the fall of 
1835, in Pine Creek township — one near the site of the first school-house in 
the county, the Butler school ; another near the Bowers's school, then called 
the Frederick school ; another near Richardsville, and the other in the school- 
house near the Beechwoods grave-yard. The directors were Dr. John Lati- 
mer, William Cooper and Andrew Barnett. Mr. Thomas Kirkman, a school 
teacher of the time, says that " David Butler, Dr. John Latimer, and Andrew 
Barnett examined the teachers at Andrew Barnett's house." Mr. Kirkman 
taught first under the school system, at the Butler school-house. He taught 
thirty days for a month, receiving fourteen dollars a month and boarding him- 
self They used the English Readers and the United States Spelling-book. The 
schools began some time in November, and continued three months. Thomas 
Reynolds taught the Waite school in Beechwoods first under the school sys- 
tem. He received twelve dollars a month and " boarded around " with the 
scholars. They had a ten-plate stove in the school-house, and their fuel con- 
sisted entirely of chestnut and hemlock bark, which the larger pupils assisted 
the teacher to pull from the dead trees in the vicinity. There were about 
twenty-eight pupils attending the school, with an average daily attendance of 
eighteen. Judge Andrew Barnett, John Latimer, and William Cooper were 
the principal citizens who took part in having the schools started. John Wil- 
son was probably the first teacher at Richardsville. They had about fifteen 
pupils there. 

In 1836 a school-house was built above Mr. Prescott's, at Prescottville, called 
the Fuller school-house. Mr. Thomas Reynolds taught the first school in it. 

During the summer of the same year a contract for building a hewed log 
school-house near Mr. Dickey's, in Henderson township, was given to a Mr. 
Caufman, and a school was commenced the following winter under a Mr. 
Heisy as teacher. From the best information to be had, a school appears to 
have been organized in the Bowers Settlement, in Gaskill township, some time 
before that. 

The first school under the school system in Perry township, near Perrys- 
ville, was taught by David Lewis, the winter of 1836 or 1837, in an old log 
house that had been built for a dwelling house by Thomas McKee, a short dis- 
tance east of Perrysville, on the old road. There were six or eight schools 
started in the township that year. James R. Postlethwait hauled six or eight 
stoves for the school-houses on a sled from some place in Clarion county — 



L.ofC. 



lOo History of Jefferson County. 

Strattonville, I believe my informant said, was the place. It was during the 
first snow in the beginning of winter, and it fell very deep, so that he had great 
difficulty to get home through it. 

In the winter of 1836 or 1837 a school was kept in an old log house near 
Frederick Stear's in Porter township, by a Mr. Travis. That was the first 
school in that locality under the school system. A Mrs. Travis taught a sum- 
mer school in the same place. One of her methods of punishment was to pin 
the unruly boys to her dress. The house was then in Perry, but was included 
in Porter township when it was organized. 

About the year 1839 ^ frame school-house was built just above Perrysville. 
T. S. Mitchell, sr., furnished the nails and spikes, James C. Neal, sr., Boaz 
Blose, and some other citizens supplied other material, and built the house. 
The same year a hewed log school-house was built near George Blose, sr.'s. 
Mr. Postlethwait, George Blose, sr.. Youngs, Frederick Stear, and John Travis 
were prominent in building the house and having the school organized. Mary 
Gibson taught the first school in that house, then William Postlethwait, and 
after him came Stephen Travis as teacher. The first common school was 
commenced in what is now Eldred township, in the beginning of the winter of 
1837. The house was built the same fall, near where the Hall school-house 
now stands. It was a hewed log-house, and was built by the citizens. George 
Wilson, since Dr. Wilson, taught the first school in it. There were about for- 
ty scholars. The large scholars cut the wood for the stove. John Lucas 
taught after Wilson. About 1837 or 1838 a round log school-house, called 
the Milliron school, was built a short distance northwest of where Ringgold 
now is ; Samuel Hice was the first teacher there. He received not more than 
ten dollars a month. They used Cobb's Spellers as text-books. Henry 
Freas, John Hice, Benjamin Campbell, and others were the principal citizens 
in having the school started. 

A school-house was built in Rose township, near Joel Spyker's, in 1836. 
They previously rented a house on the Pleasantville road near John J. Miller's. 

About 1836 a school-house was built on land of William Newcome's, in 
Oliver township, near where the old State road was crossed by the road from 
Worthville to Punxsutawney. The first term of school was taught in it by Miss 
Margaret McKinstry. She was succeeded as teacher by William Newcome. 
Doverspike, Man, Johnston, Gaston, Newcome, and Stunkard were among 
the citizens prominent in having the school organized. This school was dis- 
continued after three or four years. Another house was built on land of C. 
C. Gaskill's, since owned by William Reed, sr. Some of the principal citi- 
zens engaged in establishing the school were Adam Dobson, Jonathan Rowan, 
Jacob McF"adden, and Philip Hetrick. 

James Harl, sr., was the first to wield the " white thorn." He was followed 
by Samuel Reed, who was succeeded by Alexander McKinstry, esq. Mr. Mc- 



Schools of Jefferson County. ioi 

Kinstry is said to have taught the school very successfully for three or four 
terms. The first school in Union township, under the school system, was 
taught by Jesse or Theophilus Smith, about 1838, in a log school-house, with 
a fire-place along one end. The house was about two miles from Corsica, 
near Dallas Monks's. The pupils studied their lessons out loud during school 
hours. The teacher was paid sixteen or eighteen dollars a month, and 
boarded himself Some of the citizens who took part in organizing the school 
were John Fitzsimmons, the Barrs, Hindmans, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Monks. 

John Kahle taught the first school in Kahletown, Eldred township, about 
1837 or 1838, in one end of his father's house. That was the first school in 
that part of the county. Clover township was organized into a separate dis- 
trict in 1842; the first hoard of directors organized May 24, 1842 ; Rev. C. 
Fogle, was president, James Shields, secretary, and D. Carrier, treasurer. The 
wages of male teachers were from eighteen to twenty-five dollars a month,. 
and of female teachers from twelve to fifteen dollars a month and board them- 
selves, and make their own fires. 

Thomas Reid taught the first school in Polk township about 1848 or 
1849; Nathaniel Clark taught next. Philip Hetrick, Jacob McFadden, John 
Dixon, Henry Schaffner, and John Lucas took part in the organization of 
the school. 

So far as can be ascertained, the people were an.xious about having the 
schools organized in their neighborhoods, and established them throughout the 
whole county as soon as they had a sufficient number of persons to entitle 
them to a school. In this way the schools increased till they numbered one 
hundred and five at the beginning of the superintendency in 1854. 

Superintendents. 

John C. VVagaman — whose post-office was Pun.xsutawney — was the first 
county superintendent of common schools in Jefferson county. He was elected 
under the act of May 8, 1854, on June 5, 1854, at a salary of $300 a year, 
and was commissioned July 5, 1854. He resigned May 3, 1856, and went 
West. Samuel McElhose, whose post-office was Brookville, was appointed to 
fill the vacancy at the same salary, on May 16, 1856, and was commissioned 
the same day. The term expired June, 1857. Mr. McElhose was elected May 
4, 1857, ^t a salary of $500 a year, ^nd was recommi.ssioned June 3, 1857. He 
was re-elected May 7, i860, at a salary of $550. The term expired June, i860, 
and he was recommissioned June 8, i860. His last term expired June, 1863. 
Mr. McElhose made a very energetic superintendent. The schools were in a 
very prosperous condition during the latter part of his superintendency. He 
and Blose were the only superintendents who opened schools for the teachers. 

Sylvanus William Smith, whose post-office was Brookville, was elected 

superintendent on May 4, 1 863, at a salary of $800 a year, and was commis- 
10 



102 History of Jefferson County. 

sioned June i, 1863. His salary was raised to $1,000 a year from June i, 
1864, by a special convention of school directors called for the purpose. He 
was re-elected May i, 1866. The term expired June 4, 1866, and he was 
recommissioned June 4, 1866. The term expired June, 1869. 

During the first part of Mr. Smith's term of office, nearly all the former 
male teachers of the county enlisted and went into the army. Their places 
had to be supplied almost exclusively by young female teachers. This ope- 
rated very much against the prosperity of the schools for a time. In the report 
for 1865, there are only thirty-two male teachers and one hundred and twenty- 
five female teachers reported for the county. 

James Adams Lowry, whose post-office was Punxsutawney, was elected 
May 4, 1869, at a salary of $1,000 a year, and was .commissioned June 4, 
1869. He was re-elected May 7, 1872. The term expired June, 1872, and 
he was recommissioned June 6, 1872. His term expired June, 1875. 

George Ament Blose, whose post-office was Hamilton, was elected May 4, 
1875, at a salary of $1,000 a year. The term expired June, 1878. 

William Albert Kelly, whose post-office was Frostburg — afterwards 
changed to Grange — was elected May 7, 1878, and was commissioned June, 
1878. He was re-elected May 3, 1881. The term expired June, 1881, and he 
was recommissioned June, 1881. The term expired June 1884. It was dur- 
ing Kelly's superintendency that the mental arithmetic, as a separate text- 
book, was excluded from the schools. 

John Harry Hughes, whose post-office was Brookville, was elected May 6, 
1884, at a salary of $1,000 a year, and was commissioned May 28, 1884. He 
is now 1887 county superintendent. 

With the beginning of the superintendency, the school term had been 
increased to four months, and the age of log school-houses, with slab seats and 
wall desks, was passing away. Mr. Wagaman, in his report for 1855, com- 
plained of the poor condition of the houses. The model building was in Clover 
township. He says : " The majority of the school-houses are old, poorly con- 
structed, of frame or logs, and open, uncomfortable, and entirely unsuited to 
the purpose ; cold in winter and hot in summer, many of them only about 
twenty feet square, low-pitched, with only light enough, in a cloudy day, to 
make darkness visible ; children are pent together, reciting, studying (?), freez- 
ing, and crying." 

A general lack of such furniture as pokers, shovels, coal-boxes, and brooms, 
as well as coal-houses, and other necessary buildings, is complained of All 
the houses except three were reported as defective in admitting light. 

At that time McGuffey's Readers were used throughout the county ; Cobb's 
and McGuffey's spellers, Kirkham's and Bullion's grammars, Davies's, Ray's 
and the Western Calculator, were the text books in arithmetic. 

The superintendent says that he made several efforts to get the teachers 
together for institutes, and but few had attended. 



Schools of Jefferson County. 103 

Township Institutes. 

The first township institute, of which any record has been found, was organ- 
ized in Young township, and kept open during the winter of 1854-55. From 
that time local institutes were kept up in different parts of the county, until 
they became a part of the school machinery in nearly every township. In the 
winter of 1863-64, Union, Eldred, and Pine Creek, were the only townships in 
the county in which institutes were not organized. During the two terms of 
the superintendency which closed in June, 1875, district institutes seem to have 
almost wholly ceased, but were revived in the succeeding term. 

The township institute, as a factor in the educational system, does not now 
hold as high a place as it did formerly. An occasional local institute held by 
the county superintendent appears to be taking its place. 

County Institutes. 

The first county institute held in Jefferson county was at Brookville, in 
October, 1856, under Mr. McElhose's superintendency. The session con- 
tinued for two weeks. Forty-two teachers attended it. Another institute, 
which continued four days, was held at Punxsutawney in December of the 
same year. There were eighteen teachers in attendance. Mr. McElhose wrote 
to Prof S. W. Smith, who was teaching the Brookville Academy at the time, and 
had gone to Western New York during vacation, that he must come home and 
help him, as he had never been at an institute, and knew nothing about one. 
At Mr. McElhose's request Prof Smith returned and assisted at the institute. 
Prof Smith says: "We had a lively time, and a good little institute." The 
exercises were class drills, discussions, and lectures. Mr. McElhose and Prof 
Smith conducted all the class drills and did the lecturing. They had class 
drills every day in reading and arithmetic. Prof Smith lectured one evening 
on astronomy, devoting considerable attention to meteors. Among the male 
teachers attending were Mr. Allison, now Dr. Allison, A. J. Monks, William 
Monks, Richard Snyder, John Carley, Gideon Siars, A. McAllister, and John 
Cummins. Among the female teachers were Misses Maggie and Mary Polk, 
two or three Miss Kinniers, Miss Mary McCormick, and a Miss Clawson from 
Punxsutawney. County institutes have been held every year from that time 
to the present. 

In the earlier days of the institute they depended on local talent to give 
instructions, and lecture at the institutes. But things have changed. The 
time of the institute is taken up with instructors brought in for the occasion, 
who very frequently give instruction poorly suited to the teachers' wants, and 
beyond their capacity to grasp. 

The institutes of 1876 and 1877 had, by far, the largest membership of any 
that were held in the county before that time. The report of 1 877 says : " Never 
before in the history of Jefferson county was there such a gathering of teachers 



I04 History of Jefferson County. 

at institute." The institute of 1877 surpassed the preceding one in attendance. 
At that time the teachers, nearly every one, had to lose the time and pay their 
own expenses while attending institute. Some years later they were allowed 
the time for institute the same as if teaching, by act of Assembly. The aver- 
age attendance at institute, now, appears to be from one hundred and fifty to 
one hundred and ninety. In 1855 the county had twenty townships, and two 
boroughs — Brookville and Pun.xsutawney. There were about 105 schools, 
68 male and 50 female teachers, 3,636 pupils, with an average attendance of 
2,945. The average salaries of male teachers were $21.32 ; of females $12.94. 
The cost of instruction was $6,237.72 ; of fuel $569.66 The State appropri- 
ation was $1,178.45. In the 1865 there were 123 schools, 32 male and 125 
female teachers, 5,658 pupils, with an average attendance of 3,483. The av- 
erage salaries of male teachers were $32.35 ; of females, $22.60. In 1875 
there were 156 schools, 97 male and 102 female teachers, 7,387 pupils, with an 
average attendance of 4, 162. The average salaries of male teachers were 
$35-35; of females, $26.81. In 1885 there were 191 schools, 1 16 male and 
104 female teachers. The average salaries of male teachers were $33.06, and 
of females $28.27 ; 9,019 pupils, with an average attendance of 6,419. 

In 1856 there were eight graded schools — four in Brookville, two in 
Punxsutawney, and two in Troy. In 1877 there were twenty-seven graded 
schools in the county — eight in Brookville, four in Punxsutawney, four in 
Reynoldsville, three in Corsica, two in Troy, two in Richardsville, two in 
Brockwayville, and two in Port Barnett. At present (1887) there are fifty- 
seven graded schools — ten in Brookville, eight in Reynoldsville, four in 
Punxsutawney, three in Corsica, two in Clayville, three in Brockwayville, 
two in Beechtree, two in Perrysville, two at Sprankle's Mills, two at Bellview, 
two at Big Run, three at Troy, two at Hall's, two at Richardsville, two at Port 
Barnett, two at Jenk's, two in Ohio Town, two at Sibley's, and two at VValston. 

Academies and Select Schools. 

Rev. John Todd is represented as having taught the first school in Brook- 
ville in which instruction was given in the classics and higher mathematics. 
There was an academy building in Brookville for a number of years. The 
building was condemned by the grand jury at the September court in 1877 
and the schools which were then in session taken out of it. Select schools 
were held in this building at various times. The school for teachers, held by 
Mr. McElhose, was in it. Mr. Walker taught a number of summers in 
Brookville. Prof Hughes taught every summer from 1871 to 1883. He was 
assisted one term by Prof H. Wilson Miller. Prof W. S. McPherran taught 
one term. Miss Mary J. Stewart has taught in Brookville since 1862, with the 
exception of five years, when she was engaged in teaching elsewhere. Miss 
Stewart is a very successful teacher, and besides the many young ladies who 



i i 



Schools of Jefferson County. 105 

have received a thorough education at her hands, she has prepared a number 
of young men for college. Her present young ladies school, which is very 
prosperous, has been established for about seven years. 

Brockville Commercial College was opened by Mr. Keating in 1885. He 
was followed by Prof J. H. Roney and Prof J. G. Anderson, who were suc- 
ceeded by Prof W. E. Eshelman. 

Punxsutawney had select schools during the summer for a number of years. 
Prof PuUen taught four or five years. After him a school was taught by Rev. 
King, who paid a great deal of attention to the teaching of elocution. Prof 
McPherran assisted by Prof S. H. Barnett, since Dr. Barnett, organized a 
school there about the summer of 1880. They had a very large attendance. 
Prof Allison has been teaching since that time. The school has done good 
work. Reynoldsville has had one and sometimes two schools for thirteen or 
fourteen years. Prof E. D. Bovard and E. C. Shields organized a school and 
taught there the summers of 1885 and 1886. 

Brockwayville had a school the summers of 1885 and 1886, taught by 
Professor J . H. Rairigh. 

Mayville started what they called a "stockholder's school," the summer of 
1886, under Prof J. J. Wolfe, a graduate of Lockhaven State Normal School. 
Rev. Samuel Bowman taught a school in Whitesville about the summer of 
1853. During the summer of i860, and the two succeeding summers, Sam- 
uel Miller Davis taught there. His school was well patronized, and did much 
towards advancing the cause of education in that part of the county. A 
school was taught there the summer of 1875 by G. A. Blose, A. M., then 
county superintendent. Another school was taught there the summer of 1876 
by Professor J. T. Kelso. 

Troy had a select school during the summer of 1875. 

About the summer of 1869 Professor James Richey, A. M., started an acad- 
emy in Corsica, and taught it for several summers. He was succeeded by Pro- 
fessor McKinley, who was followed by Professor Ely. Professor White came 
next as principal. The school was very numerously attended during its first 
years, and did a good work. Prof Aiken succeeded Professor White ; then 
Professor John W. Walker taught, followed by Professors Saxman and P. A. 
Shanor, A. B. 

Perrysville had a select school for several summers. Mr. Innes began one 
the summer of 1 862, and taught another the summer of 1 863. Another school 
was taught there during the summers of 1872 and 1873 by G. A. Blose, A. B. 

Bellview had a select school under Rev. McFarland. Since then it has 
had schools taught by Professors H. W. Millen, J. W. Walker, R. A. George, 
and his brother. The last two taught the summers of 1885 and 1886. 

Professor Whitney taught a regular academic course of three grades — 
primary, commercial, and classical — at Richardsville about 1878 and 1879. 

Frostburg had a select school taught by Rev. McCurdy. Professor J. W. 



io6 History of Jefferson County. 

Bell taught there one term, and Rev. Cooper taught there several terms in re- 
cent years. 

A county normal for the teachers was taught at the Blose school-house in 
Perry township, by G. A. Blose, then county superintendent, during the 
early part of the summers of 1876, 1877 and 1878. The school was contin- 
ued by him the succeeding summers till 1881. 

Rockdale had a normal term for teachers the latter part of the summer of 
1877 by Blose. Over two hundred and fifty person attended the four county 
normals held by Blose while he was superintendent. 

A school was taught at Big Run the latter part of the summer of 1879 by 
Blose. 

During the year 1876-77 Polk township furnished each of its school-houses 
with a Webster' Unabridged Dictionary. It was the first township to lead in 
that direction. 

Some years ago a number of the townships in the northern part of the 
county divided their school term into a summer and a winter term. From the 
best information obtainable, it appears that nearly all the townships now have 
a continuous term. Under the ancient regime, a teacher's capacity was meas- 
ured by his ability to do plenty of hard whipping. A. R. Mitchell, a son of 
ex-Sheriff Mitchell, used to tell a story illustrative of this. James McCreight 
taught the Perrysville school at an early day, and he whipped young Mitchell 
so often and hard during the winter that his mother, before the close of the 
school term, had to put a large patch over the back of his coat, which was 
made of heavy home-made wool cloth, to cover the rents made by the rod. 

About 1852 a teacher by the name of "Sammy" Abers taught the Blose 
school. His discipline was a very vigorous use of the rod. 

We are now nearing the opposite extreme, where, perhaps, far too much 
latitude is given. Some of the principal te.xt-books used in the county at dif- 
ferent times, within the last twenty years, were Osgood's series of readers and 
spellers, National readers and spellers, the Independent readers, Monroe's read- 
ers and spellers, and Raub's readers; Stoddard's, Ray's, Book's, Dean's, Goff's^ 
Greenleaf's, Hagar's, and Raub's arithmetics ; Mitchell's, Olney's, McNally's, 
and Monteith's geographies ; Clark's, Bullion's, Burtt's, and Raub's grammars; 
Lossing's, Redpath's, Goodrich's, and Barnes's histories of the United States; 
and Ray's, Davies's, Brooks's and Loomis's algebras. 

While the common schools of this county show tangible evidence of prog- 
ress, they still fall very much below what the better class of citizens desire 
them to be. This is shown by the effort of parents in the different localities to 
furnish better facilities for the education of their children than the common 
schools of their neighborhoods afford, by sending them to other schools. A 
school for the proper education of the children is one of the very first requisites of 
every community that has any regard for the welfare of its inhabitants, and their 
fitness to become good citizens and perform the varied duties of a useful life. 



County Seat and County Buildings. 



107 



CHAPTER XIII. 

COUNTY SEAT AND COUNTY BUILDINGS. 

County Seat Established — Lots Donated for Public Buildings — First Court-House and .Tail 
Erected — Erection of the Academy — Building of Present Jail Erection of New Court- 
House — Dedicaticn of Court-House — Address of Judge Campbell. 

ALTHOUGH the county of Jefierson was established in 1804, there was no 
county seat located until the year 1830. Previous to that time all busi- 
ness of a legal or official character had to be transacted at Indiana, where all 
the county records were kept. The county of Jefferson then comprised nearly 
all of Forest and a portion of Elk, and persons who were obliged to attend the 
courts, or go to Indiana on other legal or military business had to travel, in 
some instances, from fifty to seventy-five miles. 

By an act passed April 8, 1829, commissioners were appointed to select a 
site for the county seat of Jefferson county, and it was located at the mouth of 
Sandy Lick, and called Brookville. 

Then, by an act passed April 2, 1830, the citizens of the county were given 
"all the rights, powers, jurisdiction, etc.," to which they were entitled, and it 
was made the duty of the commissioners " to demand and receive from John 
Pickering, esq., sufficient deed or deeds, in fee simple, for the use of the said 
county, for all lands, or lots, which the said John Pickering, Esquire, has 
agreed to give for the purpose of aiding in the erection of public buildings, 
agreeably to the Act of April, 1829, entitled an act authorizing the appoint- 
ment of commissioners to fix a proper site for the seat of justice in Jefferson 
county, and also for one public square in the said town of Brookville, for the 
purpose of erecting public buildings thereon, and the said commissioners shall 
procure the said deed or deeds when recorded in the office for recording deeds, 
in the county of Indiana, to be recorded in the proper books directed to be 
kept for the county of Jefferson, and the said commissioners and their success- 
ors in office, or a majority of them, shall, and are hereby authorized to sell and 
dispose of the said land or lots, aforesaid, and to make and execute deeds to 
the purchasers, and the moneys arising from such sale, shall by them be ap- 
plied to the erection of the public buildings for the use of said county of Jeff- 
erson. 

"That the said commissioners shall, as soon as may be, proceed to lay out 
the said town of Brookville, and file a draft and return of the survey of the 
said town, together with the proceedings, under and by virtue of this act, in 
the office for recording of deeds, in and for the county of Jefferson, and in 
exemplification of the same act of 2d of April, 1830. The 5th section of 
the same act provides for the transfer of suits and dockets from the county of 



io8 History of Jefferson County. 

Indiana to be delivered to the prothonotary of Jefferson county, the expense 
of copying said docket to be paid for by the prothonotary of Jefferson county, 
and reimbursed by the said county, on warrants to be drawn by the commis- 
sioners of Jefferson county on the treasury thereof "^ 

In 1830 the commissioners set about the work of erecting public buildings, 
in accordance with the provisions of the acts cited. They first built the jail, 
which was a two-story edifice, built of common flag stones. It contained be- 
sides the prison, the sheriff's house and office. This building occupied the 
northwestern corner of the public square, fronting on Pickering street. Daniel 
Elgin was the contractor and builder, and the carpenter work was done by 
Robert Larrimer. The entire cost of the building was $1,823.24. 

Mr. Uriah Matson, one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of the 
county, says that he worked on this building for twenty-five cents per day, and 
boarded himself He would bring with him from his home each morning, a 
loaf of rye bread, in which he had hollowed out a space large enough to con- 
tain enough butter to spread the bread, and this, with a jug of buttermilk, con- 
stituted his fare. Each Saturday night after the week's work was done, he 
would go out to Port Barnett to draw his pay, and would return with the 
princely sum of one dollar and fifty cents in his pocket. 

The jail was finished in 1831, and court was held in this building until the 
court-house was built. The old building stood for many years as one of the 
old landmarks, and before it was torn down in 1866, to make room for the new 
court-house, was used as a butcher- shop. 

The court-house was also contracted for in 1 830, as the following from the 
county records shows : " Article of Agreement made 14th day of December, 
1830, between Thomas Lucas and Robert Andrews, Commissioners of Jeffer- 
son County, of the first part, and John Lucas, of Jefferson county, and Robert 
Barr, of the county of Indiana, of the second part. The party of the second 
part agrees to build court-house, two offices — one fire-proof — within two years 
from the 1st day of January next. The Commissioners, on their part, agree 
to pay Contractors the sum of three thousand dollars, in manner as follows : 
$2,000 as the work progresses, and $1,000 in full on the ist day of January, 
1833, to be paid out of the money arising from the sale of lots in the town of 
Brookville, if there shall be sufficient ; if not, to be made up of the county funds. 

" Thomas Lucas, 
" Robert Andrews, 
" (Signed) Commissioners. 

"John Lucas, 
" Robert Barr, 

"Contractors. 

"Witnesses, WiLUAM M. Kennedy, James Hall." 

1 Smith's Laws, Act of April 2, 1830, sec. 5-10, page 163. 



County Seat and County Buildings. 109 

The court-house, a one-story brick building, was finished in 1832. It was 
built of brick, and occupied part of the ground upon which the present court- 
house stands. The two offices specified in the above contract were a low, 
brick structure, on the west of the court-house, and were for the use of the 
prothonotary and commissioners. 

The brick work on this building was done by Thomas M. Barr, and the 
carpenter work by Robert Larrimer. 

The old jail was used until 1855, when, it proving inadequate to the wants 
of the growing town, the present jail building was erected. The contract was 
given to Messrs. Byrnes and Dowling, May 23, 1854, and the building was com- 
pleted in November, 1856. 

The building cost, when finished, $14,200. It is a two-story brick and 
stone building, the first story front being used, until the erection of the new 
court-house, for the offices of the treasurer, commissioners and sheriff, since 
which time it has been used for other offices — the post-office having been kept 
in the building for about fifteen years. The second story front is used for the 
residence of the sheriff" or jailor. The rear part of the building is built of cut 
stone and divided into cells for prison use. 

This building, which was never a safe receptacle for prisoners, as we find 
that the newspapers of the day chronicled the escape of one of its inmates the 
first year it was occupied as a prison, is now entirely inadequate to the grow- 
ing wants of the county, and will soon have to give place to a prison built on 
a more modern plan, with better sanitary regulations, and constructed in such 
a manner that it will hold its inmates in duress without the vigilance that has 
now to be exercised for their safe keeping. 

The next public building that claimed the attention of the county officers 
was the academy, the erection of which was authorized by an act of the Leg- 
islature, approved April 13, 1838, whereby the treasurer of the Commonwealth 
was authorized to subscribe two thousand dollars to be applied to the erection 
of suitable buildings for an academy in Brookville. 

The trustees appointed by said act were C. A. Alexander, Thomas Hast- 
ings, John J. Y. Thompson, Levi G. Clover, John Pierce, and Richard Arthurs. 

May 29, 1841, a supplement to the former act authorized the commission- 
ers of Jefferson county to subscribe five hundred dollars. Five hundred dol- 
lars additional was raised by private subscription, making the cost of the 
academy three thousand dollars. 

The site selected was the lot yet known as the "Academy lot," on the cor- 
ner of Jefferson and Barnett streets, donated for the purpose by John Picker- 
ing, esq. When work was commenced, the lot was covered with pine trees 
and underbrush, and the commissioners paid ten cents each for having the 
trees cut down. 

The work was done by Robert P. Barr, Thomas M. Barr, and Robert Lar- 
11 



no History of Jefferson County. 

rimer, the building being completed in 1843. The first school was taught by 
Cyrus Crouch. From that time until 18 — , when the building was leased 
by the school directors of the borough of Brookville, it was used as an 
academy. It was then used for common school purposes until it was con- 
demned as unsafe by the grand jury at the September term of court, 1877, 
when it was torn down, and part of the stone, etc., used in the construction of 
the new school building. During all the years that the academy was in exist- 
ence, trustees were annually elected; but the office was not a very burdensome 
one, as it scarcely ever occurred to the persons elected that there was such an 
institution as the Brookville Academy. 

The growing importance of the county and the increase of legal business 
made the old court-house entirely too small and unsuitable for the accommoda- 
tion of the courts, and in 1866 steps were taken towards the erection of a 
larger and more modern building. 

July 28, 1866, the commissioners contracted with James T. Dickey, of Kit- 
tanning, Pa., for the erection of the new court-house, James W. Drum being 
the architect. Mr. Dickey's bid was $57,000 for the work. Mr. Dickey, after 
finishing the foundations, which he built in a splendid manner, and getting the 
building ready for roofing, found himself financially unable to finish the work, 
and a new contract was made with Messrs. Daniel English and R. J. Nicholson 
to finish the building for an additional cost of $21,742, making the entire cost 
of the structure $78,742. It was finished in September, 1869. The building . 
is a very handsome one, and the work was all done in a thorough manner. 
The court-room, which is in the second story, with commodious jury-rooms in 
the rear, is a large, handsome room, well lighted through beautiful stained-glass 
windows, and is well appointed in every respect, the only defect being in the 
acoustic properties, making public speaking in it rather difficult. The lower 
floor contains the county offices of the prothonotary, treasurer, sheriff, commis- 
sioners, and county superintendent of common schools. These offices are all 
large, well lighted, and nicely fitted up for the use of their incumbents, the two 
former having fire-proof vaults. 

The bell for the court-house cost $688, and the clock $725 ; this, with the 
amount paid for fitting up the court-room, offices, and jury-rooms, made the 
entire cost of the edifice, complete in all its appointments, $86,413. 

On Monday evening, September 13, 1869, the court-house was dedicated 
as the "Temple of Justice" of Jefferson county. The meeting was organized 
with the following officers : President, Andrew Smith, of Washington town- 
ship ; vice-presidents, Charles Gahagan, Charles R. B. Morris, Robert Hamil- 
ton, H. A. Smith, Joseph McKinley, William McKinstry, G. Montgomery, J. 
C. McNutt, J. G. Graff, I. M. Temple, A. M. Clarke, Oran Butterfield, J. R. 
Kahle, D. C. Gillespie ; secretaries, F. A. Weaver, G. N. Smith. 

Hon. Isaac G. Gordon, W. P. Jenks, and Richard Arthurs, esqs., made ap- 
propriate addresses. 



County Seat and County Buildings. hi 

Mr. Gordon paid a fitting tribute to the county officials who had in charge 
the erection of the building, to J. W. Drum, the architect, and the contractors, 
Messrs. Dickey, Means, and Nicholson, for the able and excellent manner in 
which their work had been performed. 

Mr. Arthurs, as the only representative of the bar first instituted in the 
county, told of his experience, and of his associates at the bar, nearly all of 
whom had passed away with the course of time. He also told of early life in 
the forest, giving the names of those families who had hewed out the first homes 
in the then wilderness. 

Hon. James Campbell, of Clarion, the president judge of this judicial dis- 
trict, was then introduced, and made the following address : 

" Ladies and Gentlemen: A court is defined to be a place where justice 
is judicially administered. So much importance is attached to the idea of a 
specific and fixed locality, that even a justice of the peace can do no business 
outside of his office. Hence in all civilized nations and well regulated com- 
munities temples of justice are found occupying and adorning prominent and 
commanding postions, and are held second in importance only to temples of 
religion. By the fundamental law of our State, every county constitutes a 
separate judicial organization, and is required to have a place for the adminis- 
tration of justice, at least as soon as organized, for judicial purposes. This 
place may be wherever the county authorities see proper to make it ; but it 
is generally found to keep pace with the population, intelligence, and enterprise 
of the county. 

(Then follows the organization, etc., of t4'ie county, which has already been 
given.) 

" In 1830 the town of Brookville was laid out, and some time between that 
and 1840 the old court-house was erected. In 1840 there were a number of 
resident lawyers. Colonel Hugh Brady, the two Dunhams, C. A. Alexander, 
Thomas Lucas, and Richard Arthurs were the most prominent. The latter 
alone remains the connecting link between the past generation and the present. 
Of those who were present at the opening of the old court-house, but few re- 
main. Of the voices that then addressed the court and jury, nearly all are 
silent. In the march of those thirty years nearly all the old settlers have 
fallen by the way ; and with the new court-house have come new men, new 
ideas, a more advanced intelligence, and a new order of things. The inter- 
minable forests that retarded the settlement of the county have become the 
great source of her wealth ; the tortuous streams running between precipitous 
hills have become highways of commerce ; floating argosies of wealth to the 
markets of the South, and soon those hills will echo with the shrill scream of 
the locomotive. Long before the hills are stripped of their evergreen pine 
the wealth hidden below the surface will be brought to light, and the coal and 
the car will give a new direction and a new impetus to the activity and energy 



112 History of Jefferson County. 

of her inhabitants. As her forests fall, fields of grain, flocks and herds, fur- 
naces and manufactories will take their place, and instead of dying out, her 
prosperity will be promoted, her wealth increased, and her onward march 
hastened. 

" It is creditable to the authorities of Jefferson county, and to the intelligence 
of her people that they have enlarged views of the present prosperity and 
future wants of this county. It evinces a high appreciation of the blessings of 
liberty, the wholesome restraints of law, and a great appreciation of the cor- 
rect administration of law and justice, that at a cost of eighty thousand dol- 
lars the people of the county have erected this goodly structure, at once an 
honor and an ornament to the town and the county ; where the titles of their 
property may be securely kept ; their wrongs redressed and their rights vin- 
dicated. It belongs to every man, woman and child in the county. They 
have a right to be proud of it ; to guard it from injury, to protect it from 
harm. Let no vandal hand deface or defile, or write upon its walls. Let none 
of its halls be a resort of rowdy boys, or drunken men. Let all take a pride 
in preserving it neat, clean, and orderly. 

" There is a moral idea attached to this building. It is now a familiar fact 
that a picture of vastness enlarges the human mind ; that a picture of correct 
proportions, symmetry and beauty elevates and refines. Let a man view for the 
first time a vast building, let him wander through halls of architectural beauty, 
and although not a soul is in sight, he will unconsciously be on his good be- 
havior, and try to act like a gentleman. The faculties and susceptibilities of 
the mind are greatly enlarged and influenced by the surroundings, and may 
we not anticipate that this stately building and this beautiful hall will exercise 
an elevating influence on the court, the bar, the officers and the people ; that 
these doors will never be closed to the cry of the oppressed ; that this forum will 
never be desecrated by the sacrifice of justice, but that with an even hand 
wrongs may be redressed, rights vindicated, crime suppressed, or sternly pun- 
ished. To this end we solemnly set apart and dedicate this temple of justice. 
May it stand a monument of the enterprise and liberality of this county long 
after the present generation is sleeping with their fathers ; and when its walls 
are grown mossy and gray with age, and its builders are forgotten, may it still 
stand a temple of justice, and fragrant in the hearts of those who shall attend 
in it ; and may its halls still resound to the tread of a free, prosperous, and 
happy people." 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 113 



CHAPTER XIV. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY IN THE REBELLION. 

The Call to Arms — Prompt Response from Jefferson County — The First Companies — 
Three Months Campaign — The Brady Guards — Company K, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve 
Corps — Death of Captain Brady — Company I, Sixty-second Regiment — Death of Captain 
Little — Muster Rolls. 

WHEN the War of the Rebellion was precipitated upon the United States 
by the rebels firing upon Fort Sumter, on the memorable 12th of April, 
1 86 1, the news was telegraphed to the executive of Pennsylvania in the fol- 
lowing words : " The war is commenced. The batteries began firing at four 
this morning. Major Anderson replied, and a brisk cannonading commenced. 
This is reliable, and has just come to the associated press. The vessels were 
not in sight."' 

This startling intelligence was flashed along the lines of telegraph all over 
the State, and was soon heard in the remotest bounds of the Commonwealth. 
When it reached " Little Jefferson " it did not find the people unprepared. 
They had noted the attitude of the South and the mutterings of war, and when 
the news that the starry banner, so dear to every patriotic heart, had been fired 
upon by rebel hands, the patriotism of the entire people was aroused. 

Amor A. McKnight, an attorney at the Brookville bar, was captain of the 
Brookville Rifles, a militia company, which under the different names of " Brook- 
ville Guards " and " Rifles " had represented the militia of Brookville and the 
northern part of the county from the beginning of the county's history, had 
immediately after the presidential election in November, i860, with premoni- 
tions of the gathering storm, began to put his company on a war footing. 
Captain McKnight and his cousin, Albert C. Thompson, were in reality two 
of the first recruiting officers of the war, having during that winter made a 
trip to the southern part of the county, and in Punxsutawney recruited Cor- 
porals Williams, Depp, Blair, and others. But the dangers of the war seeming 
to lessen, nothing more was done until the echoes of the firing upon Sumter 
reached us, when Captain McKnight at once offered the services of his com- 
pany to Governor Curtin, and was accepted. On the 19th of April he issued 

the following order : 

" Armory of Brookville Rifles, 

" 19th April, 1861. 
" A. C. Thompson and John Pearsall : 

" You are hereby directed to notify the members of the Brookville Rifles to 
repair to the armory in Brookville, on Monday, 22d April, at 10 o'clock, A. M., 

1 Telegram addressed to (Jovernor Curtin, from Philadelphia, by J. Morris Harding. 



114 History of Jefferson County. 

prepared to march to the place of rendezvous assigned to volunteers from 
Western Pennsylvania. A. A. McKnight." 

When the memorable 22d arrived, the ranks of the Rifles had swelled so 
rapidly that there were enough men to form two companies, and W. W. Wise, 
esq., also a member of the Brookville bar, who had aided very materially in 
recruiting the company, was unanimously chosen captain of the other company. 

On Sunday morning preceding their departure, the volunteers, in a body, 
proceeded to the M. E. Church, where they listened to a thrilling and patri- 
otic sermon from the pastor. Rev. D. S. Steadman, and where, for the last 
time. Captain Wise occupied his place in the choir of that church. 

On Monday, April 22d, excitement ran rife in Brookville. At an early 
hour the people from the adjacent country commenced to come in ; it being 
estimated that before lo o'clock A. M., the hour set for the departure of tlie 
soldiers, over two thousand people were on the streets, who had come to see 
the "boys off for the war," and bid them " God speed." Flags were waving 
from all the principal buildings. Dinner was served to the volunteers b\' the 
proprietors of the American, Clements, Railroad, and Jefferson Hotels, after 
which the two companies marched through the streets to the east end of the 
town, where vehicles were in readiness to convey them to Kittanning, which 
was then the nearest railroad point. Three days after the firing upon Sumter 
President Lincoln issued his proclamation, calling out the militia of the different 
States, the call being for 75,000 men, and the same day the secretary of war 
made a requisition upon Governor Curtin for sixteen regiments from Pennsyl- 
vania. The Brookville companies proceeded at once to Camp Curtin, and were 
assigned to the Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, commanded by 
Colonel A. H. Emley, and designated as Companies "I" and " K," and were 
mustered into the service April 24, 1881. The same day the Eighth was or- 
dered to Camp Slifer, near Chambersburg, where the regiment was drilled from 
eight to ten hours daily. On the 7th of June the regiment moved to Green- 
castle, Md., where it went into camp ; but in a few days was again moved to 
Williamsport on the Potomac River, along which it was posted to guard the 
fords and ami}- stores at W'illiamsport. On the 8th of Jul}- the regiment was 
ordered to rejoin the brigade at Martinsburg, Va., and remained in the neigh- 
borhood of Bunker Hill until July 17th, when General Patterson commenced a 
flank movement on Charlestown. The Third Brigade, to which our companies 
belonged, was pushed forward during the night of the 20th to watch the move- 
ments of Stewart's Cavalry, whom it was feared would cross the Shenandoah 
River in force at Key's Ford. Their term of service having almost expired, the 
regiment was ordered to Harper's Ferry, where they turned in their arms, etc., 
and on the 29th of July proceeded to Pittsburgh, where the men were paid ofT 
and mustered out of the service. 

The only occurrence of moment to the Jefferson county companies was the 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 115 

transfer of Captain Wise to the regular service. On account of his past expe- 
rience as a soldier, he having served under General Scott, in Mexico, as well 
as his known intelligence, quick perception, and dauntless courage, he was 
selected to make a reconnaissance into the enemy's lines near Harper's Ferry, 
for which he was promoted to a captaincy in the regular army. Captain 
Wise's farther history will be found in the sketch of the Bench and Bar. 

Upon the resignation of Captain Wise the command of Company K de- 
volved upon Lieutenant John C. Dowling. While these two companies saw 
no active service during their three months campaign, it was of great benefit 
to the men, the majority of wliom re- enlisted, as it made them acquainted with 
camp life and gave them a foretaste of the drilling necessary to make good 
soldiers. The roster of these two companies were as follows : 

Company I, Eighth Regiment. — Captain, Amor A. McKnight ; lieutenants, 
John Hastings, Herman Kretz ; sergeants, William J. Clyde, Albert C. Thomp- 
son, Abram M. Hall, Winfield S. Barr ; corporals, Steele S. Williams, Richard 
J. Espy, Calvin A. Craig, William J. Bair ; musicians, James L. Holliday, 
George A. Bowdish ; privates, Samuel Anderson, Albert Black, Fernando C. 
Bryant, Milo L. Bryant, Samuel Benner, Joseph Bowdish, Sylvanus T. Covill, 
Josiah Clingensmith, Alfred S. Craig, Joseph Craig, Niman Chittester, Daniel 
L. Coe, William T. Clark, Simon P. Cravener, Samuel W. Depp, John Dar- 
row, John Dolphin, John Elliott, Henry B. Fox, Horace Fails, John L. Gil- 
bert, Lorenzo S. Garrison, Leonard A. Gruver, John S. Gallagher, Robert 
Gilmore, Geo. W. Hettrick, Samuel Hibler, James Hall, Thos. L. Hall, Ran- 
dall Hart, Paul Hettrick, Robert A. Henry, Joseph B. Henderson, Jared Jones, 
Wellington Johnston, Caniel Kinley, Thomas Long, Wilmarth Matson, James 
H. Moore, Joseph R. Murphy, Robert T. McCauley, David R. McCullough, 
James Moorhead, Levi McFadden, Shannon McFadden, Elijah H. McAninch, 
George Ohls, William Osman, William Pierce, John Prevo, John W. Pearsall, 
Robert J. Robinson, John Stiver, Francis H. Steck, Thad. C. Spottswood, 
William Toye, Alex. R. Taylor, Gustavus Verbeck, Robert Warner, Joseph 
N. Wachob, Amos Weaver, Mark H. Williams, Alex. C. White, Hiram Warner. 

Company K, Eighth Regiment. — Captain, William W. Wise ; lieutenants, 
John C. Dowling, Wilson Keys; sergeants, Samuel C. Arthurs, John Coon, Ben- 
jamin F. Lerch, Orlando H. Brown; corporals, John M. Cummins, J. Potter Mil- 
ler, Chas. J. Wilson, Franklin Reas; musicians, David Dickey, James Campbell! 
privates, William Adams, Sidney Armstrong, David Bates, Rowan M. Bell, La- 
fayette Burge, Edward H.Baum, James Baldwin, David Baldwin, Thomas Baird, 
Darius Blose, Asa M. Clark, Franklin W. Clark, Andrew Christie, Samuel H. 
Coon, Charles B. Coon, George W. Crosby, William P. Confer, Isaac Carrier, 
Lewis Dibler, Benjamin Dibler, James C. Dowling, John B. Deacon, Christ. D. 
Flick, Lewis Goup, William George, Ward Garfield, Henry Hawthorne, George 
Hawthorne, Archibald Hadden, Benjamin Hawley, Peter Keck, Andrew Love, 



ii6 History of Jefferson County. 

James W. Logan, Samuel May, Hiram McAninch, Harvey McAninch, Alex. 
H. Mitchell, Sam'l H. Mitchell, William Neal, Judson J. Parsons, David Porter, 
George Porter, Henry Page, Burdett Riggs, Daniel Rhodes, Franklin Rum- 
barger, James Robinson, Adam A. Rankin, William Smathers, Addis M. Shu- 
gart, Shelumiel Swineford, David Swineford, William W. Sheets, Chauncey 
Shaffer, David L. Taylor, Philip P. Taylor, Franklin Van Overbeck, Barton B. 
Weldon, Samuel W'ilson, James H. Watson, Francis M. Whiteman, Oliver 
Woods, William E. Young, Stephen R. Young. 

Company K, Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves. 

It was soon seen that the war cloud had assumed more gigantic proportions 
than was at first anticipated, and that more than three months would elapse be- 
fore the rebellion would be quelled. Captain Evans R. Brady, editor of the 
Brookville Jeffersonian, at once, upon the call for troops, had begun to recruit a 
company, but the quota was filled before his company was ready. In the 
mean time Governor Curtin, with the promptness that characterized him all 
through the trying days of the war, and which gained for him the name of 
" War Governor," had convened the Legislature in special session and recom- 
mended the immediate organization, arming, and disciplining of at least fifteen 
regiments for State defense. The Legislature promptly acted on this sugges- 
tion of the executive, and on the 15th of May, 1861, passed an act providing 
for the organizing of the " Reserve Corps of the Commonwealth," to consist of 
thirteen regiments of infantry, one of cavalry, and one of artillery. Two days 
after the passage of this act, Governor Curtin issued a call for troops to fill 
these regiments, stating that the companies to be furnished by the several 
counties would be proportionate to the number of men already in the service 
from each county. Under the previous call hundreds of companies had been 
formed in excess of the number called for by the war department, and there 
was a rush to get into the new organizations as soon as the governor's call 
was issued. 

Captain Brady had gone on recruiting his company, and by the middle of 
May had enough men enrolled to form two companies, so that they were di- 
vided into Companies "A" and "B" of the "Brady Guards." Company A 
was organized by selecting as captain, Evans R. Brady ; first lieutenant, James 
P. George ; second lieutenant, James E. Long. Company B organized by 
selecting for their captain, Robert R. Means. Captain Brady proceeded to 
Harrisburg to have these companies accepted, but found that only one com- 
pany could be received in the Reserves from Jefterson county. Company B 
was afterwards Company I of the Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Captain Brady, who was brigade inspector for Jefierson county, was ordered 
by the adjutant-general of the State to turn in all the arms and State property 
in the hands of the militia. These included one hundred muskets and a six- 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 117 

pounder brass field piece, together with tents, etc., of the Ringgold Artillery. 
These arms, tents, etc., were all brought to Brookville, and Captain Brady's 
company went into camp at the Sand Spring about the 25th of May. They 
continued to drill regularly, and the men were furnished with rations by the 
citizens of Brookville, the ladies vieing with each other as to wh,o should ren- 
der the most aid ; regularly, morning, noon, and evening some of their num- 
ber were on hand to see that the boys had hot coffee and enough to eat. 

On Sunday evening, June 1st, Captain Brady returned from Harrisburg 
with marching orders, and the company left Brookville on Wednesday mornings 
June 4th, 1 86 1, for Camp Wilkins, at Pittsburgh. The men were all uniformed^ 
the red blouses and black belts being furnished by the citizens of Brookville.. 
They carried the guns before mentioned, and took with them the six-pounder^ 
which gave them the most warlike appearance of any body of troops that ever 
left the county. The company remained at Camp Wilkins about ten days, 
when it moved up the Allegheny River to Camp Wright, at Hulton. Here, 
on the 1st of July the Eleventh Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves (the 
Fortieth Regiment in line) was organized by the election of Thomas F. Galla- 
gher, of Westmoreland county, colonel. Regimental drill was at once com- 
menced, and continued until the division was called into service. 

It had been the intention when the Reserve Corps was formed that it was 
to remain in the State to repel any invasion of the enemy over our southern 
border, but the terrible disaster to the Union troops at Bull Run on the 21st of 
July, and the danger that threatened the national capital, created an impera- 
tive necessity for reinforcements, and on the 22d a requisition was made on 
Pennsylvania for the immediate service of her reserve corps, and eleven thou- 
sand of these troops were sent forward to Washington as fast as transportation 
could be had, and in a few days the entire corps of over fifteen thousand (15,856) 
splendidly equipped and well-officered troops were mustered into the United 
States service, and became part of the Army of the Potomac. 

On arriving at Washington, the Eleventh Regiment, to which Company K 
belonged, went into camp at Tenallytown, and in October crossed the Poto- 
mac, and went into Camp Pierpont, near the Leesburg pike, where they re- 
mained during the winter. The arms they had received from the State were 
exchanged for United States muskets, and the men were carefully instructed in 
the manual of arms, etc.; and the efficiency they gained in target exercise, skir- 
mish drill, and bayonet exercise, proved of inestimable service to them when 
they met the enemy on their many hotly contested battle-fields. The sanitary 
rules of the camp were very strict, and there was but little sickness. 

General McCall, in making a report of the regiment at this time, says: 

"This is a well-drilled regiment, and with the improved arms with which it is 

now supplied, would be very effective." 

On the 6th of December the Second Brigade, to which the Eleventh was 
12 



ii8 History of Jefferson County. 

attached, supported by the Third, the Eleventh Regiment being in the advance, 
was sent on a foraging expedition to Gunnel's farm near Drainesville, where they 
captured two rebel spies with three of their associates, and secured seven horses, 
one yoke of oxen, and fifty-seven loads of grain. This raid into the enemy's 
territory brought on the battle of Drainesville, as the Third Brigade-, which a 
few days later went out on the same errand, was met by a larger force of the 
enemy. In this engagement the Second Brigade was held in reserve, the bat- 
tle being fought by the Third alone. 

A member of Company K, Mr. J. P. Miller, in writing from Camp Pier- 
pont, November 29, 1861, thus gives \\\& personnel oi the company: 

" The places of their nativity are as follows : Pennsylvania, eighty ; New 
York, eleven ; New Jersey, one ; England and Ireland each two ; Germany, 
one; and the trades, occupations, etc., represented are: Laborers, twenty-six; 
farmers, fourteen ; millers, two ; stone masons, three ; machinists, two ; black- 
smiths, seven ; carpenters, six ; shoemakers, two ; lumbermen, twenty-three ; 
printers, five ; book-keepers, plasterers, harness-makers, school-teachers, clerks, 
each one. So it will be seen that Company K has the material to run a small 
town; not an idler in the ranks." 

On the loth of March the Eleventh broke camp, and abandoning their 
winter quarters, marched to Hunter's Mills, on the Georgetown and Leesburg 
pike. This march was made in a cold rain, and when the men reached Hunt- 
er's Mills they were completely exhausted. Here they encamped, and used 
shelter tents for the first time. The enemy having evacuated his entrenchments 
at Manassas, the regiment returned to Alexandria, and went into camp near 
Fairfa.x Seminary, where there was considerable sickness in its ranks. 

On the 9th of April the division was assigned to the First Corps under 
General Irwin McDowell, and moved to Falmouth. A month later it was sent 
to the peninsula, where it was attached to the corps of General Fitz John Por- 
ter. It arrived in time to take part in the battle of Mechanicsville. The 
Eleventh Regiment, which was doing picket duty at the Chickahominy River, 
was not actively engaged. The Eleventh protected the rear of the brigade in 
falling back to Gaines's Mill. 

Here the rebels, in overwhelming force, fell upon Porter's single corps, which 
was drawn up on the banks of the Chickahominy, which separated it from the 
rest of tlie enemy. On reaching the field, the Eleventh was first detached 
to support Meade's battery, of the Fifth United States Artillery, but was after- 
wards moved forward, and formed on the second line of battle. Completely 
exhausted, many of the men la}- down amid the roar and tumult of battle, and 
were soon asleep — some never to awake again. Late in the afternoon the 
regiment was ordered into action near the center of the general line of battle, 
under cover of a dense wood, where they relieved the Fourth New Jersey Reg- 
iment, which had been fighting desperately until their ammunition was ex- 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. iig 

hausted. Just before going into the fight, General McCall and General Mar- 
tindale, who had charge of that part of the line, spoke encouragingly to the 
men, telling them that they were going upon the weakest part of the line, but 
to hold it at all hazards, and bravely did they obey the command, for while 
column after column of the fresh troops of the enemy bore down upon them 
in that fearful conflict, the Eleventh met them with such well-directed volleys 
that sent them reeling back. They continued to pour this withering fire into 
the enemy's ranks until it was discovered that the troops on both flanks had 
been driven back. The smoke of battle and the dense woods in which they 
fought rendered it so dark that the officers did not realize the peril of the posi- 
tion until it was discovered that the regiment was receiving a fire on its flank. 
Colonel Gallagher, still hoping to cut his way out with the aid of Colonel 
Simpson's New Jersey Regiment, ordered his command to fall back, but 
the rebels, with a yell, charged upon them, and the brave regiments faced 
about and gave them a fire that " took the yell out of them " for the time be- 
ing; but upon reaching the open ground, after fighting every step of the way, 
they found themselves completely surrounded, and both regiments were com- 
pelled to surrender to save useless slaughter. Company B, of the Eleventh, 
had been detached by General Meade early in the day and escaped capture. 
Out of the sixty-five men of Company K, who went into the fight, only five 
came out unscathed — four were killed. The loss in the regiment was forty- 
six killed, and one hundred and nine wounded. 

General McCall, in his official report of this battle, says in reference to the 
capture of Eleventh : " No censure can possibly attach to Colonel Gallagher or 
Colonel Simpson or the brave men of their regiments on account of this ill 
turn of fortune, but on the contrary they are entitled to the credit of holding 
their ground until it was tenable no longer." 

Though worn out with marching and fighting, the prisoners were hurried 
on to Richmond, which they reached about four o'clock, A. AL, the next day, 
and after being marched through the streets as a gratification to the citizens, who 
were jubilant over the fruit of the success of their arms, they were taken to 
Libby prison. In a few days the men were removed to Belle Island, where 
they suffered severely for want of sufficient food and clothing. August 5th the 
men were exchanged and sent to Harrison's Landing, where about a week 
later the officers joined them. With ranks sadly depleted the Eleventh, under 
Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson — Colonel Gallagher being left behind, sick, at Fort- 
ress Monroe — proceeded to Falmouth, and with the division, now under Gen- 
eral Reynolds, joined Pope's army just entering upon the Second Bull Run 
campaign. The Reserves were again assigned to McDowell's corps, and in 
the evening of the 29th of August the Eleventh, which was now in the Third 
brigade, advanced under a galling fire from the enemy's batteries, and were 
soon engaged in the fight ; but it being found impossible to dislodge the rebels 



I20 History of Jefferson County. 

from their position, our troops were withdrawn, but the Eleventh lay all night 
under the fire of these batteries. The next day the regiment was hotly en- 
gaged, having an almost hand to hand conflict with the Fifth Texas regiment, 
but the enemy having succeeded in turning our flank, enfiladed the entire line 
with such deadly effect that the regiment was forced to retire. 

The Maryland campaign followed close upon the defeat of Pope. The Re- 
serves were now commanded by General Meade, and Colonel Gallagher hav- 
ing succeeded to the command of the Third Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel S. 
M. Jackson was in command of the Eleventh. On the 13th of September 
the enemy was found strongly posted at Turner's Gap at South Mountain, 
and on Sunday morning, the 14th, the battle began. The Reserves were 
drawn up to the right of the road, leading to Turner's Gap, held by the troops 
of Longstreet and Hill. The Eleventh held the left center as the line advanced 
to attack the enemy, and moving up the steep acclivity of the mountain, which 
is here about one thousand feet in height, received a deadly fire from the en- 
emy, concealed behind rocks and trees. Colonel Jackson held his regiment 
well in hand, and with words of encouragement cheered his men on this peril- 
ous ascent. " At one point the Eleventh Regiment, commanded by Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Jackson, was ordered to drive the enemy from a deep ravine; the 
regiment charged upon the concealed rebels, and at a single volley from the 
hidden foe more than half the commissioned officers fell, but the men as if 
maddened by the loss of their officers rushed upon the enemy, forced him from 
his shelter and never ceased cheering, charging, climbing and firing until they 
ended with the triumphant shout of victory." ' It was here that the gallant 
Brady fell, and Company K lost their brave and heroic leader. 

Lieutenant J. P. George assumed the command of Company K on the fall 
of Captain Brady. 

Athough with ranks fearfully decimated b\- the hard service they had seen, 
the Eleventh were again engaged at Antietam, taking their usual part in that 
sanguinar}- struggle, where seven men were killed, and seventeen wounded. 

After this campaign the shattered force, battle-scarred, and almost destitute 
of clothing, went into camp near Sharpsburg, where it remained until the 30th of 
October, when they crossed the Potomac and reached Warrcnton on the 9th 
of November, in the midst of a severe snow storm. Here the men who had 
been absent on detailed service or in hospitals, rejoined the regiment, making 
an effective force of about four hundred. 

On the 13th of December the regiment was engaged in the battle of Fred- 
ericksburg, the Eleventh being in the rear of the batteries, where it suffered 
severely from the artiller\- duel which took place. When this ceased the regi- 
ment was advanced over the open ground under a galling fire, but it pressed 
on unchecked until it reached a ditch running parallel to the line of battle, 

I Sypher's " History Pennsylvania Reserve Corps," page 370. 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 121 

then forward to within a short distance of a stone fence, from behind which the 
enemy received them with a deadly fire. Colonel Jackson at once saw the 
futility of trying to carry these works, and with great coolness managed to 
withdraw his command from their perilous position. The regiment fought for 
two hours without support, and its loss was very heavy ; Company K took into 
the fight fifty-one men, and lost two killed, twenty-four wounded, and seven 
wounded and missing. 

After enduring all the hardships of Burnside's unfortunate campaign, the 
Eleventh was sent to the defense of Washington, and encamped for a short 
time at Minor's Hill. On June 3, 1863, Brigadier- General S. W. Crawford 
assumed command of the division, which was assigned to the Fifth Corps, and 
on the 2d of July arrived at Gettysburg, and was halted in the rear of Ceme- 
tery Hill, where they found the Second Division of their corps, composed of 
regulars, hard pressed by the enemy, and the Reserves were hurriedly moved 
to the right and front of Little Round Top where they were massed in column 
by regiments, the Third Brigade in front, with the Eleventh in its rear. The 
brigade was then ordered to the front, but before they gained their position the 
enemy pressed hard upon them trying to flank them. General Crawford im- 
mediately arrested this movement, leaving the Eleventh with, and in front of 
the First Brigade, bringing it in range of the guns of the enemy ; but it main- 
tained its position without returning the fire until the command was given to 
fire, when it poured a terrible volley into the enemy's lines, causing him to 
give back as before a storm. The order was at once given to charge, and vv^ith 
a yell the brigade, the Eleventh in the lead, swept forward, down the hill and 
across the valley to the stone wall, driving the rebels before them. A number 
of the men went over the wall, capturing many prisoners. General Crawford, 
not deeming it prudent to advance farther, they were withdrawn, and a strong 
line of skirmishers thrown out. The loss in Company K in this battle was 
three killed and thirty-eight wounded. On the 4th the regiment was with- 
drawn from the front, and joined in the pursuit of Lee. This involved hard 
and fatiguing marching. Upon the return to Virginia, the regiment encamped 
near Rappahannock Station, subsequently moving to Culpepper Court- House, 
until the enemy attempted to turn Meade's right flank, when it fell back to pre- 
vent Lee from seizing the heights at Centreville. The regiment was slightly 
engaged on the 14th of October at Bristow, and again in a skirmish at Rappa- 
hannock Station. The enemy, being foiled by Mead, fell back across the Rapi- 
dan, and the Eleventh was actively engaged in the Mine Run campaign, as it 
was also at New Hope Church, and though no serious casualties occurred, the 
suffering of the men from marching and exposure was very great. 

Upon the close of offensive operations the regiment encamped at Warren- 
ton Junction, the Reserves being assigned to guard duty on the Alexandria 
and Orange Railroad. 



122 History of Jefferson County. 

On the 29th of April, 1864 the Reserves left Bristow Station, and joining 
the Fifth Corps at Culpepper Court House, at midnight on the 3d of May, 
crossed the river at Germania Ford, in advance of the army, and bivouacked 
near the Lacy House. The next morning the division marched through the 
Wilderness with the intention of striking the Fredericksburg and Orange Court 
House Plank Road, but before reaching it a part of the division became en- 
gaged, and after a spirited contest drove the enemy from its front. The Elev- 
enth was held in reserve until about three P. M., when it, with the Second and 
Seventh Regiments, under General McCandless, was ordered to the support of 
the right of General Wadsworth's Division. The Reserves being fresh troops 
were sent to the front, but not being supported after Wadsworth's line fell 
back, they were outflanked by the enemy, and the Seventh Regiment captured, 
but Colonel Jackson, with the greatest coolness and daring, ordered his regi- 
ment to charge, which they obeyed, rushing forward with such impetus upon 
the foe that they broke and allowed the regiment to escape through their lines. 
The Eleventh lost heavily in this fight, and Company K bore its share of the 
casualties, its gallant young captain, Edward Scofield being taken prisoner. 

During the remaining two days of the fighting in the Wilderness the Elev- 
enth was again under fire, and again sustained its well earned reputation, at 
Spottsylvania, North Anna, and Bethesda Church ; in the latter fight being 
prominently engaged. On the 30th of May, the day after the battle of Beth- 
esda Church, their term of service having expired, the Eleventh was withdrawn 
from the front, and after transferring its veterans and recruits to the One Hun- 
dred and Ninetieth Regiment, the men bade adieu to their comrades of the 
Army of the Potomac on the banks of the Tolopotomy, on the morning of 
June 1st, and turned their faces homeward, reaching Harrisburg on the 6th, 
where they took part in the handsome reception tendered the Reserve Corps 
by the governor and citizens of Harrisburg. They reached Pittsburgh June 
13, 1864, where the regiment was paid oft" and mustered out of service, and the 
men returned to their homes. 

During their three years' service the Eleventh took part in fifteen battles — 
Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, New Market Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Bull 
Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Bristow Station, 
Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court-house, North Anna, and Bethesda 
Church. Company K was in all of these, losing in killed in action or dying of 
wounds and disease, Captain Brady and thirty-one non-commissioned officers 
and enlisted men, while nearly all were treated to the hospitality of rebel 
prisons. 

Captain Evans R. Brady was the first officer to fall in battle, and his death 
caused great grief in his company, to whom he was greatly endeared. When 
the war broke out he was engaged in the publication of the Brookville Jcffer- 
sonian, the Democratic organ of the county, which paper he had established 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 123 

and so ably edited for about fifteen years. Captain Brady was the descendant 
of an illustrious family, famed in the early annals of the country. His father, 
Colonel Hugh Brady, one of the early and prominent members of the bar of 
Jefferson county, was a grand nephew of Captain John Brady, and a cousin of 
Captain Sam Brady, both noted in the early Indian and Revolutionary wars. 
His mother was Sarah Smith Evans, and he was born at Indiana, March 16, 
1823, and came to Brookville May 5, 1832. January 28, 1845, he was mar- 
ried at Clearfield, Pa., to Miss Frances A. McGee, who, with his only child, 
Grace, still resides in Brookville, as does Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, his only sister. 
It was no wonder, then, that with the blood of some of the bravest soldiers that 
America ever produced in his Veins, Evans R. Brady, at the first call for soldiers 
to defend the flag, should have thrown down the pen and the composing 
"stick," and tendered his services to his country. His war record is given in 
that of his company and regiment. He endured wounds, imprisonment, and 
at last gave his life for the cause he had espoused so nobly. 

In writing of the battle of Gaines's Mill, in a letter to his venerable mother 
(who is since deceased), to whom he was ardently attached, Captain Brady 
says : " Nothing but a Divine Providence ever carried me through the terrible 
fight of the 27th of June. Our boys were surrounded, but fought desperately. 
Every fourth man in our regiment is either killed or wounded." 

When Captain Brady was killed at South Mountain on that fatal Sunday, 
he was buried near the battle-field, but his friends, on the news of his death, 
went for his remains, which were brought home, and on Tuesday, October 7, 
1863, his funeral took place in Brookville, being conducted by " Hobah " Ma- 
sonic Lodge, of which he had long been a member. 

On the 15th of October, 1879, a monument was unveiled at Muncy, Pa., 
which had been erected by the citizens of that place to the memory of Captain 
John Brady, father of Captain Sam Brady, the Indian fighter, who was killed 
by the Indians April 1 1, 1770. Captain John Brady, who was a captain in the 
Twelfth " Regular Regiment," raised for the Revolutionary War, had been 
sent into the West Branch valley to protect the settlers from the Indians, and 
while riding along the road near the spot where the monument stands was 
killed by the Indians. Hon. John Blair Linn, in his oration at the unveiling of 
this monument, pays the following tribute to Captain Evans R. Brady: " When 
the Secessionists undertook to overturn this government, ordained of God, and 
sealed with the blood of their ancestors, I recall one Captain Evan Rice Evans 
Brady, who, upon the soil of his native State, within sight of the ancestral 
home of the Bradys, on South Mountain, fell in the storm of battle. Four 
generations of the Bradys fought for this country, yet he was the first to fall 

in action He fell fighting the battle of freedom — fell in the 

great struggle for the preservation of the Union, purchased by the blood of a 
noble ancestry." 



124 History of Jefferson County. 

When Captain Brady fell the command devolved upon Lieutenant J. P. 
George, who was promoted to captain April lo, 1863, and resigned August 
10, 1S63, Lieutenants J. E. Long and Cyrus Butler also having resigned. 
Lieutenant Edward Scofield was promoted to captain of Company K Novem- 
ber 17, 1863. Captain Scofield, while in command of his company, was taken 
prisoner in the Wilderness May 5, 1S64, and was held by the rebels for ten 
months, in which time he was successively incarcerated in nine different pris- 
ons. He was released at Wilmington, N. C, March i, 1865, and discharged 
from the service March 12, 1865. Just nine months after his company was 
mustered out, March 13, 1865, he was breveted major. 

William D. Knapp, James A. McKillip and George Ittle, of the same com- 
pany, were also taken prisoners at the battle of the Wilderness and confined at 
Andersonville, where they saw two of their comrades, Henry Reigle and Cal- 
vin Galbraith, die of starvation. While being removed to Millen they, with 
some other prisoners, cut a hole in the car and, jumping from the train, escaped, 
and after undergoing untold privations, with the aid of the friendly negroes, 
finally reached Sherman's army, which they accompanied to Savannah, and, 
their time having expired, returned home. 

The death roll of Company K is as follows : Died, Jackson Crisswell, at 
Georgetown, D. C; Giles Skinner, at Camp Pierpont ; Thomas Hughes, at 
Washington, D. C; John D. S. McAnulty, in Camp Hospital ; George R. 
Ward and John Uplinger, of wounds, at Fortress Monroe ; Isaac G. Monks, of 
wounds, at Fortress Monroe; Sylvester McKinley, of wounds, Levi McFad- 
den, John B. Clough, at Washington; William Coulter, at Fredericksburg; 
Henry Reigle, Calvin Galbraith, at Andersonville ; James Montgomery, Lewis 
S. Newberry, at Richmond ; John B. Clough, of wounds, at Alexandria ; Ser- 
geant Andrew J. Had, died at Indiana, Pa., on his way home; William Cham- 
berlain, of wounds, at Richmond; Joseph S. Bovaird, of wounds ; Reuben Wea- 
ver, John Reif, John Sheasley, Aiken's Landing; Jas. Gallagher, Baltimore. 
Killed, Winfield S. Taylor, M. L. Boyington, Horatia Morey, Davis Dehaven, at 
Gaines's Mill ; William Clark, Albert L. Brown, Perry Welch, at Antietam ; 
Madison A. Travis, J. A. C. Thom, Thos. F. Rush, at Fredericksburg ; Milo 
L. Bryant, at Wilderness ; Thomas C. Lucas, at Bethesda Court House. 

Members of Company K, Eleventh P. R. C, transferred to other organi- 
zations : Corporal Lemuel Dobbs, transferred to Nineteenth Regiment U. S. C. 
T. ; Private Perry A. Foster, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps ; Private 
Thomas E. Love, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps ; Private James P. 
Williams, transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps; Private Barton Nicholson, 
transferred to One Hundred and Fifth Regiment P. V. Transferred to Com- 
pany I, One Hundred and Ninetieth Regiment P. V.: Elijah Bish, Alpheus C. 
Cochran, Othoniel Davis, L. A. Gruver, Joseph P. Miller, David Montgomery, 
William Steel, Thomas W. Salada, A. W. Perrin, H. S. Wyant. The two lat- 
ter were captured and died at Salisbury, N. C. 



Jefferson County ix the Rebellion. 125 

Muster Roll of Covipany K. — Captains, Evans R. Brady, James P. George, 
Edward Scofield. First lieutenant, Harvey H. Clover. Second lieutenants, 
James E. Long, Cyrus Butler. First sergeants, Andrew J. Harl, Arch. M. Mc- 
Killep, James Elliott, William W. Ossawandel. Sergeants, Daniel L. Swartz, 
Thomas P. McCrea, John H. Miller, Bennewell Haugh, David C. K. Levan, Cal- 
vin Galbraith. Corporals, Lemuel D. Dobbs, Joshua Jones, John Uplinger, 
John Baker, Thomas A. Lucas, T. L. Hall, Benjamin McCIellan, R. Wilson 
Ramsey, Job M. Carley. Privates, Samuel Alexander, William G. Algeo, 
Cornelius J. Adams, John H. Alt, Elijah Bish, Albert L. Brown, M. L. Boy- 
ington, Joseph S. Bovard, Milo L. Bryant, James A. Blair, Martin V. Briggs, 
Enos A. Cornell, John Cuddy, William Cathcart, Jesse Cravener, A. C. Coch- 
ran, Jackson Crisswell, William Coulter, William Clark, William Chamberlain, 
John B. Clough, John W\ Carr, Samuel Donley, Othoniel Davis, Davis Dehaven, 
John Engle, Willliam Eisle, Solomon Fitzgerald, Perry A. Foster, -Samuel A. 
Gordon, Joseph C. Gibson, L. A. Gruver, James Gallagher, William Hofiman, 
Clark B. Haven, David R. Hurst, Thomas Hughes, George Ittle, William A. 
Johnson, William D. Knapp, William Kelly, Ed. G. Kirkman, Michael A. King, 
Thomas E. Love, William F. Loomis, J. A. Montgomery, Orville T. Minor, 
John McMillen, James H. Myers, William J. Mills, John A. McGuire, H. W. 
McKillip, William Morrison, James H. McKillip, Joseph P. Miller, David Mont- 
gomery, Horatio R. Morey, J. D. S. McAnulty, Israel G. Monks, Sylvester 
McKinley, Levi B. McFadden, J. Montgomery, Samuel W. Miles, William Mc- 
Laughlin, Thomas Neal, Thomas Nolf, L. S. Newberry, Barton A. Nicholson, 
Eli Phillips, A. W. Perrin, Henry A. Reigle, John J. Robinson, David J. Reigle, 
Thomas Rock, Thomas F. Rush, John Reif, Samuel Steele, George Shick, Jo- 
seph Smith, George Surdam, Loran Skinner, J. W. Shellabarger, George Slack, 
William Steele, Thomas W. Sallada, Giles Skinner, John Sheesly, Moses M. 
Sugards, Winfield S. Taylor, James A. C. Thom, Madison A. Travis, Robert 
M. Wilson, Levi B. Wise, Robert N. Williams, Thomas T. Wesley, James P. 
Williams, Andrew Waley, Allen C. Wiant, H. S. Wiant, Reuben Weaver, George 
R. Ward, Perry A. Welch. 

Company I, Sixty-second Regiment P. V. 

Captain Robert R. Means, of Brookville, who had assisted Captain Brady 
in recruiting the Brady Guards, and who had been chosen captain of one of 
these companies, raised, in response to the governor's call for troops, to com- 
pose the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps, found that, in the allotment of compa- 
nies to the different counties, only one would be received from Jefferson 
county, and that Captain Brady's had already been accepted. This disap- 
pointment caused part of the men to withdraw from the company, but a par- 
tial organization was kept up until Colonel Samuel W. Black, of Pittsburgh, 
by authority from the secretary of war. General Simon Cameron, commenced 

13 



126 History of Jefferson County. 

to recruit a regiment, when Captain Means at once offered his company for 
this new organization and was accepted. A company had been partially re- 
cruited in and near Punxsutawney, and was joined to that of Captain Means, 
and the company with full ranks left Punxsutawney July 24, 1861, and pro- 
ceeded to Camp Wright, near Pittsburgh, where it was mustered in as Com- 
pany I, Thirty-third Independent Regiment. The election of officers resulted 
in the election of Robert R. Means, captain; Edwin H. Little, first lieutenant; 
and John T. Bell, second lieutenant. 

The regiment was at once ordered to Camp Cameron, near Harrisburg, 
where it arrived with full ranks and splendidly organized and officered. It 
proceeded in a few weeks to Camp Rapp, in the northern suburbs of Washing- 
ton city, where it was equipped with clothing, arms, etc.; six companies re- 
ceiving the new Springfield rifles and the balance smooth-bore muskets. 

On the iith of September the regiment moved across the Potomac, going 
into camp near Fort Corcoran, where it was assigned to the Second Brigade of 
General Fitz John Porter's Division. Drill was commenced, but owing to the 
men being constantly on detail for fatigue duty at work constructing roads and 
throwing up entrenchments, but little was accomplished. On the 26th the 
regiment was moved with the new line, which was advanced by the enemy 
falling back from Munson's Hill. It remained here at Fall's Church for a few 
weeks, when it moved to Minor's Hill and went into winter quarters. The 
new camp was called Bettie Black, for the colonel's youngest daughter. 

Here the regiment was re-numbered as the Sixty-second P. V. Here drill 
and discipline was rigidly enforced, and a school established for the officers. 
Both officers and men soon became proficient in "tactics." In December, at 
Hall's Hill, the State colors were presented to the regiment. Colonel Black re- 
ceiving them in behalf of the regiment in his usual eloquent and happy man- 
ner. Here, also, the regiment received the new zouave outfit, the most com- 
plete in all its details of any uniform furnished the volunteer soldiers. The 
men took pride in keeping their camp in the best of order, and much taste 
was displayed. The streets were lined with rows of cedars, and at the end of 
every street was an arch, with the letter of each company in a wreath sus- 
pended in its center. The reporter of the New York World wrote of it as 
"the model camp of the Army of the Potomac." During the early part of 
the winter much sickness prevailed in the regiment, and several died out of 
Company I. The surgeon placed the camp under the strictest sanitary meas- 
ures, and the disease soon abated. 

The winter was one of hard work, and with the same routine of duty, made 
it very irksome to the men, and they longed for active service. On the lOth 
of March the Sixty-second moved, with the rest of the army, upon the rebel 
works at Manassas, only to find them deserted. The regiment remained at 
Fairfax Court House until the 15th, when it marched to Alexandria and em- 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 127 

barked for Fortress Monroe, and upon its arrival tliere went into camp near tlie 
ruins of the village of Hampton, which had been destroyed by General Magru- 
der. Its first duty here was a reconnaissance as far as Big Bethel. On the 3d 
of April it moved, with the army, upon Yorktown, where, for the first time, 
the men saw the rebel gray. The regiment was kept constantly employed in 
the trenches during the siege of Yorktown, and several died from exposure. 
In a skirmish with the enemy here, the Sixty-second was for the first time 
under fire, losing one killed and three wounded. Of the latter, Adam W. 
Musser afterwards died of his wounds. Colonel Black was first apprised of 
the evacuation of the place by three deserters, who, with a flag of truce, came 
into the lines while his regiment was on picket near the river. 

On the 8th of May Porter's division embarked on transports and moved 
up the York River to a point opposite West Point, where it went into camp. 
Here General Porter was assigned to the command of the Fifth Corps, and 
General Morrell assumed command of the division, while the Second Brigade 
was assigned to Brigadier- General Charles GriflSn. May 26, the Army of the 
Potomac having moved forward, the Fifth Corps moved to Gaines's Mill, and 
the next day General Porter was sent to Hanover Court House for the purpose 
of destroying the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad, and effecting a junc- 
tion with General McDowell, who was expected to advance in that direction. 

The First Brigade, under General Martindale, first encountered the enemy, 
and the Second was hurried forward to its support, where it was assigned to a 
position on the right of the First Brigade, and was scarcely deployed in line of 
battle ere they were ordered to charge, and dashing forward in gallant style, 
soon routed the enemy, capturing many prisoners, and all their garrison and 
camp equipage. Colonel Black, in his official report of this engagement, says : 

" In the course of the afternoon's operations, we captured eighty-one prison- 
ers, including seven officers. From a great many arms taken, about seventy-five 
were brought into camp. By the annexed statement it will be seen that our 
loss is only six men wounded, none killed, and not one missing. I should do 
the brave and faithful men I have the honor to command injustice if I refrained 
from expressing, in strong terms, my admiration of their conduct from first to 
last. In common with the other regiments of your brigade, they went into 
action with their bodies broken by fatigue, and their physical strength wasted 
by the hard toils of the day. But their spirits failed not, and they went in and 
came out with whatever credit is due to dangers bravely met, and the noblest 
duty performed. General McDowell's corps had been detained by the demon- 
strations of the enemy in the Shenandoah Valley, and Porter's corps, having 
fulfilled its mission, returned to camp, near Gaines's Mill, where, until the 29th 
of June, the Sixty-second was engaged on picket duty, and in building bridges. 
On this day the Pennsylvania Reserves, advancing by the way of Mechanics- 
ville, encountered the enemy at Beaver Dam Creek, and the Second Brigade of 



128 History of Jefferson County. 

Morrell's division was sent to their support. Tiiey found the Reserves hotly- 
engaged with the enemy, but in the severe battle which ensued, the Reserves 
held their ground, and the Sixty-second, though under fire for over an hour, 
was not actively engaged. The next morning Porter again retired to Gaines's 
Mill, where, upon a hill east and south of the mill, he disposed his forces and 
waited for the enemy." 

Morrell's division held the extreme left of the line, his left resting on 
the low grounds skirting the Chickahominy ; Griffin's brigade forming the 
right of the division and connecting with Sykes's division. When the battle 
was opened by the advance of Longstreet's corps, the Sixty-second, with 
the Ninth Massachusetts, was ordered forward in the face of a terrific in- 
fantry fire. They charged forward, crossing the ravine in their front, and 
drove the enemy back into the woods on the opposite side, with fearful slaugh- 
ter. In this charge the gallant Colonel Black was shot and instantly killed. 
Maddened by the loss of their heroic and noble leader, the regiment, under 
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sweitzer, pressed on, driving the enemy back, 
until they had gained a position considerably in advance of our lines. The 
enemy at once perceived this isolated position, and poured in an enfilading fire 
upon their flank, forcing them back. They were scarcely in position after re- 
forming, before General Seymour rode up and hurriedly inquired whether the 
men had ammunition, and was informed that they hSd been hotly engaged 
during the entire afternoon, and that their ammunition was completely ex- 
hausted. Directing the men to be supplied with cartridges, he ordered Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Sweitzer to proceed at once to where the enemy was making 
fearful onslaughts on the extreme left of the line. Dashing forward to the 
spot indicated, the regiment, with its thinned ranks, quickly formed and 
charged up the hill and through the woods, receiving the full fire of the enemy 
as they advanced. They returned the fire, and the battle now waged furiously 
along the entire line. Soon yielding to superior numbers, the entire Union 
line gave way and was forced towards the river. In this last movement. Col- 
onel Sweitzer, while contesting the ground to the last, was taken prisoner and 
sent to Libby. 

Our army now fell back, fighting its way to the James River. On the 
30th the Sixty-second reached Malvern Hill, and the next morning, com- 
manded by Captain Hull, of Company A, all its field officers being hors de 
combat, it went into the fight. It was early in the day ordered to support 
Battery D, of the Fifth United States Artillery. This battery became a special 
target for the rebel guns massed in its front, and their infantry charged upon 
it again and again, being in each instance repulsed with great loss. In this 
exposed and perilous position the Sixty-second suffered severely, and here 
Captain Means, of Company I, was wounded and taken prisoner, when the 
command of the company devolved upon Lieutenant E. H. Little. 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 129 

The day following, the army fell back to Harrison's Landing, where the 
Sixty-second went into camp and remained quietly, with the exception of 
being slightly engaged at Harrison's Bar on the 31st, until the 14th of August, 
when they broke camp and left the peninsula. In the Peninsula campaign the 
regiment lost two hundred and ninety-eight in killed, wounded, and missing. 
Lieutenant- Colonel Sweitzer, having rejoined his regiment, was promoted to 
colonel. 

General Porter's corps was the first to cross the Chickahominy when the 
army moved from the peninsula. He broke camp on the 14th of August, and 
accomplished the march of sixty miles to Newport News in three days. The 
corps immediately embarked for Acquia Creek, and thence proceeded by rail 
to Fredericksburg, where it guarded the fords on the Rappahannock, until, it be- 
ing discovered that the rebel army was crossing above, the corps was withdrawn, 
and rejoined the division which had already joined Pope's army. It was only 
slightly engaged in the second battle of Bull Run, on the 27th. On the 4th 
of September the Sixty-second found itself again in their old camp, " Bettie 
Black," on Minor's Hill. The men resumed their old quarters; but alas! only 
a small detachment had returned of the twelve hundred stalwart men who had 
wintered there in 1861. 

The regiment was next engaged at Antietam, where it supported a battery, 
but no casualties occurred. After this battle it remained quiet on the shores of 
the Potomac, with the exception of a slight skirmish at Blackford's Ford, until 
the close of October, when, in the reorganization of the army under General 
Burnside, the Center Grand Division of the Army of the Potomac, which com- 
posed the Third and Fifth Corps, was assigned to the command of General 
Hooker, and General Butterfield assumed command of the Fifth Corps, while 
the command of the Second Division devolved upon General Grififin, that of 
the Second Brigade upon Colonel Sweitzer, and the Sixty-second was then 
under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hull. 

About noon of Saturday, December 13th, the regiment crossed with the 
brigade into Fredericksburg, and passed through the town, raked by the artil- 
lery of the enemy. Reaching the suburbs it marched to the right, crossing the 
railroad, and when near the bank of the canal there was a rush of stragglers 
from the front that for a moment caused disorder in the ranks. Order was, 
however, quickly restored, and the stampede checked. The order was soon 
given to advance, the brigade moved forward in fine order, until within about 
thirty yards of the wall in front of Marye's Heights, behind which the rebel 
infantry lay. Here they received a perfect rain of leaden hail, in the face of 
which to advance was impossible. The men dropped to the ground, and for 
one day and two nights the brigade held this position, not a man daring to 
raise a head during the day without drawing the rebel fire. It was while ad- 
vancing toward this front that General Burnside, while viewing the lines through 
a field-glass, asked of General Sturgis, who was beside him, " What troops are 



I30 History of Jefferson County. 

those ? " General Sturgis replied, " Second Brigade, General Griffin's Divi- 
sion." " No troops ever behaved better in the world," exclaimed General 
Burnside. On Sunday night they were relieved and withdrawn under cover 
of darkness, utterly worn out, and lying so long in the mud and water had 
caused considerable suffering, while all the time their dead and dying lay 
around them — and not a hand dared be raised to aid or succor them. 

On Monday the regiment was again sent to the front, where it covered the 
retreat, being one of the last to recross the river. They then returned to their 
old camp. Colonel Sweitzer was wounded in this engagement, and his horse 
was killed. In January, 1863, the Sixty-second was engaged in Burnside's 
second campaign, making roads for the artillery. 

On the 27th of April the regiment moved to Chancellorsville. The Fifth 
Corps, now commanded by General Meade, preceded b}' the Eleventh and 
Twelfth Corps, crossed the Rappahannock at Ely's Ford, and preceded to the 
vicinity of the Chancellor House, where the line of battle was established, the 
Fifth Corps occupying the left of the line. On the afternoon of the 30th the 
Sixty-second was ordered with the brigade to support General Griffin, who was 
making a reconnaissance in the direction of Fredericksburg, but no engage- 
ment resulted. The ne.xt evening, while the division was engaged in e.xecut- 
ing some movement on the left, the Second Brigade became detached from the 
rest of the command, and the enemy in full force on their front perceiving this, 
prepared to give battle, and but for the coolness of General Sweitzer, who by 
his skill in manoeuvering, finally, after the night was spent, succeeded in with- 
drawing the brigade from its dangerous position. The Sixty-second was en- 
gaged in skirmishing on the 3d, and on the 4th the brigade was ordered to 
advance in front of the lines and make a reconnaissance, avoiding, if possible, a 
general engagement. Forming in two lines, in the front line the Sixtj'-second, 
and the Thirty-second Michigan, under Colonel Sweitzer, with the Fourth 
Michigan as skirmishers, they advanced, driving the enemy's skirmishers, when 
they suddenly came upon the strongly entrenched line of the enemy, who 
opened a heavy fire of grape and canister upon their front and left flanks. 
Their object being accomplished. Colonel Sweitzer withdrew his command. In 
this encounter the Sixty-second lost fourteen wounded, several mortally. On 
the morning of the 6th the Fifth Corps retired from the front, and in crossing 
the river the Second Brigade covered the rear of the column. The enemy's 
cavalry harassing them, the Sixty-second was sent back to hold him in check, 
and was the last regiment to cross the river. 

The regiment went into camp near Fredericksburg, until about the ist of 
June, when it moved to Kelly's Ford, and was employed on picket duty, with 
a slight skirmish, in which it supported the cavalry and drove the enemy near 
Middleburg — until the army started north in pursuit of Lee. July 1st the Fifth 
Corps was at Hanover Junction, with General Sykes in command, and was 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 131 

ordered to proceed at once to Gettj'sburg, where General Reynolds was already 
engaged with the enerhy. After a forced march, with men already worn out, it 
reached Gettysburg, on the morning of the 2d. The First Division was placed to 
the left of the Baltimore pike, and to the rear of Cemetery Hill, where it lay until 
late in the afternoon, when it was sent to the support of the Third Corps, which 
was fighting against heavy odds ; the Second Brigade, taking position in a strip 
of woods on the right of the wheat field, and in front of Little Round Top. 
Though the fighting was heavy, the Second was well posted, and held its ground 
until the First Brigade gave way, and left its right unsupported, when its posi- 
tion became untenable, and General Barnes ordered Colonel Sweitzer to with- 
draw his brigade as best he could. The men were reluctant to obey, and fell 
back fighting as they moved. They gained a position along the road in rear 
of the wheat field, but being again left without support, a hand to hand conflict 
with the enemy ensued. The ground was swarming with rebels, and every 
avenue of escape seemed shut off, but they poured volley after volley into the 
enemy's lines as they moved diagonally across the field, crossing the stone 
fence and had just gained the low ground in front of Little Round Top, when 
the Pennsylvania Reserves charged down upon the flank of the enemy, hurling 
him back in confusion. The brigade went into the engagement with nine hun- 
dred men, and came out with scarce half that number. The loss in the Sixty- 
second was very heavy. Colonel Sweitzer was wounded, and Major Lowry 
killed, and five line oflficers fell, among the latter, the brave Captain of Com- 
pany I, Edwin H. Little, who had been promoted on the resignation of 
Captain Means. 

The division was placed during the night along the stone wall, at the foot 
of the hill, to the right of Little Round Top, where it remained until the close 
of the battle. When it left Gettysburg the Sixty-second could only muster 
some ninety men. 

After returning to Virginia the regiment took part in the " Campaign of 
Manceuvres," which followed, and was engaged at Rappahannock Station, Lo- 
cust Grove, and Mine Run. It went into winter quarters at Licking Run, and 
spent the winter in guarding the Orange and Alexandria railroad from the in- 
cursions of Moseby. On the 1st of May it broke camp, and with the Fifth 
Corps, now under Geeneral Warren, on the 4th reached the Wilderness, en- 
camping near the " Old Wilderness Tavern," where the next morning it threw 
up breastworks with the enemy in force in front. About ten o'clock the 
action commenced, and continued until dark ; the Sixty-second being heavily 
engaged on the right of the division. It was also engaged on the 6th. On 
the march to Spottsylvania the next day, in the engagement with Ewell's 
forces at Laurel Hill, the regiment was engaged and lost heavily. The rebels 
were however driven, and the ground held. From that until the 12th it was 
engaged in skirmishing. In the general charge along the entire line on the 



132 History of Jefferson County. 

1 2th the regiment participated, suffering severely, Liuetenant Hull being mor- 
tally wounded. 

On the 13th, with Captain McClay in command, the regiment moved to 
the left in front of Spottsylvania, where it was almost constantly under fire until 
the 2 1st, when it led the advance to the North Anna, across which the enemy 
was found in force, and the Fifth and Sixth Corps were soon hody engaged, 
the fight lasting from noon until sundown. They next engaged the rebels at 
Tolopotomy, where they repulsed them. On the 2d day of June the Sixty- 
second moved to the front and fought gallantly at Bethesda Church, losing 
heavily. On the i8th the regiment was again engaged near the Norfolk and 
Petersburg railroad. General Griffin, commanding the division, here advanced 
a battery in front of the skirmishers, and opened upon the enemy with grape 
and canister, which soon routed him, and the brigade advancing, threw up 
heavy entrenchments, and held the road. On the 27th the regiment was 
engaged at Jerusalem Plank Road, but suffered no loss. After this it was 
employed on fatigue and picket duty until the 3d of July, when its term of 
service having expired, the regiment was ordered to the rear, and the follow- 
ing day left for home, arriving in Pittsburgh July 15, 1S64, where the regi- 
ment was paid off, and mustered out of service. Captain John T. Bell, and 
twenty-one men who re-enlisted with him, were transferred to the One Hun- 
dred and Fifth-fifth Regiment P. V. 

Captain Robert R. Means, who went out with Company I, as its captain, 
shared all their toils and dangers until the battle of Malvern Hill, where he 
was wounded and taken prisoner. He was confined in Libby Prison until Au- 
gust I, 1862, when he was exchanged and brought to Davis Island (N. Y.) 
Hospital. He never recovered from the effects of this wound, and had to 
resign January 13, 1863. Captain Means was an excellent officer, kind and 
thoughtful for the comfort of his men, who parted with him very reluctantly. 

When Captain Means resigned. Lieutenant Edwin H. Little was promoted 
captain, and proved a brave and faithful officer until the battle of Gettysburg, 
when he was killed while fighting desperately at the head of his company, in 
that fearful hand to hand conflict in the wheat field July 2d. Captain Little 
was a son of Jacob and Anna Little, in'c Shunk, and was born in Bridgewater, 
Beaver county Pa., on the 14th of August, 1833. He removed with his pa- 
rents to Puxsutawney in 1852, and June 26, 1S56, was married to Miss Mar- 
garet E. Campbell, daughter of Mr. William Campbell, of that place. He was 
engaged in lumbering when the war broke out. He was an energetic business 
man, and an upright citizen, and his loss was deeply mourned, not only by 
his comrades in arms, but by the people among whom he had so long resided. 
Captain Little left a wife and three children — Anna, Emma, and Edwin H., 
who yet survive him. 

When Captain Little fell the command of Company I devolved upon Lieu- 



Jefferson County in the Rebellion. 133 



tenant John T. Bell, who was promoted captain September 12, 1863. Cap- 
tain Bell was wounded and taken prisoner at Gaines's Mill, and again wounded 
in the Wilderness. He commanded the company efficiently until its muster 
out. Company I took part in the battles of Yorktown, Hanover Court 
House, Gaines's Mill, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Second Bull Run, Fredericks- 
burg, Chancellorsville, Rappahannock Station, Locust Grove Church, The 
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church, Peters- 
burg, June 18, Jerusalem Plank Road. The company lost by battle and dis- 



ease the following : 



Killed at Gettysburg — Captain E. H. Little, Sergeant Isaac S. Osborne, 
William Orr, H. C. Tafel ; at Gaines's Mill, Sergeant Clarence R. Thompson. 

Died of wounds and disease — Ephraim Myers, A. W. Armagost, John 
Bouch, David Burkett, William Farley, James A. Fairman, George Leech, 
Adam W. Musser, Jacob H. Trout, James Spencer ; G. Vancampment, at An- 
dersonville, Ga. John Kaylor wounded, with loss of arm, at Hanover Court 
House, died at Kittanning, Pa., on his way home, July 17, 1863. 

Samuel Crissman, of this company, was teaching school in Missouri when 
the war broke out, and was pressed into the rebel service, but soon escaped 
and on returning home enlisted in Captain Means's company. In the battle 
of Gaines's Mill he was shot through the body, and taken prisoner, and suffered 
terribly until released, when he was taken to the Hospital at Baltimore, where 
he died August 19, 1862.1 

The following Jefferson county men served in Company I, Sixty-second 
Regiment : Captains Robert R. Means, Edwin H. Little, John T. Bell. First 
lieutenant Samuel W. Temple. First sergeants John M. Steck, Isaac S. Os- 
borne. Sergeants George Mack, David W. Kerr, George S. Campbell, C. R. 
Thompson. Corporals Thomas A. Hendricks, Alexander Glenn, William 
Smith, Arr Neil, Charles F. Liebrick, Thomas, H. Budlong, Ephraim Myers, 
Ephraim B. Johnston, A. W. Armagost, John Shannon, Thomas Anderson, 
Samuel Crissman, Ira Felt, Watson Guthrie. Musicians William R. Depp, 
John Ready. Privates Paul Broadhead, Philip Black, Joseph T. Burns, John 
Bouch, David Burket, Joseph L. Burly, George Berger, George Christy, Harri- 
son Covill,'Edwin B. Cavinore, James C. Cavinore, Thomas Connell, James Cald- 
well, Fleming Caldwell, John Collins, William Cunningham, Samuel J. Denny, 
Frederick C. Eshbaugh, Thomas Edmonds, George M. Emrick, John W. Frost, 
William M. Fairman, James A. Fairman, William Farley, James Geer, Mathew 
Griffith, Solomon Heim, David Hopkins, Isaac Hendricks, James B. Jordan, 
John Kaylor, Hughes Kelly, Francis Lyman, John H. Love, George Leech, 
Abraham Milliron, Josiah Morehead, Adam W. Musser, William F. Meeker, 

1 These are all that are reported as having been killed or died from Company " I," but the records 
of the company are not full, as forty-two names are reported " not on muster-out roll," and it is more 
than likely that some of these were killed or died. 
14 



L 



134 History of Jefferson County. 



John Maginnis, David McKee, Neil McKay, James McSparrin, James McKee, 
George W. McKinly, Charles H. McCracken, Frederick Nulf, H. N. G. Nut- 
ting, William Orr, John Oyster, Lyman H. Phelps, Samuel Reynolds, George 
W. Richards, William Rowley, Joseph Richards, William Randolph, Clark 
Rodgers, Henry Slagle, Simon J. Shanafelt, Henry Shearer, Joseph Sterrett, 
R. W. Shaffer, Henry C. Shuey, James Spencer, George L. Smith, Adam Smith, 
Noah Shotts, Absalom Stoner, Benjamin Smyers, Adam Smouse, James C. 
Shields, Samuel Shaffer, Jacob S. Trout, H. C. Tafel, Joseph M. Temple, 
George Vanhorn, David J. Watt, Robert Welsh, Noah Wensell John Warner, 
John M. Weaver. 

The following men from Company I, Sixty-second P. V., re-enlisted in 
Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth P. V: 

Captain John T. Bell ; First Sergeant Thomas C. Anderson ; Sergeant 
Ephraim B. Johnston ; Corporals Sylvanus F. Covill, George L. Smith, Robert 
W. Shaffer, Samuel Reynolds, died ; Noah Wensell, killed at Spottsylvania ; 
Privates Joseph L. Buclcy, Samuel J. Denny, killed at Peeble's Farm, Va. ; 
John Maginnis, William F. Meeker, John W. Oyster, Lyman S. Phelps, Joseph 
Richards, Absalom Stoner, Samuel Shaffer. 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE ONE HL'NDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT. 

The Wild Cat Regiment — Battle of Fair Oaks — The First Blood of Jefferson County 
Soldiers Shed — Death of Captain Dowling — The Peninsular Campaign — Battles of Fred- 
ericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg — Death of Colonel MoKnight — The Wilderness Cam- 
paign— Fall of Captain Clyde — Re-enlistment of the Regiment — Death of Major Censer- 
Seeing the End — Muster Out. 

THE " Wild Cat Regiment," so called from the old name of the Congres- 
sional district which embraced Jefferson county, from which it was princi- 
pally recruited, was raised in accordance with authority granted by the War 
Department to Amor A. McKnight, esq., of Brookville, Pa. The regiment 
was organized at Pittsburgh, September 9, 1861, and proceeded immediately 
to Washington city, going into camp at Kalorama Heights on the nth of 
September. Here a company from Westmoreland county, commanded by 
Captain M. M. Dick, seceded from Colonel Leasure's Roundhead regiment 
and joined Colonel McKnight's regiment. This, one of the best companies in 
the regiment, was afterwards known as Company E. In a few days the regi- 
ment was moved across the Potomac into Virginia and encamped upon the 



The 105TH Regiment. 135 



farm of Hon. George Mason, one of the most bitter rebels in the Old Domin- 
ion, and whose life during that winter was one season of discontent, caused by 
the presence of the hated blue coats encamped at his very door. This camp, 
situated on a slight eminence, about one and a half miles from Alexandria, was 
called Camp Jameson, after the gallant General Charles D. Jameson, of Maine, 
to whose brigade the regiment was assigned. This noble officer, who, while 
in command of his own tried regiment, the Second Maine, had won his stars 
at Bull Run, soon became a great favorite wtth the men of the Wild Cat 
Regiment. Himself a lumberman, he could appreciate the hardy stalwart 
sons of the forest. On one occasion some of the boys who had been detailed 
to cut firewood employed their time instead in gathering chestnuts and re- 
turned to camp bringing only a few fence rails. As a punishment for this 
breach of discipline Colonel McKnight ordered them to " walk the ring," each 
man carrying a rail. General Jameson passing by, the boys came to a halt 
and saluted him by bringing their rails to " present arms." The general 
returned the salute, seemingly much amused. An election for field officers 
was held soon after the regiment reached Camp Jameson, which resulted in 
the election of Amor A. McKnight, colonel ; W. W. Corbet, lieutenant- 
colonel ; M. M. Dick, Major. The regiment, which was now called the One 
Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was assigned to the First Brigade, 
First Division, Third Corps, which place it kept from that time until the glo- 
rious old Third was consolidated with the Second Corps, and, with the Sixty- 
third Pennsylvania Volunteers, were, I think, the only regiments that kept 
their original place in the same brigade. This brigade was at first composed 
of the Fifty-seventh, Sixty-third, and One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, and the Eighty-seventh New York. 

General Charles K. Graham, under whom the One Hundred and Fifth 
did some of its most heroic fighting, gives me in a recent letter this unsolic- 
ited tribute to the regiment; "The One Hundred and Fifth was composed of 
unusually fine material. Young in years and strong in brawn. Colonel Mc- 
Knight. too, was a very capable drill officer and fine disciplinarian and taught 
his men to excel in their mancEuvres. Frequently, when I commanded the 
brigade, I visited the headquarters of the regiment to witness the bayonet drill, 
in which the regiment was particularly proficient." 

On the 26th of January, 1S62, Captains Rose and Altman and Lieutenants 
Brady, Worrall, J. G. and C. J. Wilson resigned. Captain L. B. Duff, of the 
Ninth Pennsylvania Reserves, was given the command of Company D. Cap- 
tain James Hamilton, of the same regiment, was assigned to Company I, and 
Lieutenant A. C. Thompson, of Company B, to the command of Company K. 
This was for a time deeply resented by the men of these companies, but when 
they found how brave, capable, and honorable these officers were, they forgot 
their grievances and no officers in the regiment were more highly honored or 



136 History of Jefferson County. 



more popular. January 5, 1862, the One Hundred and Fifth was presented 
by the State with an elegant stand of colors, General J. K. Moorhead, of 
Pittsburgh, making the presentation on behalf of Governor Curtin, and Colonel 
McKnight receiving the flag on behalf of his regiment. 

On March 17th the One Hundred and Fifth embarked on the steamer Cats- 
kill, for Fortress Monroe, arriving there on the evening of the 19th. They 
disembarked in the midst of a fearful rain-storm, and in this were marched 
about a mile north of the fort and halted for the night. This was their first 
field experience, and not relishing the prospect of lying all night in the rain, 
the regiment, without orders, broke ranks and officers and men sought refuge 
from the storm in some cavalry stables of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, 
who gave the drenched and suffering soldiers shelter, and with the Sixteenth 
Massachusetts Infantry, who were on guard near by, prepared hot coffee for 
both the One Hundred and Fifth and Sixty-third. They remained in the 
vicinity of Yorktown until the 5th of May, when the First Brigade, which had 
been detached from the division, was ordered to rejoin it and were hurried for- 
ward at a " double quick " past all obstruction through the rain and mud. As 
they neared Williamsburg General Heintzelman rode out to meet them, while 
the rest of the division received them with a cheer. The other brigades of the 
division were almost used up, but when they heard the enthusiastic cheers of 
Jameson's brigade as it hastened to their relief it infused new life into their 
weary, bleeding ranks, and they, rallying, made charge after charge until the 
enemy gave way. Jameson's brigade was hurried to the front, but the enemy 
did not venture to attack, and, our forces not caring to attack their works that 
night, the division was formed in line and lay there all night in the pouring 
rain without overcoats or blankets. The next morning the One Hundred and 
Fifth was deployed as skirmishers to enter the town, General Jameson and Col- 
onel McKnight both with them. Company C, which occupied the center as the 
advance, was the first to enter the town, and the regimental flag was hoisted on 
the court-house \>y Sergeant McNutt of that company. As our troops entered 
the eastern end of the town the last of the Confederate infantry could be seen 
leaving from the west. The regiment was deployed in and about the town and 
captured several prisoners. Sergeant Joseph Craig, of Company C, captured a 
Confederate cavalryman with his horse and arms. Company K captured the 
sabre, sash and dress suit of Major-General Wilcox, of the Confederate army. 
Captain Thompson appropriated the sash. Lieutenant Lawson the sabre, while 
the boys " parted his raiment among them." The One Hundred and Fifth was 
detailed to guard Williamsburg. Lieutenant Colonel Corbet being appointed 
provost- marshal. They remained here until the 9th of May, when they left 
Williamsburg and until the 31st of I\Iay were employed on guard and picket 
duty between Williamsburg and the Chickahominy River. 

On the morning of May 31 firing began in their front, which rapidly grew 



The 105TH Regiment. 137' 



heavier, and at 4 o'clock P. M., the brigade was ordered to tlie front. Tiie One 
Hundred and Fifth, with seven companies, leaving all baggage behind, marched 
at " double quick " down the railroad, past Savage Station about half a mile, 
where they were halted for a few minutes in the woods. To their right 
was an open field, across this a rifle-pit filled with our men, waiting the onset 
of the enemy. On their immediate front was a narrow " slashing" of fallen tim- 
ber, beyond which was Casey's camp, now in possession of the enemy. The 
One Hundred and Fifth turned to the right out of the woods in front of the 
rifle-pit, where they were brought to the front, and ordered by General Jameson 
to charge through the " slashing " upon the enemy. They relieved the Tenth 
Massachusetts, and, as they moved forward at double quick, found the Con- 
federates about to attack them, and the two forces met almost on the edge of 
Casey's camp. So impetuous and deadly was the charge that the enemy gave 
way and were driven across and out of Casey's camp. Not being able to get 
their horses into the fallen timber, the officers, dismounting, turned them loose 
and went into the fight on foot. The One Hundred and Fifth pursued the 
flying foe until our entire right gave way, and the heroic little band was with 
difficulty withdrawn through a swamp on their left. The two companies, C 
and I, who could not join their regiment at the commencement of the fight, 
came up as soon as possible and were ordered by General Heintzelman to form 
on the right of the Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and advance into 
the woods upon the enemy and hold the road, if possible. This they did until 
the Fifty-seventh being obliged to retire, they also fell back, loading and firing 
as they went. Four of Company C were wounded, but there were no casual- 
ties in Company I. During the night they were joined by the survivors of the 
other companies. 

General Jameson, in his report of the battle of Fair Oaks, says: "I had 
disposed of all my command at different points, with the exception of three 
hundred and forty-eight men of the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, under Colonel McKnight. All our men had fled from the abatis 
in the vicinity of the Richmond road. Our only alternative was to make the 
best possible stand with the handful of men under Colonel McKnight. We led 
them across the open field to the Richmond road and into the abatis, at double 
quick and under a most terrific fire, deploying one-half on either side of the 
road. For more than an hour and a half this small force held every inch of 
the ground. At last the enemy broke and ran, and McKnight pursued them 

through Casey's camp No other evidence of the valor displayed 

by this heroic little band is necessary than the list of their killed and wounded. 
Every eighth man of their number has, since the fight, been buried on the field, 
and just one-half their number killed or wounded. Of the eighteen commis- 
sioned officers thirteen were killed or wounded. General Keamey's horse and 
mine were killed. A parallel to this fighting does not exist in the two days' 
battle, nor will it exist during the war." 



138 History of Jefferson County. 

Headly, in his " History of the RebeUion," says of the conduct of the One 
Hundred and Fifth at Fair Oaks : "Napoleon's veterans never stood firmer 
under a devastating fire." 

In this fight the One Hundred and Fifth lost two of its best officers, Cap- 
tain John C. Dowling, of Company B, and Lieutenant J. P. R. Cummiskey, of 
Company D; forty-one enlisted men killed, one hundred and seventeen 
wounded, and seventeen missing. Colonel McKnight, Captains Duff, Greena- 
walt, Kirk, and Thompson, and Lieutenants Craig, Markle, Shipley, Geggie, 
and Baird, were wounded. 

From the battle of Fair Oaks to the 25th of June the regiment remained 
quiet, doing picket duty. General Jameson, so beloved by the regiment, had 
been seriously injured by his horse falling upon him, which, added to sickness 
caused by exposure, etc., had caused him to resign, and the command of the 
brigade devolved upon General Robinson. On the 27th of June, while en- 
gaged as skirmishers, two men were killed and six wounded. On the 30th 
of June and ist of July the One Hundred and Fifth was hotly engaged at 
Glendale and Malvern Hill, losing, during the two days, one hundred and 
three killed and wounded — more than half the entire force of the regiment — 
but their loss was not to be wondered at, for at Glendale the regiment was 
hotly engaged from two P. M. until dark, the enemy making desperate attempts 
to capture a battery which it was supporting. " The battle of Glendale," says 
the Compte de Paris, "is remarkable for its fierceness, among all those that 
have drenched the American forests with blood." 

The night after this fight they retired to Malvern Hill, where they were 
sharply engaged next day, standing for over four hours under an incessant fire 
of musketry and artillery, with no protection but a rail fence. Each man was 
supplied with one hundred and fift\- cartridges, and not a man left his post 
while he had a cartridge left. At times the Confederates came so close that 
our men could almost touch them with their bayonets, and they fought with 
desperation. Colonel C. A. Craig, in writing of this battle, says: "We are not 
a blowing regiment, or a blowing division, but if men can fight better than 
Kearney's Division, it will be more than I have imagined in the art of war." 

On August 23 the regiment embarked upon truck cars for Manassas Junc- 
tion, the different companies being detailed to do guard duty at Manassas, 
Catletts, Bristow, and the high bridge at Turkey Run. Companies E and K 
were relieved at Bristow on the 29th by part of the Eighty-seventh New York, 
and by sundown started down the railroad towards Catletts, picking up the 
men stationed on the road as they went along. This saved them from cap- 
ture, as Stonewall Jackson's column, 30,000 strong, struck Bristow a few min- 
utes after they were relieved. They had barely reached the switch, when, hear- 
ing firing in the direction of Bristow, they started back, but finding the enemy in 
force, Captain Greenawalt, commanding the detachment, retired to Kettle Run 



The 105TH Regiment. 



bridge, which they were preparing to defend, when a detachment from Sickles's 
Excelsior Brigade was sent to their reUef The officer in command ordered them 
to board a train coming north, which was ordered back towards Bristow. When 
they reached the brow of the hill overlooking Bristow, they beheld spread out 
before them the rebel camp. They moved back to Kettle Run, where they 
made a stand to save the brigade, but a battery and a large force of rebel in- 
fantry was sent after them, and not being able to cope with so large a force, 
they were again put aboard the train and run back to Catletts, to find their 
regiment in line, having been ordred to join Hooker, who, with the Third Corps, 
was moving back to meet Jackson. They found the bridge at Kettle Run de- 
stroyed, and had a brisk engagement. The One Hundred and Fifth supported 
a battery on the left of Hooker's line, on the hill overlooking Bristow, and the 
Confederates made furious attempts to take it. General Hooker rode up and 
turned one of the guns upon the enemy himself The next morning they 
marched to Manassas Junction, from which the enemy had retired during 
the night. Here Companies B and G had been left under command of 
Captain S. A. Craig, who had in addition about thirty-five men of the Eighty- 
seventh New York, and four or five pieces of artillery in charge of Lieutenant 
James. The heroic little force tried gallantly to defend and hold the place, but 
after a short resistance were obliged to yield to the large force opposed to them. 
This force was composed of the " Louisiana Tigers " and a North Carolina- 
Georgia battalion, and was commanded by the late General Gordon. About 
half of Captain Craig's command was captured, the rest escaping in the dark- 
ness. Captain Craig was wounded and taken prisoner. Three men of Com- 
pany B were killed. 

On August 29 the regiment started for Bull Run, meeting on the way those 
of their comrades captured at Bristow and Manassas, whom Jackson, not wish- 
ing to be hampered with prisoners, had paroled. On reaching the battle-field 
the First Brigade was placed on the extreme right, facing Bull Run. Here 
they lay all day under a heavy artillery fire, but being protected by a rail fence 
and the woods in their front no casualties occurred in the One Hundred and 
Fifth. It was a great relief, however, when about five o'clock, P. M. General 
Kearney formed his column for attack, and led them into the fight. This col- 
umn was formed of the Twentieth Indiana on the right, the Sixty-third Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers on the left, the Third Michigan on the right, and the One 
Hundred and Fifth the left center. They charged through the woods, and 
drove the enemy from the embankment and some distance beyond, but he ral- 
lied in force, and, though they again and again repulsed him, they were at last 
obliged to give way, and lost all the ground they had gained. The One Hun- 
dred and Fifth was the last to leave the railroad, and held their position for 
some time after the balance of the brigade had left them. The Confederates, 
having crept up under cover of the embankment of the old railroad, suddenly 



I40 History of Jefferson County. 

delivered a heavy fire straight in their faces, causing the old regiment to reel 
and stagger like a drunken man. Captains Kirk and Thompson finding them- 
selves in a crowd from all companies, at once began to form their lines as on 
dress parade, and soon had the regiment in order again. It was here that the 
regiment sustained its heaviest loss. Captain C. A. Craig, in command of the 
regiment, was shot through the ankle and his horse killed. Captains Hastings 
and Thompson were both severely wounded, and Lieutenant Gilbert, it is sup- 
posed, killed, as no trace was ever had of the brave young officer afterwards. 
Captain Duff and Lieutenant Clyde brought the regiment off the field. The 
loss sustained was twelve killed, forty-three wounded, and three missing. When 
the retreat began, the regiment was ordered to cover the road from Centre- 
ville, which they did, lying perfectly still until the army had all passed safely, 
when the brigade was ordered to march off the field without noise. 

On the 1st of September the regiment was in the battle of Chantilly. 
Here they lost their beloved leader, the gallant Kearney, who, as he rode un- 
wittingly to meet his death, received his last cheer from the One Hundred and 
Fifth as he passed their lines. In his report of the battle of Bull Run, made 
the day he fell, General Kearney says : " The One Hundred and Fifth Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers was not wanting. They are Fennsylvanians — mountain 
men. Again have they been fearfully decimated. The desperate charges of 
these regiments sustain the past history of this division." 

Colonel McKnight having regained his health, on the 20th of September 
was again commissioned colonel of the regiment. The government in thus 
keeping the position for him showed its appreciation of his value as an officer. 
The regiment remained quietly in camp until the llth of October, when it was 
ordered to cross the Potomac to watch some Confederate cavalry raiding in 
Maryland. On the 28th they returned to Virginia, and were engaged in guard 
and picket duty and bridge building until Burnside began his movement against 
Fredericksburg, where they supported Randolph's Battery in the fight of the 
13th and 14th of December, losing three men killed, and Captain Hamilton, 
Lieutenants Clyde and Patterson, and eleven men wounded. General Charles 
K. Graham, on taking charge of the First Brigade, noticed the proficiency ot 
the One Hundred and Fifth in drill and discipline, and to satisfy himself that 
he was not mistaken in his estimate of it, with General D. B. Birney, com- 
manding the division, selected the regiment acknowledged to be the best drilled 
in the division, the Thirty-eighth New York, to compete with the One Hun- 
dred and Fifth for the championship, General Birney to be the judge, who, 
after witnessing the drill, pronounced the One Hundred and F"ifth the victor in 
the contest. General Sickles, who came over on the invitation of General Bir- 
ney to see the One Hundred and Fifth on dress parade, also warmly eulogized 
them on their excellence in drill, and complimented Colonel McKnight for the 
pains he had taken in drilling and disciplining them. 



The iosth Regiment. 141 



On the 28th of April the gallant Third Corps commenced its march to- 
wards Chancellorsville. On the 2d of May the brigade was moved to the cen- 
ter near the Chancellorsville brick house, the One Hundred and Fifth being 
deployed as skirmishers and to make a road across a swamp. Just as the work 
was finished several of the men were wounded by a heavy artillery fire from 
the enemy. On the morning of the third their line was formed in the rear of 
the house, the One Hundred and Fourteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers on the 
right and the One Hundred and Fifth on the extreme left of the brigade. The 
regiment charged through the woods immediately in front of the Confederate 
batteries, where they were hotly engaged for two hours. Colonel McKnight 
and Lieutenant-Colonel Craig were continually passing along the line, encour- 
aging the men by their example and coolness. Just as the regiment was gain- 
ing position at the entrance of the woods. Colonel McKnight was shot through 
the head and killed. With his hat in his hand he had just given the command, 
" Forward, double quick, march ! " With shouts his men pressed on to fulfill 
his last command, and advancing on a double quick drove the enemy from the 
breast-works that they had taken from the Eleventh Corps the day before. 

Upon the fall of Colonel McKnight, the command of the regiment devolved 
upon Colonel Craig, who drove the enemy from the first line of entrenchments, 
which they held until, their ammunition being exhausted, the regiment, with 
the rest of the brigade, fell back, the enemj' following to the brow of the hill, 
when the One Hundred and Fifth made a stand and would have charged had 
the enemy continued to advance. A new line being formed, the regiment re- 
tired again to the rear of the Chancellor house. While here Colonel Craig 
rode up to General Graham and asked him whether he was aware that the 
regiment was without ammunition. The general turned his horse and coolly 
surveying them, replied that it was all right, for said he : "They have their 
bayonets yet." They had fired every cartridge before falling back, even 
searching the dead and wounded for them. The One Hundred and Fifth took 
into this fight twenty-seven officers and three hundred and twenty men, and 
lost Colonel McKnight, Captain Kirk, Lieutenant Powers and eight men killed, 
and Captain Clyde, Lieutenants Shipley, Piatt, Hewett, McHenry, and sixty 
enlisted men wounded and seven missing. 

On May 21st Lieutenant-Colonel Craig was commissioned colonel; Major 
J. W. Greenawalt, lieutenant colonel ; Captain Levi B. Duff, major. On 
the 27th those non-commissioned officers and privates, who, by their bravery 
and good conduct as soldiers, had merited the gift, were presented by 
General Sickles with the Kearney badge of honor. The fohowing mem- 
bers of the One Hundred and Fifth received the cross : Sergeants A. H. 
Mitchel, A. D. McPherson, Samuel T. Hadden, Company A; Sergeants Joseph 
C. Kelso, George Heiges, Charles C. McCauley, B ; Corporal A. A. Harley, 
Privates Charles C. Weaver, Samuel H. Mays, C ; Sergeant James Sylvis, 
15 • 



142 History of Jefferson County. 

Corporal Milton Craven, D ; Sergeant Joseph E. Geiger, Corporals George 
Weddell, James M. Shoaf, E ; Sergeant Robert Doty, Corporal Henry Mc- 
Killip, Private Perry Cupler, F ; Sergeant George W. Hawthorn, Private Will- 
iam D. Kane, G ; Privates Thomas M. Rea, Robert Feverly, H ; Sergeant 
Oliver C. Redic, Joseph Kinnear, I; Sergeants James Miller, George S. Reed, K. 

It was a very difficult matter to thus select out particular individuals, where 
all had been so brave, and had on so many hard fought battle fields shown 
their valor, and it was a double honor to be thus singled out to receive this 
mark of distinction — this memento of their brave old commander, the la- 
mented Kearney. In his order announcing the names of those entitled to 
receive the "cross," General Birneysays: 

" Many deserving soldiers may have escaped the notice of their command- 
ing officers, but in the selection after the next battle they will doubtless receive 
the honorable distinction. The cross is in honor of our old leader, and the 
wearers of it will always remember the liigh standard of a true and brave 
soldier, and will never disgrace it." 

Nobly did those brave fellows deserve the honor bestowed, as their subse- 
quent history shows. Miller was promoted colonel and Redic lieutenant- 
colonel of the regiment, Mitchel and Kelso to captain, Sylvis, Shoaf, and Mc- 
Killip to lieutenants ; Hadden, McCauIey, Doty, Hawthorn, and Kinnear were 
killed ; Heiges and Reed died of wounds ; Craven lost his right arm in the 
Wilderness ; McPherson, a leg at Gettysburg, while every one of the others 
received one or more wounds ere their term of service expired. 

From the battle of Chancellorsville until the march into Pennsylvania be- 
gan the One Hundred and Fifth did picket and guard duty along the Potomac. 
Monday, June 29, the regiment marched through Taneytown and encamped 
for the night within five miles of the Penns)'lvania State line. Tuesday they 
marched to the Emmittsburg road, the Third Corps being ordered to hold 
Emmittsburg. General Sickles, in response to General Reynolds's order, hur- 
ried his corps, which was ten miles away, to Gettysburg. The roads were ex- 
ceedingly heavy, as it had been raining hard, and the long march of the preced- 
ing days had told upon the troops, so that it was after 5 P. M. on Wednesday 
when they reached Gettysburg. Birney's division'came up on the Emmittsburg 
road, passed Sherfy's house, where it turned to the right and halted just north 
of Little Round Top, where they lay all night. The next morning at daybreak 
they formed in line of battle, Ward's Brigade on the left, with his left resting 
on the Devil's Den ; De Trobriand in the center, and Graham on the right in 
the peach orchard, with his right resting on the Emmittsburg road. This line 
was gradually moved forward until the left of the division rested on Little 
Round Top and the right at Sherfy's house, where the One Hundred and Fifth 
was moved to the right of the road, and a little before noon was marched to 
the front, where Companies A, C, F, and I were deployed as skirmishers to 



The 105TH Regiment. 143 



support the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, already engaged in their 
front and keeping up a brisk fire upon the skirmishers of the enemy, who could 
be seen watching them through the trees. Soon after these companies were 
called in and the regiment took its place on the extreme right of the brigade, 
where it remained quiet until 3 P. M., when the battle opened in earnest, and 
the One Hundred and Fifth was moved up to the brow of the hill along the 
Emmittsburg road. Here, for an hour, they stood unflinchingly under a heavy 
fire of shot and shell from front and flank, losing some ten or twelve men. 

Just at this juncture, the enemy moving up in force, the regiment advanced 
to receive them, and formed in the road a little in advance of our batteries. 
The fighting was now desperate, the enemj' steadily advancing, but the brig- 
ade held its ground until the line on its left giving way, the enemy poured into 
its flank and rear a most murderous fire, forcing it to fall back for an instant. • 
But they rallied again and again and drove the enemy back to Sherfy's house, 
but the force opposed to them was too heavy and they were forced to retire. 
It was when engaged in this hand-to-hand conflict, with an overwhelming force 
of the enemy, and just as the shattered line of Graham was yielding to the 
overwhelming force of Barksdale's Mississippians, that the gallant troops of the 
First Division of the Second Corps, in which was the One Hudred and Forty- 
eighth Pennsylvania, came rushing to their relief The regiment then took 
position with the new line that had been formed in the rear, connecting Ceme- 
tery Ridge with Round Top, where they remained until the close of the day's 
fighting. During the 3d and 4th they lay quiet on the second line, doing no 
further fighting. The regiment took into the battle of Gettysburg two hun- 
dred and forty-seven men, and lost Lieutenant George W. Crossly, and four- 
teen men killed, thirteen officers and one hundred and eleven men wounded 
and nine missing. Lieutenant Isaac A. Dunston, who was mortally wounded, 
died soon after. Out of the seventeen officers who went into the figlit only 
four escaped uninjured. Colonel Craig lost three horses and Adjutant Joseph 
Craig two. 

On the 5th the regiment left Gettysburg, and July 24 went into camp at 
White Sulphur Springs, Virginia. In this beautiful place they remained until 
September 15th, recruiting their exhausted strength and depleted ranks. On 
the 15th they left the Springs. The regiment leading the advance encountered 
the skirmishers of the enemy at Auburn, who opened a heavy fire upon them, 
but the One Hundred and Fifth steadily advanced, loading and firing, until 
the First Division formed in line, and General Birney ordered a charge to pro- 
tect them. In this fight the regiment lost one killed and five wounded. The 
next morning they were again on the move, and until the 27th, when they 
were engaged at Kelly's Ford, where they sustained no loss, the regiment 
acted for the most part as advance guard for the division. It had become a 
great favorite with General Birney, who frequently selected it for important 



144 History of Jefferson County. 

positions, and on one occasion, when the enemy was reported near, he ordered 
General Collis, who since the wounding of General Graham at Gettysburg 
commanded the brigade, to send the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment as an 
advance guard, as he " wanted a regiment he could depend upon." From 
here they went into camp at Brandy Station, remaining there until November 
27, when they took part in the battle of Locust Grove, where seven men were 
wounded. The next day, after remaining in line of battle all night, they 
marched through mud almost knee deep to a point near Mine Run, and that 
night supported a battery, having one man wounded. On the 1st of Decem- 
ber, 1863, they returned to their old camp at Brandy Station and on the 28th, 
the regiment was re-enlisted by Colonel Craig, according to orders from the 
War Department. Two hundred and forty men — almost the entire force of the 
regiment — re-enlisted and went home on veteran furlough, where, after being 
feted and feasted by their friends, they returned to their old quarters at Brandy 
Station, on the 2 1st of February, 1864, bringing with them some fifty recruits. 

On the 26th of March, 1864, the Third Corps was consolidated with the 
Second Corps, and the remnants of Kearney's famous Red Diamond Division 
was consolidated into two brigades. The old First Brigade, now known as 
the Third Brigade, Third Division of the Second Corps, was put under com- 
mand of the brave Ale.xander Hays, the dashing colonel of the Sixty-third 
Pennsylvania. This brigade was composed of the Fifty-seventh, Sixty-third, 
Sixty-eighth and One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania, Third and Fifth Mich- 
igan, Fourth and Seventeenth Maine, and First Regiment U. S. Sharpshooters. 

It was a sad day for the men who had followed Kearney, Hooker and 
Sickles on many hotly contested fields to see their beloved Third Corps oblit- 
erated from the Army of the Potomac. The wound yet rankles in the breasts 
of many who wore the diamond ; and their hearts are yet sore over this dis- 
memberment of the organization they held so sacred. But as the fiat had 
gone forth that was the death knell of the old Third, the brave men of the Dia- 
mond Division could not have been assigned to any other organization where 
they would have been so cordially received, or with whom they could so easily 
assimilate as with the gallant Second Corps. General Walker, in his excellent 
history of the Second Corps, says of this transferring of the Third Corps : 

" Hereafter the names of Birney and Mott, Egan and McCallister, Pierce 
and Madill, Brewster and De Trobriand, were to be borne on the rolls of the 
Second Corps in equal honor with Barlow and Gibbon, Hays and Miles, Car- 
roll and Brooke, Webb and Smyth ; the deeds of these new-comers were to be 
an undistinguishable part of the common glory ; their sufterings and losses 
were to be felt in every nerve of the common frame ; the blood of the men of 
Hooker and Kearney, the men of Richardson and Sedgwick, was to drench 
the same fields from the Rapidan to the Appomatto.x." 

On the night of Maj- 3d the One Hundred and Fifth encamped on the 



The 105TH Regiment. 145 

battle-field of Chancellorsville, the anniversary of their hard-fought fight the 
year before, where they found the bones of their gallant comrades bleaching 
on the field. On the next day Birney's Division was selected to make the 
attack or receive that of the enemy, as the case might be, in the W^ilderness. 
The One Hundred and Fifth advanced about half a mile through the dense 
wood, when they suddenly came upon the enemy, and were at once fiercely 
engaged. They at first took position in the rear of the Si.xty-third Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers, which occupied the front line. Here several were wounded. 
About four P. M. they relieved the Sixty-third and then their hardest fighting 
began. Every step of ground was hotly contested, neither side giving an 
inch. The dead was piled up in rows. Here Captain Hamilton was killed, 
and Lieutenant-Colonel Greenawalt mortally wounded ; Lieutenants Kimple, 
Sylvis, Redic and Miller were all severely wounded, and fully one-half of the 
men killed and wounded. Colonel Craig, while riding near the right of the 
regiment, about dark, was shot in the head and seriously wounded. Their 
colonel badly wounded, their brave liutenant-colonel borne from the field 
dying, the command devolved upon Major Duff, who gallantly led them 
through the balance of the fight, which still raged hotly. 

Here, while holding his ground against heavy odds, the gallant Hays was 
killed. When night closed upon the fearful scene the One Hundred and Fifth 
held its original position, but during the night it was relieved and went to the 
rear. The next morning, however, Birney's Division again took the initiative, 
charging the enemy's lines and forcing him back almost a mile, until their am- 
munition being exhausted they had to fall back to a temporary line of breast- 
works, which the enemy tried several times to take, but were repulsed each 
time. The One Hundred and Fifth here charged forward and occupied a posi- 
tion on the front line. Captain Clyde, who, with several others, mounted the 
front line of breastworks, urging the men forward, fell dead, almost touching 
the enemy. On the lOth the brigade marched up the Po River to support the 
First Division, engaged with the enemy on the south side of the river. Colo- 
nel Crocker, who was temporarily commanding the brigade, marched it up 
almost against a Confederate battery, which opened fire at short range. The 
regiment suffered terribly for a few minutes. The first shot struck Private 
Enos Shirts, of Company I, and blew him literally to pieces, the men near him 
being sprinkled with his blood and flesh. The regiment held its ground until 
ordered to fall back into a little ravine, where they held position until the First 
Division had crossed the river, when they retired to the rear of the Fifth Corps. 
Here the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers was added to Major Duff's com- 
mand, and the two regiments reduced to five companies. At dawn on the 12th 
they were at Spottsylvania, where Major Duff's gallant little command struck 
the Confederate line at the angle near the Sandrum house, where, before the 
enemy had time to fire a gun, our boys, with loud cheers, were leaping over his 



146 History of Jefferson County. 

entrenchments. They captured a large number of prisoners, among them 
Brigadier-General Stewart. On the left of the point where Major Dufif struck 
the enemy's line was a battery, which was immediately brought to bear upon 
them, but our men rushed upon and captured it, some of the enemy standing 
to their guns until killed on the spot. They then crossed the swamp, captur- 
ing two rifled guns and the Eighteenth North Carolina Regiment, which was 
in support of these guns. Lieutenant A. H. Mitchell, of the One Hundred 
and Fifth, captured the flag of this regiment, and Corporal John Kendig, of 
the Sixty-third, that of the Twenty-fourth North Carolina. Lieutenant Mitchell 
was wounded, and Lieutenant Hewitt wounded and taken prisoner. The Con- 
federates, rallying in force, drove them across the swamp, where they made a 
stand. They lay for the balance of the day and night under a severe fire, 
forming the left support of the " death angle." This was one of the regiment's 
hardest fights, and the loss from the 5th to the iSth, inclusive was three 
officers and forty-six men killed, ten officers and one hundred and thirty men 
wounded, one officer and eight men missing, a total of two hundred and four. 
On the 20th the regiments started on the march to the North Anna River, 
one of the hardest marches they ever made, yet at roll-call only one man from 
the One Hundred and Fifth and two from the Sixty-third failed to answer to 
their names. On this march Lieutenant Kelso was severely wounded on the 
shoulder by a rebel sharpshooter. On the 23d the regiments halted on the 
north bank of the North Anna, the Confederates being on the other side. 
They were formed in the thick woods and ordered to charge without firing a 
gun, which was done, driving the enemy from his fortifications. They held 
this position until after dark. In this charge Captain Daniel Dougherty, a 
brave officer of the Sixty-third, was killed. On June 2d they were slightly 
engaged at Cold Harbor. The 15th found them in front of Petersburg, where 
in the various engagements they lost eleven men killed, and three officers and 
eighteen men wounded, among the number being Lieutenant-Colonel Duff, 
who lost a leg while gallantly leading his small force in the " Hare's House 
slaughter." On the i6th of July the regiment, with the balance of the brigade, 
which was under command of Colonel Craig, drove the enemy into his works 
at Deep Bottom and then charged and captured them, with two commissioned 
officers and seventy-five men ; but while flushed with victory and driving 
the enemy before them, a heavy force fell upon the left flank of the brigade 
with such fury that it was compelled to fall back. Here a heavy loss fell on 
the One Hundred and Fifth, for while leading the charge, their beloved young 
leader. Colonel C. A. Craig, was mortally wounded, dying the next da}-, and 
no one whom death claimed from their ranks was ever mourned more sin- 
cerely. Seventeen men were killed, and Captain Barr and twenty-three men 
wounded. The regiment remained in front of Petersburg doing picket and 
fatigue duty until September 1st, when those who had not re-enlisted were mus- 



The 105TH Regiment. 147 



tered out and one hundred and sixty-two men and two officers of the Sixty- 
third were transferred to the One Hundred and Fifth. The veterans of the 
Sixty-third were at first put in the Ninty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, but 
they rebelled at this and petitioned Governor Curtin to have them put in the 
One Hundred and Fifth, with which regiment they had served from their first 
enlistment, which request was granted. 

After the death of Colonel Craig, Captain Conser, who that day rejoined 
the regiment, took command. On the ist of October the regiment was trans- 
ferred to the Weldon Railroad and the next day took part in the fight at Poplar 
Grove Church, having one man killed and eleven wounded. On the 5th they 
were back in front of Petersburg, remaining there until the 24th, when they 
were moved to the Southside Railroad, and on the 27th took part in the bat- 
tle of Boydton plank road. Here General Pierce, who commanded the brig- 
ade, ordered the One Hundred and Fifth into a dense wood, to hold that part 
of the line, connecting with the Ninty-first New York on the left. The Con- 
federates with a yell charged through these woods, but the One Hundred and 
Fifth kept them at bay until, unknown to them, our cavalry on their right gave 
way, allowing a heavy force of the enemy on their left flank and they were 
driven back. The conflict was terrible, one of the most desperate hand-to- 
hand fights of the war. Major Conser and Captain Patton, the two senior and 
two of the most meritorious officers of the regiment, and four men were killed, 
eighteen wounded and forty missing. The latter were, however, nearly all 
recaptured that evening. The balance of the devoted little band was with 
difficulty brought oft" the field. Captain Redic, with several of the men, barely 
escaped capture while vainly trying to bring off" the bodies of their dead com- 
rades. The regiment for the first time in its history, lost its colors. After the 
fall of the two senior officers Captain Miller was ordered by General Pierce to 
assume command of the regiment, and was afterward commissioned colonel. 
On the 27th the regiment went into quarters at Fort Davis, on the front line 
of works, where officers were appointed by Governor Curtin to fill the vacan- 
cies in nearly every company. All the new officers, from Colonel Miller and 
Lieutenant-Colonel Redic down, had risen by their own merit and bravery 
from the ranks. While here the regiment lost one killed and four wounded 
while driving the enemy from his rifle pits. On the 30th Lieutenant-Colonel 
Redic, while engaged in a reconnoissance, had one man killed and two wounded, 
and on the 2d of April one man was killed and one wounded. On the 6th, 
near Farmville, the regiment charged upon the enemy's works, repulsed him 
and captured two hundred and thirty-nine men and nineteen commissioned 
officers, and in the evening of the same day assisted in capturing part of the 
enemy's train. The loss was one killed and fifteen wounded, Colonel Miller 
losing his horse. April 9th one man was wounded, the last to feel Confederate 
lead, as on that day the enemy at Appomattox laid down their arms and sur- 
rendered to General Grant. 



148 History of Jefferson County. 

May 2, 1865, the regiment took up its line of march for Washington, 
reaching Bailey's Cross Roads on the 15th, and on the nth of July reached 
Pittsburgh, where the men were paid off and discharged. But alas ! how 
small a remnant of the gallant regiment which went to the front almost four 
years before returned to their homes. The official record gives the entire list 
of casualties as 1,089. The regiment from April 1 1, 1862, until April 9, 1865, 
took part in thirty-eight engagements, and of its almost four years of service 
giving just three years' active service in the field. Its aggregate force, as 
given by the rolls, was 2,040. This number, however, comprised the veterans 
from the Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers and 588 drafted men and sub- 
stitutes put into the regiment in March, 1865, leaving the entire force of the 
original regiment, with its recruits, 1,288. It is a noteworthy fact that never 
once in its history did the One Hundred and Fifth fail to respond when 
ordered to face the enemy. Not once did it hesitate when ordered to charge, 
even though against overwhelming odds. 

To show the estimation in which the One Hundred and Fifth was held by 
the soldiers of other organizations, and the material composing its rank and 
file, we quote a few tributes to their valor. General Charles H. T. Collis, form- 
erly colonel of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Pennsylvania, and who com- 
manded the brigade for some time after the battle of Gettysburg, says: 

" Since we parted on the field I have seen all the armies of European 
countries, but I have never seen a body of men out of whom more solid and 
efl'ective work could be obtained, than those who fought under the heroic 
Craig, and the intrepid, genial Greenawalt." 

General Walker, in his history of the Second Corps, says of the battle of 
Fair Oaks : 

" The last brigade to arrive was Jameson's, which had been far to the rear, 
near Bottom Bridge, at the opening of the action. Two of Jameson's regi- 
ments were sent to the right, and two to the left. All of Kearney's men, who 
became engaged, fought heroically." 

Colonel A. S. M. Morgan, of the Sixty-third Pennsylvania, now captain in 
the United States Army, says : 

" I have one vivid recollection of the One Hundred and Fifth that can 
never be obliterated from my memory. At the battle of Fair Oaks the right 
of the Sixty-third did not reach the Williamsburg road, and a column of rebel 
infantry came marching down the road, and had reached opposite our line, 
when the One Hundred and Fifth came up and extended the line across the 
road. At that moment I was badly wounded, but mj' last recollection ere I 
lost consciousness, was of seeing that gallant regiment coming up at a full run 
on our right, in the face of the rebel infantry and the battery that was playing 
on us both from across the road." 

The following incident was related to the writer by Dr. Adam Wenger, 



The iosth Regiment. 149 



surgeon of the regiment : " There is one incident that is always pleasant for 
me to recall. It is of one of the men whose bravery and patriotism stand forth 
in bold relief After being several times severely wounded, and returning each 
time promptly, to again share the dangers of battle, he was at last so disabled 
as to be totally unfitted for duty, and was informed that his discharge from the 
service would be necessary. He begged to remain, and asked me if he could 
not be permitted to ride in the ambulance on the marches, which request I 
granted ; but he never availed himself of this privilege when there was a pros- 
pect of a fight ; and in case he was in the ambulance and firing was heard in 
the front, he at once left his comfortable berth, and hurried to his place in the 
ranks — musket in hand — with all the speed he was capable of It must be 
borne in mind that a pass to ride in the ambulance excused the soldier from 
all duty. There were of course others just as brave and patriotic as this man, 
but for certain reasons his actions greatly impressed me, for he was reared in 
poverty, and without an education." 

The soldier mentioned above was mustered out with the regiment, was sev- 
eral times promoted, and is yet living. 

Jefferson county lost among other brave soldiers the following officers of 
the One Hundred and Fifth : 

Colonel Amor Archer McKnigJit. — Amor Archer McKnight had, from his 
youth, been an admirer of all things pertaining to the military, and we find 
him at an early age a member of the " Brookville Guards " and " Brookville 
Rifles," which company he commanded when the war broke out. When the 
summons came it found him ready to respond, and with his gallant command 
he was soon in the field. After the three months' term of service had expired, 
and he had received authority to recruit a regiment for three years, he went 
to work, and with an energy that never flagged, soon had the regiment, whose 
deeds of glory and renown we have but feebly portrayed, in the field. 

As soon as his regiment went into camp, Colonel McKnight began to 
rigidly drill and discipline it, and so severe and exacting was he in this work 
that, for a time, he was severely censured and criticised by the officers and men 
under him; but he had set himself to the task of making the One Hundred 
and Fifth a regiment that could not be excelled, and he let nothing deter him 
from the end in view ; that he accomplished his desire the history of his gal- 
lant regiment nobly proves, for by all who have any knowledge of its prowess 
and valor it has been pronounced without a peer ; and to the stern and ofttimes 
merciless discipline enforced by Colonel McKnight, was this state of perfec- 
tion due. 

While thus strict with his officers and men, he was no less strict with him- 
self He studied and worked unceasingly to perfect himself in the art of war- 
fare ; for, like his men, he had come from the civil walks of life, and like them 
he had to learn. With all this sternness, for which so many have censured 
16 



I50 History of Jefferson County. 

him, Colonel McKnight had the welfare and comfort of his men at heart, and 
we have known him to give up the last dainty his camp chest afforded, and 
share his last dollar with the sick soldier, and we never appealed to him in 
vain when he could add to the comfort of the men in the hospital, or enhance 
the efficiency of the hospital force. 

It was his unremitting labor to make his regiment excel, that caused him 
at last, after fifteen months hard service, to yield to the inroads of disease, that 
obliged him to resign his command ; but after two months he was again in the 
field, as the war department, knowing his worth in the service, had not filled 
the vacancy caused by his resignation. 

After rejoining the regiment. Colonel McKnight shared all its fortunes, 
leading it into all its hard-fought engagements, until the battle of Chancellors- 
ville. May 3, 1863, when he was killed by a rebel sharpshooter, while leading 
his men against the veterans of Stonewall Jackson. Colonel Craig, in a letter 
giving us the intelligence of Colonel McKnight's fall, written May 11, 1863, 
says : 

" Colonel McKnight was in the act of cheering his men on when he was 
shot, and was swinging his sword. The ball passed through his right arm, 
almost tearing it off, and passed on, entering his head about the right temple. 
I saw him fall, and riding up to him, dismounted and kneeled beside him. He 
looked up once, so beseechingly, before he died, as if he wanted to say some- 
thing, but could not speak. I ordered four of the men to carry him to the rear, 
and rode after the regiment ; but they were unable to get him back on account 
of the heavy fire, and had to leave him on the field. Everything of value was 
got off his person, except his pocket-book, which could not be found. After 
the fight, I made application to General Hooker for permission to take out a 
flag of truce for his remains, which he granted, but General Lee would not 
permit us to enter his lines, so we had to be content. No man ever acted 
braver than he did, and believe me, there are few such men, either in the army 
or at home." 

The rebel papers claimed that he was buried with the honors due his rank, 
out of respect for the " Kearney Cross," which he wore, and it was asserted 
that " whenever our men were found to have upon them the Kearney red patcli, 
if wounded they were kindly cared for; and if dead were buried with the 
honors of war, and their graves so marked as to be readily recognized." 

It was claimed that Colonel McKnight was so honored, that " a band played 
a funeral dirge, while over his remains was fired the usual salute due to an 
officer of his rank." 

This may have been the case, but when the One Hundred and Fifth, on 
the anniversary of his death, on the 3d of May, 1864, bivouacked on the field 
where he fell, no trace of his grave could be found, nor have his brothers, who 
wished his remains to lie with the dust of his kindred, ever been able to find 
the spot where he was buried. 



The 105TH Regiment. 151 



Had Colonel McKnight lived he would soon have been promoted to brig- 
adier-general, as steps to that effect had already been taken, and the late Hon. 
John Covode, in his letter of condolence to the colonel's brother, Dr. W. J. 
McKnight, says : 

" Had your brother survived the last terrible struggle, he would have been 
promoted, as I had a conversation with the president in regard to him." 

The field officers of the First Division, Third Army Corps, had sent in a 
petition to President Lincoln asking for his promotion, in which they say : 

" Colonel McKnight is a brave, gallant, and efficient officer ; the regiment 
which he now commands, for drill and discipline, is second to none in the ser- 
vice. His e.xperience as a field officer during the Peninsula Campaign, and 
in other places, also his ability as a thorough tactician, eminently fit him for such 
promotion." 

At the meeting held by the field officers of the First Brigade, First Divi- 
sion, Third Corps, to take action on the death of their fellow-officers who fell 
at Chancellorsville, the following resolutions in regard to Colonel McKnight 
were passed : 

" Rcsok'cd, That in the death of Colonel A. A. McKnight, of the One 
Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, the country has lost a brave, 
efficient, and patriotic officer, whose untiring energies were given to promoting 
the efficiency of his regiment, who sealed his devotion to the cause in which 
he was engaged with his life-blood, at the head of his command, on the battle- 
field of Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863. 

"Resolved, That we condole with the relatives and friends of the deceased 
in their loss of a companion, endeared to them by his many amiable virtues, 
and that we lament the loss the country has sustained by his untimely death, 
in the hour of her greatest need." 

Major Jolm C. Conser. — John C. Conser was born in Centre county, 
Pa., in the year 1S26, and the same year his parents, who were respectable, 
worthy people, removed to Clarion county, settling near the present town of 
Clarion. Here the subject of this sketch spent his early days. He was a stu- 
dious, and conscientious boy. At an early age he evinced a great admiration 
for military matters, and with his elder brothers would attend the reviews of 
the militia. 

In 185 I he removed to Jefferson county, and soon afterwards married and 
settled in Reynoldsville, where he was known and respected as one of the best 
citizens of that place, until the war called into action the patriotism that had 
been slumbering in his soul from childhood, and he was one of the first to 
enlist from his neighborhood. He was chosen first lieutenant of Company H, 
One Hundred and Fifth, and upon the resignation of Captain Tracy was pro- 
moted to captain, April 20, 1863. He was commissioned major. May 6, 1864, 
but was never mustered as such. 



152 History of Jefferson County. 

At the battle of Fair Oaks, Captain Conser received his first wound ; while 
crawling on his hands and knees reconnoitering the enemj^ a ball struck him 
on the head, inflicting a slight wound, and stunning him for a time. After- 
wards in the retreat through White Oak Swamp, he almost lost his life in those 
dismal recesses, and writing of it said, " It was the most horrible night I ever 
experienced." At Fredericksburg a minnie ball struck his shoulder, and 
glancing off along the blade of his sword, entered the fleshy part of his arm, 
inflicting a severe wound. At Bristow Station, he, with his little command, 
was taken prisoner, and taken to Richmond, where he was consigned to the ten- 
der mercies of Libby prison. Here he was much annoyed by one of the rebel 
guards, who delighted in telling the prisoners that the Union side was "clean 
licked out," and that when he got out of Libby he would find " the north not 
worth shocks." The brave officer replied that when he got " out of Libby and 
came again to Richmond, it would be when it was taken by the Union troops, 
and the Confederacy smashed." After this, his most ardent desire was to be 
with the army at the taking of Richmond ; but when that day dawned upon 
the Union arms the brave officer had entered the eternal city, dying on the 
very threshold of victory. 

At Gettysburg he was again wounded, being shot in the head, just above 
the left temple, and carried off the field for dead. When, after a short stay at 
home, he had recovered from this wound he rejoined his regiment in time to 
receive another wound at Auburn. At the battle of the Wilderness he was 
severely wounded in the thigh by a sabre cut, from the effects of which he was 
still lame at the time of his death. Again he was severely wounded at Peters- 
burg, June 1 8, 1864, and while on his way to rejoin his regiment, after recov- 
ering from this wound, he met at Fortress Monroe those having in charge the 
body of Colonel Craig, who had fallen at Deep Bottom. Stopping just long 
enough to assist in forwarding to his home the remains of his brave friend and 
gallant commander, he hurried on to his regiment, and was in all the subse- 
quent skirmishes and marches up to the battle of Boydton Plank Road, where, 
on the 27th of October, 1864, he fell, while battling against an overwhelming 
force of the enemy. An eye-witness of this sanguinary struggle, says: " We 
were surrounded when I heard Conser say, ' Men, we are surrounded. Will 
you surrender? Won't )'ou fight it out ? ' Three rebels attacked him, and 
while fighting them with pistols and sword, another came up and placing his 
gun almost against his body, blew the contents of the piece into his side and 
he fell dead." 

The enemy being repulsed after this. Captain Redic and others of the regi- 
ment attempted to bring off Major Conser's body, but the enemy rallying in 
force, they were obliged to leave him on the field where he fell, and thus died 
one of the bravest soldiers the war produced — his last words being, "Fight it 
out." 



The iosth Regiment. 153 



Major Conser, when he first entered the service, was urged to remain at 
home with his family, and again when he re-enUsted, the duty to his wife and 
Httle children was urged upon him, and though no man loved his family more 
dearly, his duty to his imperiled country was paramount to all else. His wife 
has since joined the dead hero, and his four children yet reside in Reynolds- 
ville. 

Captain John Calvin Dowling. — When the civil war broke out. Captain 
Dowling, whose previous record is given in the chapter devoted to the medical 
profession, at once enlisted in the three months campaign, and served as first 
lieutenant of Company K, Eighth Regiment, taking command of that company 
on Captain Wise's promotion. At the expiration of this term of service he 
returned home and recruited Company B, of the One Hundred and Fifth, 
which he labored unceasingly to make one of the best companies in the ser- 
vice. He remained constantly with his men, with the exception of a ten 
days' leave of absence in February, 1862, until he fell at Fair Oaks, May 31st, 
while gallantly leading his men in the charge where the regiment won its first 
laurels, and he with many others of Jefferson county's bravest and best soldiers 
won victors' crowns. He was shot through the neck, killing him instantly. 
His body was borne off the field by his sorrowing men, and the chaplain of the 
regiment, Rev. D. S. Steadman, in a letter written just after the battle says : 

"We buried our dear Captain Dowling last evening, June 1st, at sunset, in 
a beautiful grove. Bowdish, one of his men, had made a good coffin. There 
was no lack of mourners ; we were all mourners." 

His remains were subsequently reinterred in the soldiers' cemetery at 
" Seven Pines," where his grave has been visited by some of his friends, who 
found it nicely kept, and plainly marked with his name, rank, and regiment. 

Captain Bowling's death was a great loss to his regiment, by whom his 
death was deeply mourned. Colonel McKnight in writing of his death says : 
" There could be no better officer than Captain DowHng ; always prompt in 
contributing to the every act calculated to promote the efficiency of the regi- 
ment, he never retarded or embarrassed the action of the commanding officer; 
a strict disciplinarian, he was also attentive to the wants of his company, and 
always preserved the warm regard of his men. I had become very much 
attached to him, and his decease struck me very painfully." 

Captain Dowling was of a genial disposition, and possessing an excellent 
education, his social qualities and gentlemanly bearing had endeared him to 
a large circle of acquaintances and friends, and the news of his death carried 
gloom to the hearts of all who knew him. When the sad news of the death 
of this gallant young officer, and of those who fell with him on that fatal field, 
Jefferson county's first offerings for the cause of freedom, was received in 
Brookville, the flags were draped in mourning, and suspended at half mast, 
and sorrow pervaded the entire community. 



154 History of Jefferson County. 

Captain Bowling's health being far from robust when he was at home, a 
short time before his death, his friends tried to persuade him to leave the army, 
but he replied to their entreaties that he knew that his life would be a short 
one, saying : " If I die in battle, my death will be a glorious one." 

He hastened back to his regiment, on hearing rumors of an expected 
battle, and on being asked why he returned before his leave expired, replied, 
" I did not want the boys to go into battle without me." No nobler sacrifice 
was given to save the Union than John C. Bowling. 

Captain William J. Clyde. — William Johnston Clyde, son of William and 
Jane Clyde, nee Malbon, was born in Perry, now Oliver, township in the year 
1838. His father dying, he was at an early age thrown upon his own resources, 
and when about thirteen years old he went to Brookville, and commenced to 
learn the carpenter and joiner's trade, with ^lessrs. William Reed and Bavid S. 
Johnston, both of whom are now dead. After finishing his apprenticeship, he 
remained in Brookville working at his trade until the breaking out of the war, 
when he enlisted in Company I, Eighth Regiment, of three months men, and 
served as first sergeant of his company. On returning home after the expira- 
ton of this term of service, he threw himself heartily into the work of recruiting 
for Colonel McKnight's three years regiment, and on the organization of that 
regiment he was appointed first sergeant of Company A, and November 8, 

1 86 1, was promoted to second lieutenant; to first lieutenant, September 27, 

1862, and to captain February 9, 1863. He was wounded in the battles of 
Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, in all of which he was con- 
spicuous for his daring and courage. He fought with the most desperate 
bravery at the battle of the W^ilderness, until near the close of the fighting on 
the 6th of May, 1863, when the One Hundred and Fifth was occupying the 
second line of breastworks, and charged forward, carrying a part of the front 
line, when Captain Clyde with several others of the regiment, mounted the 
rebel redoubts on the front line, and while gallantly urging his men on, he was 
shot by one of the enemy's sharpshooters, and fell mortally wounded, only liv- 
ing long enough to ask his men to bury him decently, and write to his mother. 
When he fell, he was so close to the enemy that he could almost touch them. 
His body was afterwards recovered and removed to the soldier's cemeterj- at 
Fredericksburg. 

Captain Clyde possessed a good practical education, a sterling integrity of 
character, and was in the true sense of the word, a self-made man. In his 
death his regiment lost one of its bravest officers, for he was brave almost to 
rashness. His younger brother, Corporal James L. Craig, of the same company, 
wounded at Glendale, Va., died of his wounds while on his way home, at the 
house of a relative at Indiana, Pa. The widowed mother of these brave sol- 
diers removed with her only daughter. Miss Maggie Clyde, after the war, to 
Pickaway county, Ohio, where she has since died. 



The 105TH Regiment. 155 



Captain John Michael Stcck. — Among those of our brave soldiers who 
have, since the war closed, been " mustered into that great company, which no 
man can number," was Captain John M. Steck, who died at his home in Brook- 
ville, March 13, 1875. He was the eldest son of the late Jacob and Christiana 
Steck, and was born in Greensburg, Pa., on the 17th day of December, 1832. 
In the year 1848 he removed with his parents to Brookville, where he ever 
after resided. He took an active part when the war broke out in recruiting for 
the volunteer service, and enlisted in Company I, Sixty-second Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, July 20, 1861, and was promoted to first sergeant. In Septem- 
ber, 1 86 1, he procured his discharge from that company, and February 20, 
1862, was commissioned captain of Company G, One Hundred and Fifth 
regiment, where he made an excellent and popular officer, sharing all the bat- 
tles and dangers of his men, until, his health becoming impaired, he was obliged 
to resign, and was discharged on surgeon's certificate August 12, 1863. 

Returning to his home, he was in 1866 elected prothonotary for Jefferson 
county, and at the expiration of his term of office was re-elected. Captain 
Steck was one of the most prominent and best known citizens of the county. 
The Brookville Republican's notice of his death was a just tribute to his 
worth : 

" He was an energetic, live business man, aiding in every improvement to 
build up and benefit our town, and some of our best improvements are due to 
his energy and taste. In every position of public life he discharged his duties 
ably and honestly, and there are few persons who will not be able to recall 
some act of official courtesy and kindness received at his hands. To the poor 
he was liberal ; he was a true friend, and one distinguishing trait in his char- 
acter was, that he never spoke harshly or disparagingly of others. If he could 
not say a word of commendation he kept silent. Captain Steck was an earn- 
est and consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, where his loss will be 
much felt, but above all will he be missed in the Sunday-school, of which, at 
the time of his death, he was assistant superintendent, and of which he was the 
ruling spirit. His heart was in the work. During three years he was absent 
but three Sundays, and then he was away from home. He knew every child 
in the school, and every one will miss him, as one whom they looked up to 
with honor. On Sunday, the day preceding his funeral, the entire school went 
in a body to take a last look at his remains, and the most touching tribute that 
could have been paid to his memory, was the tears of these little ones." 

Captain Steck was married to Miss Rachel McCreight, who survived him, 
and has since married Dr. Robert S. Hunt, of Brookville. 

Robert J. Nicholson, quartermaster of the One Hundred and Fifth, is an- 
other who, since the war closed, has laid down the burden of life. He enlisted 
in this regiment, which he had aided very materially to raise, as first lieutenant 
of Company B., but was promoted to quartermaster October i, 1861. He 
made a very popular officer, as he was always kind and genial to the men. 



156 History of Jefferson County. 



He resigned on account of his presence being needed in his business at 
home, September 16, 1862. While in service his brother, James Nicholson, of 
Company I, died at Camp Jameson, and he had his remains sent to his home 
in Brookville. After having nursed him affectionately at his own quarters, with 
the fond hope of seeing him rally from the dread disease that had claimed him 
for a victim, he sent his remains home for burial. Quartermaster Nicholson 
was again called to make a heavy sacrifice to his country's cause, in the death 
of his eldest son. Barton, a promising young man, a member of Company B, 
who fell at the battle of Second Bull Run, August 29, 1863. 

Mr. Nicholson was one of Jefferson county's most enterprising citizens, as 
his business career given elsewhere proves. He died suddenly while on a 
business trip to the South, at Day's Gap, North Carolina. 

Field and Staff Officers of the One Hjindred and Fifth Regiment, Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, from JeffersoJi County. — Colonels, Amor A. McKnight, 
James Miller; lieutenant-colonel, W. W. Corbet; adjutant, Orlando Gray; 
quartermasters, Robert Nicholson, Harrison Coon ; surgeon, A. P. Heichhold; 
chaplains, Darius S. Steadman, John C. Truesdale; sergeant-majors, W. H. 
McLaughlin, George Vanvliet, Robert J. Boyington ; quartermaster- sergeants, 
Fleming Y. Caldwell, Benjamin F. Stauffer; commissary-sergeant, John Coon ; 
hospital stewa:rds, D. Ramsey Crawford, Charles D. Shrieves ; musicians, An- 
drew J. McKown, Eli B. Clemson. 

Members of the Brass Band of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment from 
Jefferson County. — Calvin B. Clark, John S. Gallagher, John A. Guffey, James 
A. McClelland, T. C. Spottswood, Charles Sitz, Alexander Ross Taylor, James 
A. Thompson. 

Company A. One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, P. V. 

Company A was recruited in the southern part of Jefferson county, princi- 
pally from Punxsutawny, and Perry and Oliver townships. The company was 
raised in three days, chiefly through the exertion of Captain John Hastings, 
assisted by Lieutenants Neel and Morris. Captain Hastings, while gallantly 
leading his company in the desperate charge at Second Bull Run, was severely 
wounded in the leg, and after months of suffering, was disabled for life by the 
wound, and obliged to resign, when the command devolved upon Captian W. 
J. Clyde, who fell while charging at the head of the company in the battle of 
the Wilderness. Lieutenant A. H. Mitchell was then promoted to captain, 
but before he received his commission, was discharged on account of wounds 
received in front of Petersburg, and then Lieutenant John H. McKee was pro- 
moted captain. 

Captains, John Hastings, W. J. Clyde, John H. McKee; first lieutenants, 
William Neel, Alexander H. Mitchell, James W. Wachob ; second lieutenants, 
Moses A. Morris, Daniel Brewer, William M. Blose; first sergeants, Albert C. 



The iosth Regiment. 157 



Little, Samuel T. Hadden, Joseph Cummisky, John Blair, Joseph Wickline, 
Wesley P. Hoover, A. D. McPherson, John G. Myers, Allen H. Naylor, Arthur 
H. Murray, Samuel Hibler; corporals, Samuel Kesslar, John McHendry, Henry 
Weaver, James M. Keck, Smith M. McHendry, James B. Jordan, Benjamin 
F. Rolls, Joseph F. Bell, Isaac M. Depp, David W. Logan, William J. Mogle, 
David Y. Salsgiver, John E. Sadler, William C. McKee, Levi P. Frampton, 
James L. Clyde ; privates, Henry All, Thomas T. Adams, Harding Allabrand, 
John I. Barr, Samuel Brillhart, L. H. Bolinger, Samuel W. Brewer. John Blose, 
Boaz D. Blose, Adolphus Bhoy, Charles S. Bender, Isaac Bowersock, James 
W. Brooks, John Beck, William F. Campbell, W. W. Crissman, David Cochran, 
John Chambers, Byron Cowan, John Campbell, Oliver Croasman, H. C. Camp- 
bell, Flem. Y. Caldwell, Michael L. Coon, Hugh Crawford, Jonathan Cham- 
bers, William P. Christ, John W. Corey, George W. Davis, John O. Dean, 
George W. Davis, John G. Depp, John A. De Havens, Robert Fleming, David 
W. Goheen, David G. Gray, James A. Grove, Thomas M. Gibson, Thomas 
Glass, Benjamin Gaskill, George W. Ginter, George Goheen, Francis W. Grove, 
Henry Grant, Charles H. Haskins, John Hennigh, James Henry, Joseph W. 
Hickox, William Hutchinson, John P. Imler, John M. Irwin, Robert A. Jor- 
dan, George M. Johnston, Robert Jordan, John Jordan, Benjamin F. Johnston, 
H. Kirkpatrick, Christopher Kesslar, John C. Kelly, Jonathan R. Leitzali, Da- 
vid W. Leech, John H. London, William Leech, James G. Mitcliell, Jeremiah 
C. Miles, William F. Means, Joseph Means, John Means, jr., John L. Mabon, 
John Means, sr., James Mogle, William Meitz, Robert S. Michaels, Thomas 
Means, Robert Marsh, John Marsh, J. L. McHendy, John B. McGinnis, Cassius 
E. McCrea, James C. McQuown, Samuel McHendry, John McGraw, Charles 
McConkey, Edwin McCafferty, R. McAdams, William McHendry, Scott Neel, 
Augustus C. Nolf, William Painter, William S. Pery, P. S. Rudolph, John K. 
Rupert, George W. Rhodes, Nicholas Robbins, Fred. Rhinehart, Benjamin C. 
Smith, Joseph M. Swisher, Dan. J. Smyers, George Smith, James Smith, 
Washington Sunderland, Joseph B. Sowers, Christopher Sutter, William H. 
Swisher, Henry Sutter, John R. Stewart, Elias S. Simpson, Jacob Sutter, George 
W. Shawl, James C. Trimble, Thomas L Templeton, Peter Walker, David W. 
Wilson, Philip Wyning, Daniel Zimmer. 

In the numerous battles in which it took part, and from disease. Company 
A lost the following : 

Killed, captain, W. J. Clyde ; sergeant, Samuel T. Hadden ; corporals, 
Daniel Y. Salsgiver, John H. Sadler, William C. McKee ; privates, Charles S. 
Bender, Isaac Bowersock, James W. Brooks, Hugh Crawford, Jonathan Cham- 
bers, John G. Depp, John P. Imler, Robert S. Michaels, WiUiam McHenry, 
William H. Swisher, Henry Sutter, Daniel Zimmer; died, sergeant, Allen 
Naylor; corporals, Levi P. Frampton, James L. Clyde; privates, John Beck, 
William P. Crist, John W. Corey, James Henry, Joseph W. Hickox, William 

17 



158 History of Jefferson County. 

Hutchison, George M. Johnston, William Leech, Thomas Means, Robert H. 
Marsh, John Marsh, William S. Perry, John R. Stewart, E. S. Simpson, Jacob 
Sutter, Fred. Rhinehart ; transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, John Henry, 
Christopher Sutter, David W. Wilson. 

Muster Roll of Company B, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company B was recruited chiefly in Brookville and vicinity, mainly by 
Captain John C. Dowling who commanded it until he fell at Fair Oaks, when 
he was succeeded by Captain S. A. Craig, who on account of wounds had to 
give up the command to Captain W. S. Barr, who in turn for the same cause 
had to yield it to Captain Joseph C. Kelso, who led it through the subsequent 
hard fights until the final muster out : 

Captains, John C. Dowling, S. A. Craig, W. S. Barr, Joseph C. Kelso. First 
lieutenants, R. J. Nicholson, Richard J. Espy, John A. McLain. Second lieu- 
tenant, Judson J. Parsons. First sergeants, William Fox, William N. Pearce, 
Samuel H. Mitchell, Sergeants, John E. Barr, Hiram Wing, William Lucas, 
Anthony Kreis, George Heiges, James C. Dowling, John J. Geary, William 
English, Robert Miller. Corporals, John J. Champion, McCurdy Hunter, Sam- 
uel Hunter, Joseph Baughman, Wellington Johnston, Nathan D. Carrier, An- 
drew J. Cochran, David R. Porter, Robert G. Wilson, Benjamin Ramsey, J. M. 
Thompson, Philo Winsor. Musician, M. L. Spottswood. Privates, Benjamin 
Arthurs, Peter Alhvell, Charles G. Anderson, William Anderson, William D. 
Black, Liberty Burns, Sibley Bennett, Joseph Booth, Joseph B. Bowdish, Will- 
iam Bish, Lafayette Burge, Samuel Cable, Alfred Cable, William Covert, Jo- 
seph Coon, Thomas J. Champion, David D. Demott, Jonathan Dixon, M. G, 
De Vallance, M. L. DeVallance, Mathew M. Dowhng, John Dunkleburg, Jo- 
seph A. Geer, Amos Goup, John W. Guthrie, Cyrus Geer, Robert Gilmore, 
Michael D. Grinder, Jackson Gearheart, Jacob M. Haugh, James L. HoUiday, 
Adam W. Haugh, Thomas Hildreth, Emanuel Haugh, James Hopkins, Ed- 
ward Hartman, Joseph Harriger, Augustus Haugh, John Hawthorn, WiUiam 
H. Jackson, John Jacox, Frederick Jackson, William Kelly, Solomon C. Kelso, 
George Keyser, Winfield S. Lucas, Joseph Lawhart, Lewis Leitzell, John Love, 
David Lanker, Frederick Miller, William Milligan, Courson Miller, William C. 
Miller, Michael Miller, Solomon McManingle, Charles S. McCauley, Joseph E. 
H. McGary, William McCutcheon, William McCaskey, Jesse McElhose, Barton 
A. Nicholson, John Ossewandle, Asa M. Preston Jesse Penrose, Benjamin F. 
Rhodes, James A. Robinson, William Riddle, Edward Reigle, Philip Rockwell, 
William Reede, Daniel C. Rockwell, Lewis Rhodes, John Shreckengost, John 
Shirey, Joseph S. Stine, George Shick, William K. Stevenson, Chauncey 
Shaffer, Jacob Siverling, George W. Smith, Samuel Stormer, George W. Sax- 
ton, Samuel Shaffer, Philip Taylor, John Taylor, James Taylor, B. D. Vas- 
binder, Gustavus Verbeck, Joseph Williams, John B. Wensel, Oliver Woods, 
Francis Winters, John Webster, Philip Young. 



The 105TH Regiment. 159 



The following members of Company B were killed in battle, died of wounds 
and disease, or were transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, on account of 
wounds, or to other organizations. 

Killed — Captain John C. Dowling. Sergeants, Samuel H. Mitchell, An- 
thony Kreis, James C. Dowling, George Heiges. Corporals, Wellington John- 
ston, Nathan D. Carrier, Andrew J. Cochran. Privates, Benjamin Arthurs, 
Peter AUwell, Amos Goup, John W. Guthrie, Thomas Hildreth, William H. 
Jackson, Courson Miller, Charles S. McCauley, B. A. Nicholson, Asa M. Pres- 
ton, William Reed, John Taylor, Joseph Williams. 

Died. — Sergeant, John J. Geasy. Privates, Liberty Burns, Joseph Bouch, 
Adam W. Haugh, Emanuel Haugh, William C. Miller, Joseph E. H. McGeary, 
Dan C. Rockwell, John Shirey, Joseph F. Stine. Died in rebel prisons, Sibley 
Bennett, Jonathan Dixon. 

Transferred to V. R. C, Captain S. A. Craig, Benjamin Ramsey, Thomas 
J. Champion, David Lanker, John Webster. To Eighteenth U. S. I., David R. 
Porter, Robert G. Wilson, Samuel Shaffer. 

Company C, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company C was raised in Clarion county ; only the following men from Jef- 
ferson county were in its ranks : 

Sergeants, Samuel Lattimer, John H. Pearsall ; corporals, Eli H. Chilson, 
Isaac Lyle, James W. Spears, William Hippie; privates, E. P. Cochran, M. G. 
De Vallance, Perry C. Fox, John C. Johnston, Ami Sibley, Francis Smith, 
James Woods; William Hippie, killed. 

Company D, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company D was recruited in Jefferson and Clearfield counties. The only 
officers from Jefferson county were Lieutenant Charles J. Wilson and Captain 
William Kelly. Captain Kelly, who rose from the ranks, being promoted 
captain November 26, 1864. He shared all their battles and dangers with the 
company, and finally brought them home. 

The following list comprises the men from Jefferson county, with those who 
were killed in battle, died of wounds and disease, or were transferred to other 
organizations : 

Captain, William Kelly ; second lieutenant, Charles J. Wilson ; sergeants, 
George O. Riggs, William C. McGarvy, Milton Craven, Ebenezer Bullers, John 
C. Johnston, Isaac M. Temple ; corporals, John R. Shaffer, Daniel R. Snyder, 
James H. Green, Gilbraith Patterson, Darius Vasbinder, D. H. Paulhamus, An- 
drew J. McKown, Milton J. Adams, Benj. F. Alexander, Amos A.shkettle ; 
privates, Eben O. Bartlett, Philip Black, Daniel Bowers, David Bell, Richard 
Bedell, Silas Boose, Asa Bowdish, Byron H. Bryant, John S. Christie, Isaiah 
Corbet, James R. Corbet, Samuel Criswell, Andrew Christie, Joel Clark, Eh B. 



i6o History of Jefferson County. 

Clemson, William Dunn, Charles Graham, William Griffith, Andrew Hender- 
son, John Hilliard, Lyman Higby, Nathan B. Hippie, James Kelly, John Knarr, 
Henry Keys, John Klinger, Edward Knapp, James Murphy, Malvin Munger, 
Arch. F. Mason, James McAtee, Samuel McFadden, William McKelvy, Reid 
McF"adden, Samuel McLaughlin, John McLaughlin, Irwin McCutcheon, Ben- 
jamin Newcom, William Pennington, George Plotner, Josiah V. Reppard,',Wil- 
liam Riddle, Charles B. Ross, Joseph Rensell, John Robinson, Solomon B. 
Riggs, William M. Riggs, Andrew Sites, George Smith, Gershon Saxton, 
William Shaffer, William Smith, Henry Shaffner, Perry Smith, W. H. Saxton, 
Isaac Solly, Almon Spencer, James Thompson, Gabriel Vasbinder, William 
Wilson, Henry C. Wycoff, George Wilson, Ellis Wilson. 

Killed, Samuel Crisswell, William Pennington, George Plottner, William 
Riddle, Charles B. Ross, Gershon Saxton, William Shaffer, John Wilson ; died. 
Corporal Daniel R. Snyder ; privates, David Bell, Andrew Christie, John Hil- 
liard, Henry Shaffner, Joseph Rensell ; died in rebel prison, William Smith. 

Transferred to V. R. C, Silas Bouse, Lyman Higby, W. N. Riggs; W. H. 
Saxton, to Tenth Regiment, U. S. I. 

Company F, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company F was principally recruited in Indiana and Clearfield counties by 
the gallant and lamented Captain Robert Kirk, who fell at Chancellorsville. 
The only officer from Jefferson county was Lieutenant Henry P. McKillip. 

The following list comprises the men from Jefferson county, with deaths, 
transfers, etc.: 

First lieutenant, Henry P. McKillip ; second lieutenant, Ogg Neel ; ser- 
geants, John M. Brewer, Robert Doty, John W. Smith, John Hendricks, Eli- 
jah Pantall, Jonathan Brindle, Joshua Pearce ; corporals, John N. Means, 
Thomas Neil ; privates, W'illiam H. H. Anthony, James D. Anthonj', John W. 
Bryant, John H. Bush, John W. Brooks, Charles Berry, William A. Chambers, 
Peter Depp, Henry H. Depp, Philip B. Depp, John P. Dunn, James Dunn, 
Samuel Edwards, Henry A. L. Girts, Jonathan Himes, William S. Hendricks, 
Isaac Hendricks, James Hopkins, Thomas M. Hauck, Samuel Hannah, Charles 
Klepfer, John Kelly, Charles Lyle, Scot: Mitchell, William C. Martin, George 
Moore, John Miller, James A. Minish, James McCarthy, Robert McMannes, 
Samuel A. McGhee, William T. Neil, Thomas Orr, Jackson Piper, David R. 
Porter, Adam Reitz, Irwin Robinson, James W. Shafter, Isaac Smith, David 
Simpson, Charles Smouse, Henry. Shaffer, Peter C. Spencer, William H. Wil- 
son, David Williard, George W. Young. 

Killed, Jacob L. Smith, Robert Doty, John W. Smith, W. H. H. Anthony, 
Peter Depp, Joseph Hill, Charles L)le, Charles Smouse, David L. Simpson, 
Wm. H. Wilson, David Williard, Thomas Orr ; died, Henry H. Depp, Charles 
Klepper, Robert M. Mannes, David R. Porter, George W. Young, William C. 
Martin ; died in rebel prison, John Kelly. 



The 105TH Regiment. 161 



Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps, Elijah Pantal, Jonathan Brindle, 
James Aul, William A. Chambers ; to First United States Cavalry, H. A. L. 
Girtz. « 

Company G, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company G was recruited principally from the southwestern townships, 
from the sturdy, honest German yeomanry of the county, and on the day of 
their departure for the front rendezvoused at Ringgold, where a large crowd 
had assembled to see them off, and from which point the farmers took them in 
wagons to Kittanning, where they took the cars. 

Captain John A. Freas, who first commanded the company resigned De- 
cember 24, 1S61, and Lieutenant John M. Steck was promoted captain, and 
commanded it until he was obliged, on account of ill health, to resign, April 
12, 1863, when Captain Woodward succeeded him until October 8, 1864, when, 
his time having expired. Captain Jacob H. Freas took charge of the company 
and was mustered out with it. 

Captains, John A. Freas, John M. Steck, Jacob H. Freas; first lieuten- 
ants, Charles B. Coon, Benjamin M. Stauffer ; second lieutenants, Harvey Mc- 
Aninch, E. H. McAninch, Edward P. Shaw ; first sergeant, Peter Slagle ; ser- 
geants, Jackson Hettrick, Jacob Swab, Philip H. Freas, George W. Taylor, 
George W. Hawthorn, Adam Himes, James W. Walker, Henry Crooks, Andrew 
J. Monks, John Startzell ; corporals, David Kellar, Hiram J. Milliron, William 
H. Lucas, John M. Fike, Daniel Parsons, William H. Smith, James F. Miller, 
William Aikens, George Saucerman, John A. Swartz, David C. Swineford, 
William F. Green, Isaac Hughes; privates, George Blystene, Samuel D. Bar- 
nett, Robert Baughman, Perry Brink, George Beer, Daniel Blose, Jacob 
Campbell, WilHam Cobb, Robert Davidson, Jacob Dibler, John Doverspike, 
Emanuel Eisenhart. Adam Fike, Jacob Freedline, George W. Geist, Samuel 
Geist, L N. Hinderliter, William E. Hawthorn, William Hartman, Francis F. 
Hawthorn, David Harp, Jacob Harp, Joseph K. Hawthorn, John Harwick, 
William A. Hadden, Jacob Harshberger, Samuel Henderson, William A. 
Haines, David Haugh, Jacob Hilliard, Frank P. Hettrick, William Jenkins, 
Michael Kellar, William D. Kane, Elijah Kellar, George W. Kinsel, Henry H. 
Kiehl, Henry N. Milliron, WilHam Means, Jacob Neece, James Orr, William 
D. Orts, Joseph Plyter, Richard J. Parsons, William Plyter, Robert Patterson, 
Anthony Peters, John Richards, Daniel Ritchards, Isaac Reitz, Joseph Reed, 
Harvey Rowan, Henry Raybuck, Adam Raybuck, John D. Rhodes, Caleb E. 
Stewart, John P. Smith, Daniel Shaffer, Michael Strawcutter, Philip Shrauger, 
John Snyder, Conrad Shorfstall, Peter Snepp, Garrett B. Shrauger, William 
Slagle, David Snowden, Samuel Smith, John Smith, Nathan P. Sprankle, 
Frederick B. Sprankle, Martin V. Shaffer, James L. Shaffer, Andrew J. 
Timblin, Daniel Undercoffer, Thomas M. Watson, Alexander Wiley, Watson 
Young, Edward W. Young. 



i62 History of Jefferson County. 

Killed. — Sergeant G. W. Hawthorn. Corporals, Daniel Parsons, William 
H. Smith, George W. Geist, Daniel Richards, Isaac Reitz, Joseph Reed, Philip 
Shrauger, John Snyder, Conrad Shoafstall. 

Died. — Sergeants, Adam Himes, James W. Walker, Henry Crooks. Corpo- 
rals, John A. Swartz, William Aiken, George Saucerman, David C. Simpson. 
Privates, Jacob Campbell, William Cobb, Samuel Geist, William Hartman, 
David Harp, Francis F. Hawthorne, Jacob Harp, Joseph K. Hawthorne, Will- 
iam Jenkins, Richard J. Parsons, Thomas M. Watson, Watson Young. Died in 
rebel prisons. — James F. Millen, Michael Keller, James Orr. 

Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps. — Lieutenant A. J. Monks ; John 
Doverspike, Jacob Friedline, David Haugh, Jacob Hilliard, John D. Rhodes, 
James L. Shaffer. 

Company H, One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, P. V. 

Company H was recruited principally in the townships of Winslow, Wash- 
ington, and Snyder. Captain Tracy, of Rockdale Mills, who had assisted 
largely in recruiting the company soon resigning, the command devolved upon 
Captain John C. Conser, who bravely commanded them until he fell at Bo}d- 
ton, when he was succeeded by Captain Tilton C. Reynolds, who shared their 
fortunes until the final muster out : 

Captains, Artemas H. Tracy, John C. Conser, Tilton C. Reynolds ; first 
lieutenants, Ti omas K. Hastings, George Van Vliet, Samuel Jones ; second 
lieutenants, George W. Crosley, Josiah E. Miller; first sergeant, Mathias Ban- 
kert ; sergeants, George Sharp, Adam Miller, George D. Mosier, E. L. Evans, 
Benjamin L. Johnson, Mathew Miller, Joseph F. Green, James Millen. Forbes 
Kilgore, Irvin R. Long ; corporals, James Penfield, Samuel G. Moorhead, 
Henry Grant, James Truhy, John K. Moore, Philip N. Tapper, Samuel Pres- 
ton, E. S. Holloway, John Neil, John St. Clair ; privates, Jesse N. Atwell, Jas. 
Bailly, Lewis Boyington, Hamilton F. Burris, Stephen S. Briggs, John Bu- 
chanon, George Britton, William Blystone, Jesse Cole, Peter Cox, Joseph L. 
Conn, Charles H. Clinton, George A. Clark, Daniel G. Carl, Hugh Conn, Jacob 
Dickey, Ebenezer Dailey, Samuel C. Dewoody, John Denberger, John Foust, 
Jacob Foust, Robert Feverly, Robert Fleming, William H. Farren, William 
Foust, Casper Gillnet, Harvey Groves, William Green, John L. Groves, George 
W. Harding, Thomas Hutchinson, William J. Heckman, Benjamin F. Hay- 
maker, James Harbenger, George Howlett, George P. Hartzell, William. J., 
Henderson, Andrew Hoak, Moses Ishman, Archie Jones, George W. Keck, 
Sampson Kirker, William Kerp, Thomas Kessner, John Kerker, Edward Lewis, 
James R. London, George W. Luke, Henry L. Lindsey, George Montgomery, 
David B. Moore, W. S. Mattock, Henry C. Moore, James Mulkins, James 
Moore, William Menser, Nelson Munger, Joseph F. Millen, Michael Miller, 
Robert Morrison, William Mulkins, James McCutcheon, James McGeary, John 



The 105TH Regiment. 163 



McDonald, R. Mc Adams, sr., David McKibbin, John McKean, William Mc- 
Kean, James McGhee, W. H. McLaughlin, William McClelland, Noble Mc- 
Clure, John Nelson, John Osborne, George G. Rickard, Washington Rhoades, 
Albert Reynolds, Robert Rager, Gilbert P. Rea, Thomas W. Rea, Joseph Rutter, 
James H. Reed, John W. Rea, George Shick, William C. Smith, Daniel Sharp, 
John Soliday, Oliver Smith, Ami Sibley, H. H. Sparks, Robert Spur, Andrew 
S. Smith, Henry Stevenson, Hiram P. Sprague, Peter Sharp, William Smith, 
Joseph Tedlie, Anthony Tory, John Thomas, William S. Whiteman, George 
Winklebauch, George Walch, George W. Warnock, William Waich, Peter 

B. Wensell, Adam Wensell, Dexter F. Wilson, George Yount, Edward W. 
Young. 

Killed. — Captain John C. Conser ; lieutenant, George W. Crosley ; ser- 
geant, James Millen ; corporal, John Neil ; privates, George A. Clark, Daniel 
G. Carl, William Foust, John L. Groves, George Howlett, Robert Morrison, 
John Nelson, Joseph Rutter, Hiram P. Sprague, Peter Sharp, George Yount. 

Died. — Sergeants, Forbes Kilgore, Irvin R. Long ; privates, William Bli- 
stone, Hugh Conn, William J. Henderson, Archie Jones, John Kerker, William 
Mulkins, William McClelland, James H. Reed, John W. Rea, Joseph Tedley, 
George Winklebauch, Edward W. Young ; died in rebel prisons, sergeants 
Joseph F. Green, Michael Miller. 

Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps. — Thomas W. Rea, Dexter F. Wil- 
son, E. S. Holloway, John Grossman, R. C. McAdams. 

Company I, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company I was composed principally of men from Brookville, and the ad- 
jacent townships, and was mainly recruited by Captain Silas J. Martin, who, 
on account of sickness in his family, was obliged to resign March 10, 1862. 
Upon his resignation Captain James Hamilton was selected from the Thirty- 
eighth Pennsylvania (Ninth Reserves), to command the company, and when he 
gloriously fell at the Wilderness, the command devolved upon Captain Oliver 

C. Redic, of Clarion county, and upon his promotion to lieutenant-colonel 
Captain Henry Galbraith succeeded him, and remained with the company, 
sharing all its battles and dangers, until its final muster out. The muster rolls 
below give all the men from Jefferson county with a list of those killed, died of 
wounds, or disease, and those transferred to other organizations : 

Captains, Silas J. Martin, Henry Galbraith ; first lieutenant, Isaac N. 
Tuller; second lieutenants, Hugh Brady, Robert I. Boyington, John H. Ken- 
nedy ; first sergeants, John Magiffin, George VanViiet ; sergeants, John Doug- 
lass, James L. Paul, Benjamin PoUyard, James C. Ouinter, Isaiah E. Davis, 
Joseph Kinnear, Mathias Manner, James Nicholson ; corporals, Henry Shaffer, 
Daniel A. Friedline, Frederick Trapp, David Criswell, Andrew Edinger, James 
C. Gilson, Henry Rhoads, James Moorhead, Stephen Sartwell, Henry K. Mitch- 



1 64 History of Jefferson County. 

ell, William Toye, John W. Manners ; privates, Isaac Allen, Ethan Allen, 
William Armstrong, Daniel A. Brown, Edwin Black, Jesse Bump, John Blos- 
ser, George Boyer, James R. Bennett, John Burgess, William Burford, Emery 
E. Brown, Andrew Campbell, Mathew L. Cochran, William Campbell, William 
A. Crawford, Simeon Chapman, William Christie, Nathaniel Carbaugh, Will- 
iam Cowan, William Chapman, William Courtney, George W. Christie, H. A. 
Davis, Aaron Douglass, Samuel C. Davis, James Doyle, Jacob Edwards, Peter 
Fye, Oliver Graham, William H. Gray, George Graham, James F. Hawthorn, 
George Howard, Abram F. Hunter, Samuel S. Howser, Samuel Hogue, William 
E. Hawthorn, David Hawthorn, John Hillman, Joel Horn, George C. Hopkins, 
James R. Hoover, George W. Hettrick, Henry J. Hawthorn, Samuel A. Hun- 
ter, Harrison Hogue, Silas Irwin, Harry Ickes, John R. Johnson, Thomas Jolly, 
Henry Kennedy, Levi Knight, John Koch, Benjamin F. Lerch, John C. Moor- 
head, Robert C. Millen, David R. Matson, R. S. Montgomery, William Miller, 
Jacob J. Mauk, William A. Millen, John A. Mikle, Jacob Moore, William H. 
Manners, Edward I. Miller, Eli C. McLaughlin, William McDonald, Alexander 
McDonald, William O'Donnel, James O'Neal, John Royer, Chapman Rose, 
Eli Roll, Joseph Ronke, John S. Smith, James Stroup, Jacob Snowden, Riley 
Siverly, Fred L. Svventzell, Enos Shirts, Henry Smith, John O. Spencer, 
Samuel Stroup, Henry Shirley, Joseph Stumph, James W. Shields, John J. 
Sherman, Hugh M. Steel, James K. Shaffer, George J. Shultz, George Thomas, 
Mathias Thompson, Henry Toye, Samuel Tingley, William Vandevort, James 
Warey, Thomas Woodward, Henry Yount, Isaac Yount. 

Killed. — Sergeants, Isaiah E. Davis, Joseph Kinnear, Mathias Manner; cor- 
porals, James Moorhead, Stephen Sartwell, James R. Bennett. John Burgiss, 
William Chapman, William Courtney, James R. Hoover, George W. Hettrick, 
H. J. Hawthorne, Samuel A. Hunter, Silas Irvin, John R, Johnson, D. R. Mat- 
son, R. S. Montgomery, Philip Ritchie, Enos Shirts, Mathew Thompson, Isaac 
Yount. 

Died. — Sergeant, James Nicholson ; corporals, H. K. Mitchell, William 
Toye, John W. Manners ; William Burford, George W. Christie, Samuel Hogue, 
Harrison Hogue, Levi Knight John Koch, Benjamin F. Lerch, William Miller, 
Jacob Mauk, William A. Millen, William McDonald. James O'Neil, Henry 
Smith, John O. Spencer, Samuel Stroup, Thomas Woodward. 

Transferred to V. R. C. — Sergeants, James C. Quinter, John Hillman, Joel 
Horn, George J. Shultz, James R. Shaffer; transferred to U. S. Army, George 
C. Hopkins. 

Company K, One Hundred and Fifth P. V. 

Company K was recruited in Indiana county, but Jefferson county fur- 
nished some of its most gallant officers. Captain A. C. Thompson, who was 
disabled at second battle of Bull Run, and Captain James Miller, who after- 



The 105TH Regiment. 165 



wards rose to be colonel of the regiment. The only Jefferson county men in 
this company were : 

Captains, Albert C. Thompson, James Miller; first lieutenant, John G. Wil- 
son ; first sergeants, John Gold, Thomas K. Hastings ; sergeants, Robert T. 
Pattison, John T. Swisher, James H. May ; corporal, James M. Torrence ; 
privates, George M. Bouch, John Baker, Samuel Benner, Hugh C. Craven, Z. T. 
Chambers, Alpheus B. Clark, James D. Frampton, Samuel McAdoo, Samuel 
Rhoads, John Stiver, Jesse J. Templeton, Henry Wyning. 

Killed. — Sergeants, Robert T. Pattison, John T. Swisher. 

Died. — Hugh C. Craven, James D. Frampton, Jesse J. Templeton. 

One Hundred and Fifth Regiment Association. 

On the 7th of October, 1879, the veterans of the One Hundred and Fifth 
Regiment held their first reunion since the war, at Brookville. About two 
hundred and fifty were present, every company being represented. 

A regimental association was effected, with the following officers: President, 
Lieutenant Colonel Levi B. Duff; vice-president. Captain John Hastings; sec- 
retary. Captain S. A. Craig ; corresponding secretary. Miss Kate M. Scott; treas- 
urer, M. V. Shaffer; executive committee. Major M. M. Dick, Lieutenant Col- 
onel Oliver C. Redic, Captain Joseph C. Kelso, Lieutenant Thomas K. Hastings, 
Captain A. H. Tracy, James G. Mitchell, D. W. Goheen. 

The intention of the society was to hold a reunion each year; and the two 
following years the regiment met respectively at Punxsutawney and Reynolds- 
ville, and October 2, 1882, held a joint reunion with the Sixty- third Pennsyl- 
vania at Pittsburgh, since which time there has been no reunion. The organ- 
ization is still in force, however, the officers elected at the last meeting of the 
association holding over, Major M. M. Dick, of West Newton, Pa., president, and 
John McGaughey, of Lidiana, Pa., secretary. 

In April, 1886, a meeting was held at Brookville, of the members of the 
regiment, to take action in regard to the erection of a monumental tablet on 
the battlefield at Gettysburg, and a permanent organization was effected, to 
be known as the Monumental Association of the One Hundred and Fifth Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, and the following officers elected : President, O. C. Red- 
ick ; vice-president, S. A. Craig; secretary, J. C. Kelso ; corresponding secre- 
tary. Miss Kate M. Scott ; treasurer, W. H. Gray. The following committee 
on finance, to procure the necessary funds for the erection of a monument was 
appointed: D.W. Goheen, W. W. Corbett, S. J. Marhn, John McGaughey, W. 
H. Hewitt, Joseph Craig, T. K. Hastings, John M. Brewer, Joseph H. Gray, J. 
M. Shoaf, James E. Mitchell, William Neal, W. D. Kane, Jesse Atwell, Albert 
Reynolds, Ebenezer Bartlett, Harvey Craig, David C. Kyphert, WilHam Keys, 
Milton Craven, Peter Slagle, J. H. Rowan, John Hastings, O. C. Redick. The 
president announced the following executive committee : L. B. Duff, O. C. 

18 



i66 History of Jefferson County. 

Redick, George VanVliet, S. A. Craig, W. H. Gray, T. K. Hastings, and J. H. 
Kennedy. Of the latter committee, Messrs. Duff, Redic, and VanVliet subse- 
quently visited the battlefield, and in conjunction with the Battlefield Associa- 
tion located and marked the spot on which the monument is to be placed. It 
is in the field to the right of the Emmettsburg road, where the regiment did 
its hardest fighting. 

On the occasion of the reunion of the Third Corps at Gettysburg, July 2, 
1886, an informal meeting was held of the members of the One Hundred and 
Fifth present, who concurred in the work of the association, and subscribed lib- 
erally to the monumental fund. The monument, which will be in every respect 
worthy of the regiment which it will represent, and a fitting memorial to the 
brave men who fell from its ranks on that and other hard fought fields, will be 
placed in position in the near future. 



CHAPTER XV. 

MISCELLANEOUS MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS. 

Company I. Sixty-seventh Regiment — Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment 
— Companies E and I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment — Death of Lieutenant Maguire 
— Company B, Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment — Death of Lieutenant Colonel McLain — 
Company C, Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment — Muster Rolls. 

Company F, Sixty-seventh Regiment P. V. 

IN November, 1861, S. C. Arthurs, who had served as first sergeant in Com- 
pany K, Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, commenced to recruit a company 
for three years. His company was styled the "United Eagles," and was raised 
in Jefferson and Clarion counties. The company went into camp near Rim- 
ersburg, Clarion county, where an organization was effected, with S. C. Arthurs, 
captain, the other commissioned officers being from Clarion county. In 1862 the 
company joined the regiment of Colonel John F. Staunton, at Philadelphia, and 
was mustered into the service as Company F, Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers. 

On the 3d of April, 1862, the Sixty-seventh was ordered to Baltimore, and 
from there to Annapolis, Md., where it relieved the Eleventh Regiment, P. V. 
It was here employed in guard and provost duty in the city and in other parts 
of Eastern Maryland, and in furnishing guards for Camp Parole, near the city. 
The latter duty was so well performed that the citizens experienced no trouble 
from the presence of the large body of paroled prisoners constantly at this 
camp. During all this time the disciphne was verj' strict, and the regiment 
was thoroughly drilled, until it was equal to any in the service. 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 167 

In February, 1863 the Sixty seventli was relieved, and ordered to Harper's 
Ferry, where it did guard and garrison dut_\' for a short time, when it was at- 
tached to the Third Brigade of General Milroy's command. The headquarters 
of the department was at Winchester, and their work was to hold the rebels in 
check, and prevent the eastern portion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 
from falling into their hands. The Third Brigade, in command of Colonel 
McReynolds, of the First N. Y. Cavalry, was posted at Berryville, ten miles 
from Winchester, and as General Milroy " was expressly ordered to undertake 
no ofTensive operations in force," little of importance occurred to the command, 
whose occupation was to watch the movements of the cavalry of Jones, Ira- 
boden, and Moseby, the only forces of the enemy known to be in their front. 

On the evening of June 12th Colonel Staunton, who had been to Winchester, 
returned with the news that the enemy was advancing in force down the valley, 
and only a few miles distant. General Milroy ordered the brigade to be in 
readiness to reinforce him at Winchester, but as the rear guard of the com- 
mand left Berryville to obey the signal to join General Milroy, the enemy ap- 
peared in sight, and to avoid encountering him in force on the Berryville and 
and Winchester pike, the command was obliged to make a detour by Summit 
Point and Bunker Hill. Just after passing the latter place, the rear of the col- 
umn was struck by Jenkins's rebel cavalry, but the enemy was repulsed with 
considerable loss. After a fatiguing march of over thirty miles, in the midst 
of a drenching rain, the command reached Winchester about 10 P. M., and the 
tired troops had scarcely laid down to rest, when they were again in motion, 
and were shifted from one position to another ; the Sixty-seventh being on Sun- 
day morning ordered into the rifle-pits, at the Star Fort, about a mile and a half 
northwest of Winchester. At noon of the same day it was ordered to relieve 
the Eighty-seventh Pennsylvania, which had been engaged in a skirmish with 
the enemy on the outskirts of the town. It advanced promptly and took posi- 
tion under a severe fire and held the town until dark, when it was ordered to 
retire to Star Fort. 

General Milroy, fearing that his small command would be cut off by the 
enemy, determined to evacuate Winchester, and cut his way through the ene- 
my's lines. He succeeded in getting about four miles from Winchester, when 
he suddenly encountered a large body of the enemy, who at once opened a 
heavy fire upon him. At the opening of the engagement the Sixty-seventh, 
and the Sixth Maryland, instead of forming on the left in support of the troops 
fighting in the front, were deployed to the right. They remained under par- 
tial cover for some time, until it became apparent that the attempt to turn the 
enemy's right had failed ; they then attempted to cut their way through upon 
the enemy's left, but had only advanced a short distance when they found 
themselves in the midst of the main body of the enemy. A severe engagement 
ensued, in which the little force fought bravely, but were soon overpowered ; 



1 68 History of Jefferson County. 

the Sixty-seventh, which was in advance, finding itself surrounded on every 
hand was compelled to surrender. The men who had had no rest from the morn- 
ing of the 13th, were completely exhausted by marching and fighting. Many 
of the officers and men determining not to be taken if possible, scattered and 
escaped into the woods, and reached the Union lines ; but the greater part of 
Company I with Captain Arthurs were captured ; Major Harry White, who had 
dismounted, and fought with the regiment on foot was taken prisoner. The 
officers and men were at once transferred to Richmond, and the former were 
kept in confinement for more than a year in Libby. The men were confined 
at Belle Isle near Richmond, where they suffered all the privations of prison 
life for two months, when they were paroled and returned to Annapolis. 

Major White, who was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate, and whose 
vote was necessary to a majority of either party in that body, was subjected to 
a separate and more rigorous confinement on that account, the enemy being 
well aware that the Senate could enact no business until his release, or until 
his resignation was secured. The fragment of the regiment which escaped 
capture was reorganized at Harper's Ferry, and with the rest of Milroy's com- 
mand was transferred to the Third Division of the Third Corps. On the 30th 
of June it was sent with ordinance stores, etc., from the works at Maryland 
Heights, which were shipped to Washington. The Sixty-seventh as part of 
this guard reached Washington on the 4th of May, and a few days later was 
ordered to join the Army of the Potomac, at Frederick. During the fall and 
winter of 1863 it shared the fortunes of the Third Corps. The exchanged pris- 
oners rejoined the regiment on the iith of October. When active operations 
were abandoned the regiment went into winter quarters at Brandy Station, 
where a large portion of the regiment re-enlisted, and all who were entitled to 
a veteran furlough returned home. At the end of their thirty days' leave they 
returned to Washington, and the regiment was ordered to report to' General 
Abercrombie at Belle Plain, where it remained employed in various duties for 
some time. 

On the 13th of June the Si.xty-seventh had a skirmish with the enemy near 
White House. On the following morning Sheridan arrived with his command 
and the enemy was compelled to retire. The Sixty-seventh then acted as escort 
for the wagon- train of General Sheridan, which was taken through in safety to 
tlie James River, the only occurrence being a slight skirmish with the enemy's 
cavalry near Charles City Cross Roads. Upon his arrival Colonel Staunton was 
ordered to join his brigade in front of Petersburg, where the enlisted men who 
had been transferred to the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth, upon the departure 
of the veterans on furlough, were returned to their places in the ranks of the 
Sixty-seventh. 

On the 6th of July the division embarked at City Point for Baltimore, and 
from there started out in quest of Early, who with a large force was raiding in 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 169 

Maryland. During these operations, and in the campaign that ensued under 
General Wright, the regiment took part, being kept almost constantly on the 
move. 

At this time the Army of the Shenandoah, under General Sheridan, was 
lying at Clifton, about three miles from Berryville, and at a little before day- 
light on the morning of the 19th of September, General Sheridan began the 
battle. The Sixth Corps moved first, the Third Division on the right, with 
the Sixty-seventh at the extreme right of the division. The battle raged along 
the entire line until almost evening, when General Sheridan rode along the 
lines and informed the troops that Averell was in the enemy's rear, the Eighth 
Corps on his flank, and that if they would press on he could route Early com- 
pletely. Soon the order was given, and the whole line charged up the valley. 
The Third Division, principally composed of Milroy's old command, was the 
first to reach the heights of Winchester, Lieutenant Asaph M. Clark, of Com- 
pany F, being the first to reach the enemy's works and plant the colors upon 
them. The regiment went into the fight with only two commissioned 
officers — two lieutenants, and lost heavily. 

The Sixty-seventh took part in the pursuit of Early and in all the subse- 
quent brilliant career of Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. In the fight of 
the 19th of October, which, but for the opportune arrival of Sheridan, would 
have ended so disastrously to our arms, the Sixty-seventh was hotly engaged, 
losing forty-eight in killed and wounded. 

It remained in the valley until near the close of the year, when, with 
the corps, it was ordered to the front at Petersburg, and participated in the 
closing campaign. After the surrender of Lee it was sent to Danville, near the 
North Carolina border, where Johnston still had a large rebel force, but on his 
surrender returned to Washington, where it was mustered out of service July 
14, 1865.1 

Captain Arthurs, who was taken prisoner June 13, 1863, at the battle of 
Winchester, was held by the rebels until March 11, 1865. He suffered all the 
privations and indignities that were so lavishly bestowed upon the Union pris- 
oners, besides being deprived of fighting with his gallant command on the field. 
Mrs. Arthurs, who was with the captain in camp at Berrj'ville, when the rebels 
swooped down upon them, narrowly escaped being captured. She returned to 
Baltimore, where she remained, working earnestly for Captain Arthurs's release, 
until he rejoined her and returned to Brookville with her March 29, 1865. 
While in Baltimore Mrs. Arthurs did good work among the sick and wounded 
soldiers in the hospitals there. 

Lieutenant Asaph M. Clark, who escaped capture, gallantly commanded the 
company in most of its further campaigns, until he was promoted to first lieu- 

1 We have taken the principal part of the operations of the Sixty-seventh from "Bates's History 
Pennsylvania Volunteers," volume 2. 



\yo History of Jefferson County. 

tenant of Company K, February 5, 1865, and afterwards to captain of that 
company. 

The following Jefferson county men in Company F, were killed, or died of 
disease : B. Rush Scott, killed at Winchester ; Benewell Fisher, R. D. McCut- 
cheon, Daniel Dunkleburg died ; the latter dying while at his home on fur- 
lough. John W. Greenawalt, James W. Kerr, and Daniel McAdoo transferred 
to Veteran Reserve Corps. 

Jefferson County Men in Comp.a.ny F, 67TH P. V. 

Captain, Samuel C. Arthurs; first sergeants, Jacob B. .McCracken, Asaph 
M. Clark ; sergeants, Thomas J. Proctor, Elias VV. Haines ; corporals, Fred Hil- 
liard, Thompson McAninch, Alexander F. Flick, David, Clepper, John Dough- 
erty, Samuel Irwin; privates, James R. Adams, Edward Burns, Layfayette 
Burge, Thomas Brown, John Baxter, David Barry, Noah Burkepile, John H. 
Cox, John Dick}-, Daniel Dunkleburg, George Friedline, Jesse Flick, George 
Fisher, Henry Fisher, Benewell Fisher, Peter Grove, jr., James R. Galley, John 
W. Greenawalt, Henry Geesey, Aaron Hendricks, George M. Hilliard, Michael 
Harriger, Silas E. Hall, John M. Hadden, George W. Keys, John B. Lucas, 
John Messner, Henry B. Milliron, Daniel McAdoo, R. D. McCutcheon, Quin- 
ton O'Kain, Samuel D. Patterson, John Shadle, Henry Snyder, Henry C. Sny- 
der, Benjamin R. Scott, David Taylor, Henry Truman, John Voinchet, Daniel 
Williams, John Warner, Robert D. Williams, Edward W. Young, Samuel 
Yeomans. 

Company B, ijsth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

This company was recruited, under the call of the president, issued July i, 

1862, for troops to serve for nine months. It was raised largely through the 
efforts of Richard J. Espy, A. B. and Charles McLain, and left Brookville 
August 7th and proceeded to Camp Curtin, at Harrisburg, where it was mus- 
tered into the One Hundred and Thirty- fifth Pennsylvania Regiment. On the 
organization of the regiment, with J. R. Porter, of Indiana, as colonel, A. B. 
McLain was made adjutant, and the election for company officers resulted in 
Richard J. Espy being chosen captain ; Charles McLain, first lieutenant, and 
Andrew J. Sparks, second lieutenant. On the same day that the regiment was 
organized, August 19, 1862, it left for Washington, and on reporting to Gen- 
eral Wadsworth, in command of that department, was assigned to provost guard 
duty, being detailed in detachments in Washington and Georgetown. The 
field officers being assigned to special duty, such as president of general court 
martial, commandant of Capitol Hill and of the Soldiers' Home, and in taking 
charge of the prisoners on their way for exchange between Washington and 
Aiken's Landing. The regiment remained at Washington until February 16, 

1863, though Colonel Porter made repeated application to have his regiment 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 171 

sent to the front, but without avail, until General Wadsworth joined the Army 
of the Potomac, when the scattered detachments were united, and the regiment 
proceeded to Belle Plain, where it was assigned to the First Brigade, Third 
Division, First Corps, Colonel Porter being for a time in command of the 
brigade. The regiment was engaged on picket and guard duty until the 
Chancellorsville campaign commenced, when it was moved, on the 28th of 
April, to Pollock Mills, on the Rappahannock River, near Fredericksburg. 
Shortly after dark Colonel Porter was ordered to move his regiment close to 
the bank of the river to support the batteries. On the following morning the 
enemy opened upon the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth, the fire being promptly 
and effectively returned ; the regiment having three wounded, one of whom, 
E. H. Baum, was of Company B. 

On the 2d of May the First Corps was ordered to Chancellorsville, where 
Hooker was engaged with the enemy, but the One Hundred and Thirty fifth 
was left in support of the batteries. As soon as relieved it hastened to rejoin 
its brigade at the front, and was there thrown out to cover the front of the 
brigade, losing in the movement several prisoners. After this campaign closed 
the regiment returned to Belle Plain, where it remained until its term of ser- 
vice expired. 

General Doubleday, commanding the Third Division of the First Corps, said 
of this regiment : " Colonel Porter has rendered very good service with his 
regiment in guarding the batteries along the Rappahannock engaged in cover- 
ing the crossing of our troops below Fredericksburg. His men defended the guns 

against the enemy's sharpshooters, and did good execution The 

One Hundred and Thirty-fifth also covered the front of the First Brigade of my 
Division at the battle of Chancellorsville, and though not actively engaged, done 
all that was required of it." 

Their term of enlistment having expired, the regiment returned to Harris- 
burg, where, on the 24th of May, 1863, it was mustered out of service. Dur- 
ing its nine months' service it lost eight men. From disease, Benjamin F. Bon- 
ham, George Diveler, James Flanders ; Robert Gilmore, William F. Huffman, 
Daniel Reed, George W. Weckerly, William Whaling. Lee Forsythe died 
of injuries received in railroad accident near Washington. Miles Flack lost 
both legs in same accident. 

Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-Fifth P. V. 

Captain, Richard J. Espy ; first lieutenant, Charles McLain ; second lieuten- 
ant, Andrew J. Sparks ; first sergeant, John A. McLain ; sergeants, George W. 
Porter, E. H. Baum, Samuel M. Moore, George W. Sibley ; corporals, Thomas 
S. McCreight, Thomas M. Myers, Samuel L. Allen, Hiram W. Clark, Alanson 
R. Felt, Robert W. Anderson, Daniel B. Porter, John A. Rishel ; musician, 
William S. Lucas ; privates, Robert Andrews, John W. Alford, Leonard Agnew, 



172 History of Jefferson County. 

John Alcorn, Calvin Burns, Joseph Beer, Liberty Beer, Isaac H. Buzzard, An- 
son H. Bowdish, James Bennett, Jacob Booth, John Bonham, David Buchan- 
an, Benjamin F. Bonham, George W. Corbin, John A. Cuzzens, G. W. Cham- 
berlain, Sylvester Davis, Alonzo Dixon, George Diveler, Miles Flack, Lee 
Forsythe, James Flanders, Franklin Goodar, Samuel Gibbs, Ray Giles, Robert 
Gilmore, Elias J. Hettrick, Frederick Harvey, Nathaniel Harriger, William 
V. Heim, John Hettrick, James Hildreth, Nathan Hoig, George Haight, Wes- 
ley Haight, William Harris, Chauncey P. Harding, William F. Hoffman, Elias 
W. Jones, Cyrenus N. Jackson, Henry Keihl, Jacob S. Keihl, Othoniel Kelly, 
John L. Lucas, Louis Litzel, Julius Morey, James A. Myers, Abel L. Mathews, 
James E. Mitchell, G. S. Montgomery, Robert Miller, C. W. Morehead, James E. 
McCracken, F. B. McNaughton, William G. McMinn, Jonathan R. McFadden, 
Frank M. Robinson, Thomas V. Robinson, William A. Royer, Daniel Reed, 
Louis Riley, James T. Smith, Peter Spangler, Jeremiah B. Smith, Solomon 
Stahlman, David Stahlman, David Uplinger, Silas Whelpley, Joseph Woods, 
Orlando Wayland, George R. White, George S. Wallace, George W. Weckerly, 
William Whaling. 

Company E, and I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment P. V. 

The One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment was principally recruited in 
Centre county, and when ready to take the field, desiring that a Centre county 
soldier should command them, their choice fell upon James A. Beaver, of Belle- 
fonte, Pa., who was then at the front with his regiment, the Forty-fifth Penn- 
sylvania, of which he was lieutenant-colonel. Governor Curtin adding his 
petition to that of the officers of the new regiment, that he should become its 
commander, Colonel Beaver resigned from the Forty-fifth, and assumed com- 
mand of the new regiment, which was designated as the One Hundred and 
Forty-eighth. The regiment was organized September 8, 1862, at Camp Curtin, 
with seven companies from Centre county, one from Clarion, two from Jefferson 
and Indiana. All of Company I and about half the men in Company E, were 
from Jefferson. The day following its organization the regiment was sent to 
guard the Northern Central Railroad, with headquarters at Cockeysville, Md. 
Here it was put under the most rigid and uniform rules of discipline, so that in 
less than three months after entering the service, some veteran officers who had 
just been released from rebel prisons, and were passing the well arranged and 
orderly camp, noticing the trim appearance of the pickets, and the guards at 
the colonel's headquarters, wearing clean white gloves, burnished brasses and 
blackened shoes, called out to the men, "Are you regulars?" Colonel 
Beaver took great pride in the rapid progress of his regiment, and said of them 
at this time, " The men of this regiment are willing and of more than ordi- 
nary intelligence. I am satisfied that it can be made all that a regiment ought 
to be, if the officers are faithful." This prediction the subsequent history of 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 173 

the regiment proved. The discipline enforced embraced every phase of a sol- 
dier's obligation. Though there was no immediate necessity apparent, the men 
were instructed in the duties of the outpost as well as the camp. Careful picket 
lines were maintained and tested by the young colonel at all hours of the day 
and night. The most rigid rules of soldierly conduct were kindly but firmly 
enforced. 

One of the best drilled companies in the regiment was Company I, and to 
Captain Marlin of that Company was the One Hundred and Forty-eighth 
in a great measure indebted for its efficiency in drill and discipline, for in him 
Colonel Beaver found an officer thoroughly posted in every detail of soldierly 
qualifications. Going as he did from the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsj'lva- 
nia, he carried with him the lessons learned in military tactics, in that rigid 
school of drill and discipline that Colonel McKnight established at Camp Jame- 
son, during the winter of 1861—62, and which made the officers of that regi- 
ment excel in this respect. Colonel Marlin gives this severe and thorough 
training that he then received the credit for his success as an officer. He lent 
himself ardently to aid the colonel of the regiment in his efforts to make the 
One Hundred and Forty-eighth a regiment that would have done credit to 
the " Old Guards." 

A good story is told of the obstacles which Colonel Beaver sometimes 
encountered in liis desire to make a " crack " regiment out of the material 
gathered from the mountains of Pennsylvania. Standing one day near his 
headquarters, a sturdy German of the Clarion county company came shambling 
along toward him, with anything but a soldierly gait, and without a soldier's 
bearing. Approaching the Colonel, without saluting, he said : 

" Say, vere's de old docther ? " 

" I don't know. But who are you ? " asked the Colonel. 

" Vy, I been Switzer." 

" Are you a soldier ?" sternly demanded the Colonel, appreciating the com- 
edy nature of the performance, but also realizing the necessity of giving the 
man a practical lesson in a soldier's education. 

" Oh, yah ; I belong to the Hundred and Fordy-eidth." 

" Ah, is that so," replied the Colonel. " You don't appear like a soldier of 
that regiment. But if }'ou are, let me show you how a member of that regi- 
ment addresses an officer. You stand here and be colonel for a moment, 
while I take your place as a private." The German citizen soldier eyed the 
colonel curiously as he walked away a few paces, wheeled about and ap- 
aproached him with a brisk, soldierly step, and military carriage. The substi- 
tuted private addressed the suddenly commissioned officer and said : 

" Colonel, can you tell me, sir, where I will find the surgeon of the regi- 
ment ?" 

" Mein Gott in Himmel, I doan no ! I'm been lookin' for him meinself for 
an hour." -"-^ 



174 History of Jefferson County. 

The colonel's dignity succumbed to the German's reply, and he walked into 
his quarters to conceal a hearty laugh. 

On the 7th of December the regiment was ordered to join the army of the 
Potomac, and assigned to the First Brigade, First Division of the Second 
Corps. The brigade was commanded by General Caldwell, while General Han- 
cock was in command of the division. It went into camp near Falmouth, and 
again built winter quarters. The regiment was here employed on picket duty 
and active drill, and kept up its reputation for soldierly bearing and neatness, 
being several times during the winter complimented by General Hancock for 
its fine appearance on review. 

General Walker in his history of the Second Corps, says of the first ap- 
pearance of this regiment at the front : 

"Three days after the First Division returned to camp (after the battle of 
Fredericksburgh) it as the most depleted division, received a reinforcement in 
the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, Colonel James A. Beaver, 
a regiment which was thereafter, through all the subsequent struggle to the 
glorious end, to be associated with the Second Corps, and never to be named 
without honor. The degree of discipline to which this new regiment of Penn- 
sylvania troops had already, in four months of service, been brought by its 
accomplished commander, rendered it a conspicuous figure, whether among 
the camps of the division, on review, or in the field." 

At Chancellorsville Companies E and I of the One Hundred and Forty- 
eighth were part of the celebrated skirmish line of Colonel Miles. Says Gen- 
eral Walker: " Again and again did he (the enemy) advanc einto the slashing, 
and attempt to make his way over Miles's resolute force ; but in vain. Occu- 
pying a position of advantage, the Fifty-seventh, the Sixty-fourth and the 
Sixty-sixth New York, Second Delaware, and One Hundred and Forty-eighth 
Pennsylvania, every time beat off" these attacks, and drove the assailants back 
to cover. The importance of this stiff holding of our line on the left could not 
at this crisis be over-estimated. Had McLaws been able to produce any im- 
pression, however slight, along the turnpike, he would have fearfully compli- 
cated the problem for the Union army. Called suddenly to face the irruption 
of Jackson's three divisions, through its broken right, driving Howard's beaten 
troops before him as the stones and beams of a ruined dam, separated trees, 
and the wreckage of a hundred houses |are driven before the mountainous flood 
of waters. Fortunately while the good Third Corps with which was William 
Hays's brigade of French's division of the Second Corps, Pleasanton's small 
but gallant cavalry force, and the guns of numerous batteries, were, with rare 
discipline and heroism, resisting this fearful onslaught, no cause for alarm existed 
on the left ; even the line of battle was never for one moment allowed to be- 
come engaged ; but Miles holding the enemy off at arm's length, continued in 
his rifle-pits till night fell." Swinton in his " Potomac Campaigns " says of 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 175 

this brilliant exploit, " Amid much that is dastardly at Chancellorsville, the 
conduct of this young, but gallant and skillful officer, shines forth with a brill- 
iant lustre." So delighted was Hancock at this splendid behavior of his skir- 
mish line, that after one repulse of the enemy, he exclaimed to one of his aids, 
" Captain Parker ride down and tell Colonel Miles he is worth his weight in 
gold ! " 

" On Sunday morning when the One Hundred and Forty-eighth (four 
companies C, D, G, and H, while companies E and I were on the skirmish line 
of General Miles) was moving from the abatis where it had lain all night, 
General Hooker met it; 'What regiment is this?' he shouted. 'The One 
Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania,' said Colonel Beaver coming for- 
ward. With Meagher's Irish Brigade, which had been away on detached 
service, General Hancock had put Colonel Beaver's and the rest of Caldwell's 
Brigade under General Hooker's direct orders. A question more as to the 
brigade, and General Hooker turned to direct the regiment on its way. It 
was one of those rare moments when the commander of a great army picks up 
a single regiment and guides its movements. Filing out along the road leav- 
ing behind the advance line of the enemy, facing towards the new danger, the 
rebel shot from front and rear flying over their heads, the regiment followed 
Hooker's white horse. . . . Ten minutes of double quick and the regi- 
ment poured into a sloping, open field, which lost itself in a wood that 
crowned an elevation, from behind which were coming the puffs of rifle-shot 
and rings of artillery firing. 'There is your work. Colonel, occupy that wood,' 
said Hooker, pointing up the slope lying clean out of the Union lines, with the 
roads that led to a needed ford winding about it. ' Hadn't I better throw out 
a skirmish line, General ? ' said Colonel Beaver as he looked at the distant 
point upon which he was ordered to fling his regiment. 'Wait for nothing,' 
said General Hooker, as he turned to seek another part of the field, ' every- 
thing depends on holding those woods.' " ^ 

Reaching the point indicated, Colonel Beaver found the woods swarming 
with rebels, with whom an engagement began at close range. Here, in the 
hottest of the fight, Colonel Beaver was severely, and it was at first thought, 
mortally wounded in the abdomen. After the fall of their colonel the regi- 
ment remained all day in the woods, swaying back and forth in the fierce fight, 
but holding the ground on which the safety of the retreating army lay until 
late in the day, when it was withdrawn after a heavy loss. 

General Caldwell in his official report of this engagement says : 

" Colonel Beaver of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers deserves the highest praise for the discipline and efficiency which he 
has secured in his regiment. . . . He was unfortunately wounded severely 
at the first fire, and was borne from the field, before he conld see the heroism 
of his men." 

1 Burr's "Life of Beaver." 



176 History of Jefferson Couxty. 

After this battle the regiment returned to camp, where it remained until 
the opening of the Gettysburg campaign, when it moved north with the rest 
of the army, and on the morning of the 2d of July the Second Corps which had 
been halted during the night by General Hancock, about three miles out, on 
the Taneytown road, reached Gettysburg, and was assigned to occupy Ceme- 
tery Hill, the left centre of the line. Lee was at this time hurling his forces 
against the Third Corps, which was heroically striving to beat him back, and 
an almost hand to hand conflict was taking place in the Peach orchard where 
Birney's Division sustained the name that Kearney had given it. When these 
brave men of Sickles's Corps were being beaten back by the combined forces 
of McLaws and Hood, when eleven Confederate batteries had been hurling 
death into the Union line and just as Barksdale's Mississippians burst through 
Graham's feeble line to drive out McGilvray's artillery, and pour into the rear 
of the Union troops, Switzer's and Tilton's brigades of the Fifth Corps, who 
had been sent to assist Birney were thrown back and overwhelmed, and all 
seemed lost. 

" But at this moment a powerful reinforcement is approaching the field. 
It is the division which Sumner organized at Camp California, in the winter of 
1 86 1, and which Richardson and Hancock had led into action — commanded 
this day by Caldwell. The scene of the contest is the wheat-field, so famous in 
the story of Gettysburg. This, and the woods on the south and west, are no\y 
full of the exulting enemy. Through this space charges the fiery Cross of the 
Fifth New Hampshire, with his well approved brigade (in which was the One 
Hundred and Forty-eighth.) It is his last battle. He has said it, as he ex- 
changed greetings with Hancock on the way. (' It is my last day. I'll have a 
star or a coffin to-day ! ') But he moves to his death with all the splendid en- 
thusiasm that he displayed at Fair Oaks, Antietam, and Fredericksburg." 1 

By an error in deploying the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment, 
Companies C and I were on the right and in the already well-contested wheat- 
field, the rest of the regiment extending into the woods and rocks towards the 
Devil's Den, the Fifth New Hampshire on the extreme left of the brigade. Here 
was an opportunity to fully test the discipline and courage of the men engaged. 
The companies in the wheatfield fully exposed, while the enemy was protected 
by the stone-wall and rocks in the woods beyond the field. In this terrible 
engagement Company I lost twenty-six out of sixty-one men that it took into 
the fight, and was fortunate enough to capture quite a number of the enemy. 

After the battle of Gettysburg the One Hundred^ and Forty-eighth took 
part in the pursuit of Lee, and after taking an important part in the Mine Run 
campaign, it went into winter quarters near Stevensburg, where it recruited its 
wasted ranks. The location of the camp was a pleasant and healthy one, and 
this season of inactivity was of great benefit to the men. The regiment was 
here kept up to its standard in drill and discipline. 

1 Walker's " History of the Second Corps." 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 177 

In February important changes took place in the Army of the Potomac. 
The five corps which had fought so long side by side were to be consohdated 
into three, and to this end the First and Third were sacrificed. Whether 
this dismemberment of these brave organizations was for the best, it is not my 
province to here discuss. The bitter pangs of the soldiers of both these corps 
were hard to bear ; but when the veterans of the First and Second Division of 
the Third Corps, the men commanded by the illustrious Kearney, and the gal- 
lant Hooker, were transferred to the Second Corps, they could not have fallen 
(if the change had to be made) into better hands, and they in the campaigns 
that were to follow added lustre to the laurels of that corps. 

In this reorganization of the Second Corps, the One Hundred and Forty- 
eighth was assigned to the Fourth Brigade of the First Division, commanded 
by Colonel John R. Brooke, the Second Delaware, Fifty-third, One Hundred 
and Forty-fifth Pennsylvania and the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-sixth New York, 
comprising the other regiments in the brigade, General Barlow commanding the 
division. On the 22d of April the reinforced Second Corps was brought to- 
gether to be reviewed by General Grant. Says Walker of this grand review, 
" More than twenty-five thousand men actually marched in review. The ap- 
pearance and bearing of the troops was brilliant in the extreme ; but among 
all the gallant regiments which passed the reviewing officer, two excited spe- 
cial admiration — the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, Colonel 
Beaver from the old Second, and the Fortieth New York, Colonel Egan, from 
the former Third Corps." 

On the evening of May 3d the regiment moved from camp and crossing 
the Rapidan at Ely's Ford reached Chancellorsville on the 4th, the anniversary 
of their first hard fought battle. At an early hour on the following morning 
the column was put in motion, the One Hundred and Fort3'-eight acting as 
skirmishers and flankers, and reached the battle-field of the W'ilderness in the 
evening. Lying upon the extreme left of the line the regiment shared but 
little of the fighting of the 5th and 6th. "When it was marching to the front, 
still fresh, though just off a nine hours' march, the splendid condition and sol- 
dierly bearing of the regiment was noticed by a group of general officers, who 
had been watching the methodical drill of the gleaming bayonets, while the 
roar of battle could be plainly heard. When Colonel Beaver rode over to 
this group of officers General Gibbon, in command of two divisions of the Sec- 
ond Corps, said to him, ' Colonel, I'd rather have that regiment in its splendid 
condition and command it, than occupy the position that I do.'i A flank move- 
ment of the enemy, which had commenced during the night, was continued 
during the day, and on the 9th the One Hundred and Forty-eighth. advanced 
on the Spottsylvania road to the Po River, on the opposite side of which the 
enemy was found. Fording the stream the three right companies were de- 

1 Burns "Life of Beaver." 



178 History of Jefferson County. 

ployed and advanced with three companies as support, and the remaining four 
as battalion reserve. The line advanced steadily in the face of a brisk fire 
from the enemy's batteries, and drove him from his position. The battle 
which opened the next morning was renewed later in the day, and about 3 P. 
M. a strong line of the enemy appeared in front of the position occupied by 
the One Hundred and Forty-eighth, and its line of skirmishers were driven in 
with severe loss; but as the enemy emerged from the woods into the open ground 
they received such a well-directed fire from Company H, that they wavered, and 
a moment later Colonel Beaver ordered the entire line to open fire. The fight- 
ing lasted some time, and being unsupported. Colonel Beaver determined to 
withdraw his command. This was exceedingly difficult, as the near presence 
of the enemy and the burning woods through which he had to pass made it 
very dangerous ; but by a masterly effort Colonel Beaver managed to bring 
off" the regiment in safety, he being the last one to ford the river, which he 
did on foot, having given his horse to a lieutenant of his regiment who had 
lost a leg, and to whom death would have been certain if left in the burning 
woods. The faithful horse had been wounded before his master gave him up, 
and fell dead just as he reached the bank of the river with his maimed burden. 
In his report of this engagement General Hancock says : 

" I feel that I cannot speak too highly of the bravery and soldierly conduct 
displayed by Brooke's and Brown's brigades on this occasion ; attacked by an 
entire division of the enemy (Heth's), they repeatedly beat him back, holding 
their ground with unyielding courage until they were ordered to withdraw, 
when they retired with such order and steadiness as to meet the highest 
praise." 

General Brooke in his official report to General Hancock says : 

" I would particularly mention Colonel James A. Beaver, One Hundred 
and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, whose regiment occupied the right 
of the line, and the most exposed position, for his great gallantry and the mas- 
terly manner in which he extricated his regiment from the burning woods, 
which were set on fire by some means during the action. During the latter 
part of this action this regiment had to contend with the enemy in front, and 
the burning timber in the rear, and at its close were compelled to retire 
tlirough the fire to the opposite or left bank of the Fo, no other path being 
left open." 

On the 1 2th the regiment found itself in the front of the conflict at Spott- 
sylvania, where it fought bravely. The troops of Barlow fought desper- 
ately in this engagement. General Walker says of them : "Tearing away the 
abatis with their hands, Miles's and Brooke's brigades sprang over the entrench- 
ments, bayoneting the defenders or beating them down with clubbed muskets. 
Almost at the same instant Birney entered tlie works on his side and the sal- 
ient was won." Company I here lost Lieutenant John A. Maguire, who was 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 179 

mortally wounded and died on the 15th. He was a brave young officer, and 
his death was deeply regretted by his comrades and by his many friends in 
Brookville, from which place he enlisted. 

On the 3d of June, after taking part at North Anna and Tolopotomy, the 
regiment found itself at Cold Harbor, and with the division captured the ene- 
my's front line ; but the division not being properly supported, was obliged to 
fall back a short distance, where it held its ground against every assault of the 
enemy. On the 15th moved to Petersburg and took an active part in the 
siege of that place, where on the evening of the i6th Colonel Beaver was 
severely wounded, in an advance of his brigade on the enemy's works. 

On the 2 1 St of August the regiment returned from Deep Bottom, and was 
immediately hurried to the left of Warren on the Weldon Railroad, tearing 
up and destroying the road southward of Reams's Station. The First and Sec- 
ond Divisions were engaged in this work until the morning of the 25th, when 
they were attacked by the enemy. The fighting was desperate. Again and 
again was the enemy repulsed ; but the division had finally to withdraw before 
the overwhelming force brought against it. The loss in the regiment was very 
heavy. General Beaver, who had hurried to the field in an ambulance, not 
having entirely recovered from the wound received at Petersburg, June i6th, 
was just in the act of reviewing his front, when he was shot through the right 
leg and borne from the field disabled. This battle deprived the regiment of 
the leader which it loved, and the army of one of its best volunteer officers, 
but it probably saved to Pennsylvania her present able and honored executive, 
for had General Beaver been able to go into any more hard-fought fights, his 
bravery would most likely have cost him his life. 

On the return of the regiment to Petersburg, it did duty at Forts Haskell 
and Steadman, and Battery No. 10. 

By an order of the War Department, it was directed that one regiment in 
each division should be furnished with Spencer repeating rifles, and General 
Hancock designated the One Hundred and Forty-eighth to receive them on 
the part of the First Division, 

During the winter the regiment was engaged in garrisoning Forts Sampson, 
Gregg and Cummings. When the spring campaign opened it participated in 
the action at Hatcher's Run, March 25, 1865, and on the 31st at Adams's farm. 
On the 2d of April it took part in the fight at Sutherland Station. Here they 
were deployed as skirmishers by General Miles and led the advance. With 
Captain Sutton of Company E in command of the right wing, and Captain 
Harper of the left, it moved steadily forward, and by a well-executed ma- 
neuvre, flanked the enemy's works and opened a well-directed enfilading fire 
from the repeating rifles. This deadly fire threw the rebels into confusion, and 
an entire brigade laid down their arms and surrendered to the brigade. On 
the following day General Miles issued an order warmly commending the gal- 



i8o History of Jefferson County. 

lant conduct of the brigade, and stating the result of the charge to be seven 
hundred prisoners, two pieces of artillery, and two flags. On the 7th of April 
the regiment participated in the battle of Farmville, and the closing scenes of 
the war, after which it returned to Ale.Kandria, and on the 3d of June, 1865, 
was mustered out of service. 

Companies I and E took part in the following engagements in which their 
regiment was engaged : Auburn, Bristow, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Po 
River, Spottsylvania Court-House, North Anna, Tolopotomy. Cold Harbor, 
Petersburg, Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains, Reams's Station, Hatcher's Run, 
Adams's Farm, Sutherland Station, Farmville, and Appomattox. 

Company I of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth was recruited by Cap- 
tain Silas J. Marlin in July and August of 1862. This company was fortunate 
in having such an excellent and efficient officer to command it, and he was 
equally fortunate in securing such good material for his company. He remained 
with his company until July 28, 1863, when he was detailed as acting inspector 
general of the First Division of the Second Corps, which position he held until 
the close of the war, being on several occasions detailed as inspector of the 
Second Corps. During the time that he was thus detailed he served on the 
staffs of Generals Caldwell, Barlow, and Miles, and was actively engaged in 
every engagement in which his division participated, either in command of his 
company or on staff duty. 

May 26, 1865, he was, by General Order No. 254 from the War Depart- 
ment, ordered to report for duty at Fortress Monroe, and was appointed by 
General Miles inspector during the first part of Jefferson Davis's imprisonment 
at the fortress. 

He was commissioned major of his regiment June i, 1865, but being absent 
on detailed service was not mustered as such. 

On the 27th of December Captain Marlin was brevetted a major of volun- 
teers, by President Lincoln, " for gallant services at the battle of Reams's Sta- 
tion, and in the present campaign before Richmond " to rank from December 
2, 1864. And January 15, 1865, he was again brevetted a lieutenant-colonel 
of volunteers, " for gallantry and valuable services." 

Governor Beaver says of Colonel Marlin : " He was a most capable, gallant 
and useful officer upon the staff, and was well entitled to all the honors which 
he received for the service." 

General Walker says: " He was a cool, intelligent officer." 

During Colonel Marlin's absence from his company it was well and skillfully 
handled by Lieutenants Crane and Clark. The former was commissioned 
captain June i, 1865. 

Company E shared equal!)' in the honors of the One Hundred and Forty- 
eighth with Company I. Captain Stewart resigning soon after it went out, the 
command devolved upon Captain Sutton of Indiana ; but two of its most effi- 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 



I8l 



cient and bravest officers were Lieutenants Clark and Sprankle, both of Jeffer- 
son county. Joseph E. Hall of Company I was on April 27, 1863, promoted 
from sergeant to sergeant-major of the regiment, and on August 2, to second 
lieutenant of Company I, and promoted to adjutant of the One Hundred and 
Eighty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers September 7, 1864, a position 
he held until the muster out of his regiment, with great credit. An officer of 
the division said of him : " You cannot praise him too highly." 

Company E, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment P. V. 

The following were the Jefferson county men in Company E, One Hundred 
and Forty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Captain Charles Stewart resigned September 25, 1863 ; first lieutenants, W. 
T. Clark, promoted November 15, 1863, discharged on surgeon's certificate 
July 7, 1864; Peter D.- Sprankle, promoted September 25, 1864; first ser- 
geants, George Baughman, Levi C. Smith, Robert A. Travis ; sergeants, Daniel 
W. Smith, Charles M. Law ; corporals, Robert J. Crissman, John Milliron, E. 
Vincent Richards, James Shoppard, W. J. Postlethwait, John J. Shoffstall ; mu- 
sicians, David N. Henry, Johnston Hamilton ; privates, John Boyer, Emanuel 
Bush, Peter Burkett, Isaac G. Cochran, Robert J. Crissman, Alexander R. Dun- 
lap, Samuel P. Edwards, William Evans, David Gearheart, Samuel R. Gear- 
heart, John M. Hartman, John C. Hoover, William Jordan, Benjamin F. Keck, 
Sampson Klingensmith, Daniel C. Law, Joseph H. Law, Joseph Long, John 
Milliron, William Milliron, George Miller, Andrew Minish, William S. New- 
com, Josiah Postlethwait, William J. Postlethwait, Emanuel Raybuck, Henry 
Raybuck, Philip Sloppy, James L. Staggers, David Smith, John Snyder, Sam- 
uel Shilling, Joseph Shoffstall, Chambers O. Timblin, George Timblin, Philip 
Whitesell, Henry Young. 

The following Jefferson county men in Company E were killed, died of 
wounds and disease, or were transferred to other organizations : 

Killed — Sampson Klingensmith, Joseph H. Law, David Smith, Joseph 
Shoffstall, Philip Whitesell, Andrew Minish. Died — Samuel R. Gearheart, Jo- 
seph Long, William Milliron, William S. Newcom, William Postlethwait, George 
Timblin, Henry Young. Died in rebel prisons — E. Bush, Philip Sloppy, 
James Staggers, John Snyder. Transferred and promoted to Captain U. S. 
C. T. — Sergeant R. A. Travis. Transferred and promoted to Adjutant U. S. 
C. T. — George Miller. Transferred to V. R. C— Samuel P. Edwards, William 
Evans, William Jordan, B. F. Keck. 

Company I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment P. V. 

Captain, Silas J. Marlin; first lieutenants, John A. Maguire, Junius F. Grain ; 
second lieutenants, Orlando H. Brown, Joseph E. Hall, Frank W. Clark ; first 
sergeant, Thomas W. Douglass ; sergeants, Henry Carey, Shelumiel Swine- 
20 



1 82 History of Jefferson County. 

ford, Benjamin F. McGiffin, Jehial Vasbinder, Alexander McOuiston, William 
Davidson, Robert Kissinger, Edward Murphy ; corporals, Jacob B. Rumbaugh, 
William H. Harley, John M. Davis, Lewis Diebler, Thomas McCullough, Al- 
exander Douglass, Joseph Earnest, Harrison Catz, John M. Love, Russell S. 
Adams, Russell Weeks; musician, Joseph Arthurs; privates, George W. An- 
thony, William Acker, Philip Boyer, John S. Buzzard, Emery J. Barr, Hugh 
A. Barr, William H. Barr, William C. Boyd, John Banghart, Eli Bailey, Jo- 
seph W. Bowley, Jonathan L. Bitner, Philip S. Crate, Wallace Coon, James 
Cochran, Lewis Cobbs, Andrew Craft, Harvey Crispin, Isaac Corey, Andrew 
J. Clark, Josiah T. Crouch. Calvin Dixon, Isaiah S. Davis, John W. Demott, 
John Emmett, Alonzo Fowler, Daniel Ferringer, William M. Firman, Isaac J. 
Grenoble, Frederick Gilhousen, James J. Gailey, Orin Giles, James Garvin, 
Christ. C. Gearheart, Samuel K. Groh, Samuel Howard, Andrew Harp, Jacob 
S. Haugh, Augustus Haugh, Andrew J. Hagerty, Benjamin F. Hull, George 
Horner, David M. Hillis, John Howard, Manasses Kerr, Reuben Lyle, Harri- 
son Long, Peter P. Love, Lyman E. Mapes, Jackson Moore, Thompson Moor- 
head, David Mattison, Stewart H. Moneer, Henry Mapes, Harrison Moore. 
James A. Murphy, James McMangle, Peter Nulf, Nelson P. O'Connor, Robert 
Omslaer, William J. Orr, William O'Connor, Edward Plyler, Samuel Ransom, 
David D. Rhodes, Harris Ransom, Eli Rhinehart, William Rodgers, James W. 
Rea, Lewis R. Stahlman, Peter Shannon, William H. H. Smith, Edward M. 
Sage, John H. H. Shuster, Samuel Shaw, John W. Smith, Theophilus Smith, 
Benjamin F. Scandrett, Richard Snyder, Jacob Snyder, John Stahlman, Joseph 
Y. Thompson, Samuel Fry, Robert M. Wadding, Joseph White, William White, 
William P. Woods Frank M. Whiteman. 

The following members of Company I were killed, died of wounds or dis- 
ease, or were transferred to other organizations : 

Killed — Lieutenant, John McGuire ; sergeant, Alexander McQuiston ; pri- 
vates, Andrew Craft, Daniel Ferringer, Andrew J. Hagerty, David D. Rhodes, 
Samuel Shaw. Died — Corporal Thomas McCullough, Emmery J. Barr, William 
H. Barr, William C. Boyd, Harvej' Crispin, Frederick Gilhousen, Jas. J. Gailey, 
Augustus Haugh, Harrison Long, Jackson Moore, Thompson Moorhead, Peter 
Nulf, William White, William J. Orr. Died in rebel prisons, Hugh A. Barr, 
Stewart H. Monteer, Harris Ransom, Lewis Diebler. The latter was shot by 
the prison guard at Salisbury, N. C. William Acker and Isaac J. Grenoble, 
though not "Jefferson county boys," were yet always identified with the com- 
pany. Acker was mistaken for one of the enemy, and so badly wounded by 
one of his own regiment, while at work on one of the outpost rifle pits at Cold 
Harbor, that he lost an arm, while Grenoble lost a leg at Po River. The fol- 
lowing men were transferred: To adjutant One Hundred and Eighty-third 
Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Lieutenant Joseph E. Hall ; to Veteran 
Reserve Corps, Corporal John M. Love ; Philip Boyer, John S. Buzzard, Eli 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 183 

Bailey, Josiah T. Crouch, Isaiah S. Davis, John W. Demott, Reuben Lyle, Har- 
rison Moore, John W. Smith, Theophilus Smith, B. F. Scandrett, Richard Sny- 
der, W. P. Woods. Transferred to Fifty-tliird Pennsylvania Volunteers, Peter 
P. Love, James A. Murphy, William O'Connor. To Signal Corps, James W. 
Rea. 

Company B, Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment P. V. 

Company B of the Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
was raised in Jefferson county. The regiment was organized at Camp Rey- 
nolds, Pittsburgh, September 16, 1864, for one year's service. James H. Trim- 
ble was elected colonel, and Levi A. Dodd of Brookviile, lieutenant-colonel. 
The regiment was sent immediately to the front, and on the 20th of Septem- 
ber found itself in the entrenchments at Bermuda Hundred, where it was put 
in a provisional brigade of the Army of the James. Scarcely had it gained its 
position when it was ordered to mount the parapets, formed of sand-bags, in 
full view of the enemy, who at once opened upon them with his batteries, kill- 
ing two men in Company F, with a single shell. The object in thus exposing 
this command, was to attract the attention of the enemy from the storming 
party which was about to move on Fort Harrison, which movement was suc- 
cessful. The picket line which the regiment was required to hold extended 
from the James River, on the right opposite Dutch Gap, through a dense pine 
wood to an open space, within which was the camp of the regiment. The line 
after leaving the river, ran nearly straight to this slashing, where it made an 
abrupt bend leaving the apex of the angle close to the enemj-'s lines. The 
opposing pickets had always been on the most friendly terms, and a great 
many deserters from the enemy came into our lines at this point. General 
Pickett who was in command, determined to stop this wholesale desertion, and 
on the night of the 17th of November, quietly massing a body of picked men, 
suddenly burst upon the Union pickets, capturing over fifty before they could 
rally, or the regiment come to their aid. He built a strong redoubt at this 
point, and so strengthened his lines that General Grant deemed it inexpedient 
to try to retake the ground. This put an end to all intercourse between the 
pickets, and hostilities were actively kept up, and while the regiment remained 
on that line, the men were obliged to hug the breastworks or lie close to the 
bomb-proofs. 

November 27 the Two Hundred and Eleventh, with other Pennsylvania 
regiments, with which it had been brigaded, was relieved by a brigade of col- 
ored troops, and ordered to join the Army of the Potomac on the south side 
of the Appomattox. These regiments were subsequently organized into the 
Second Brigade, Third Division of the Ninth Corps, to which General Hartranft 
was assigned. During the winter the regiment was thoroughly drilled, and 
though busy on the fortifications at Hatcher's Run, and making occasional 
reconnoissances, was not actively engaged. 



1 84 History of Jefferson County. 

Before the opening of the spring campaign Colonel Trimble resigned, and 
Lieutenant-Colonel Dodd was promoted in his place. The regiment was in 
support of the Ninth Corps line, and occupied a place on the extreme left of the 
division. On the morning of March 25, 1865, the enemy broke this line, cap- 
turing Fort Steadman and a large number of prisoners of the Ninth Corps. 
The Two Hundred and Eleventh was quickly ordered forward. The colonel 
and major were absent, and the lieutenant-colonel sick in hospital, but Cap- 
tain Coulter, upon whom the command devolved, promptly obeyed the order, 
reaching headquarters a little after 6 A. M. The regiment was at once formed 
on the high ground just in the rear of Fort Steadman. The rest of the brig- 
ade who were nearer the scene of the disaster had already checked the advance 
of the enemy, and were holding him at bay. General Hartranft, who had 
made the best possible disposition of the division, felt assured that the enemy 
could make no further advance, and that by a united assault the division could 
retake the works. He quickly formed his plan of attack — posting five regi- 
ments in the immediate front, held them ready for a dash upon the enemy who 
were crowding upon the fort and bomb-proofs. The Two Hundred and Elev- 
enth on its elevated position was a mile away, but in full view of the enemy. 
It was a large regiment with full ranks, and General Hartranft's plan was to 
put it in motion and draw the attention of the enemy and his artillery upon it. 
His other regiments could then charge upon and overpower the foe. General 
Hartranft expected to sacrifice this regiment, which he determined to lead in 
person, as the enemy could at once bring their guns to bear upon it ; but to 
insure the victory of his division he was willing to share this peril. The regi- 
ment was therefore formed and put in motion, with nearly six hundred mus- 
kets in line, and moved gallantly forward ; but the enemy at sight of the ad- 
vance of this fine body of men, instead of meeting them with the fire of his 
batteries, as General Hartranft expected, began to waver, and when the com- 
bined force of the division rushed in, the fort, guns, arms, with many prisoners 
was captured with little opposition. Just as the order to move had been given, 
General Hartranft received orders from General Parke, commanding the Ninth 
Corps, to wait reinforcements from the Sixth Corps, which was on the way, 
before attempting to recapture the fort ; but the order could not be safely re- 
called, and he was unable to obey orders, and dashing forward gained a brill- 
iant victory. The regiment fully shared in this coup dc main. The loss was 
only one killed and ten wounded. 

On the night of the 30th the division was ordered to assault the rebel 
■works, but this was deferred for some reason, until the morning of April 2d. 
At a little before midnight of the 1st the regiment joined the Two Hundred 
and Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, remaining quiet until half past three of 
the following morning, when it moved to the front, passing around the right 
of Fort Sedgwick, and was formed with the brigade, in column by regiments, 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 185 

the left resting on the Jerusalem plank road ; the First Brigade formed in the" 
same manner, just in the rear. A strong force of pioneers, armed with axes, 
from the leading brigade, under Lieutenant Alexander of the Two Hundred 
and Eleventh, was sent forward to open the way for the advance. The pio- 
neers were closely followed by the division in close column, joined on the right 
and left by the other troops of the corps. Soon the pioneers attacked the 
abatis, and chevaiix-dc-frisc with their axes, but with the first blows were met 
with a heavy fire of grape and cannister, doing fearful execution in their ranks ; 
but closing up, they broke through the obstructions, and with the assistance 
of the troops who pressed close behind, soon had an opening made for the 
advance of the column, who rushed forward, up and into the forts, and soon 
the entire works were in their possession, with the enemy in full retreat, and 
the rebel main line of works from beyond the Jerusalem plank road on the left> 
to a point about four hundred yards to its right, was held by the division. 
Turning his own guns upon him, they dealt deadly havoc among the rebels. 
The enemy made repeated charges to regain their works, but every assault was 
repulsed ; but the loss in our ranks was very heavy. In the Two Hundred and 
Eleventh four officers and seventeen men were killed, among them Lieutenant- 
Colonel Charles McLain, four officers and eighty-nine men wounded, and 
twenty-one missing, in all, a loss of one hundred and thirty-five. This was 
one of the most desperate, as well as one of the most successful assaults of the 
war. 

During the following night the enemy quietly withdrew from the works, 
and evacuated the city, and retreated rapidly. General Hartranft's division 
entered Petersburg the next morning with little opposition. The Two Hundred 
and Eleventh was at once sent forward to picket the banks of the Appomattox, 
where they found both railroad and foot bridges on fire. They were able to 
save the former and a portion of the latter. At noon the regiment was 
ordered back to camp. The war was now virtually at an end, and the regi- 
ment in charge of trains, moved along the South Side railroad, to Nottoway 
Court- House, where news of Lee's surrender was received. Here it remained 
until the 20th, when it proceeded to City Point, where it embarked for Alex- 
andria where it encamped until June 2, 1865, when it .was mustered out of 
service. 

In the less than nine months that it was out, the Two Hundred and Elev- 
enth did gallant service and lost heavily. Company " B " lost in killed besides 
Captain McLain who had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel, but not mus- 
tered, killed — sergeant Joel Brown, Thomas Witherow, died of wounds and 
disease ; John Bailey, Solomon F. Davis, Washington A. Prindle, Israel D. 
Smith, James W. Boyd. The latter died in the rebel prison at Salisbury, N. C. 

Lieutenant-colonel Charles McLain first enlisted in the nine months serv- 
ice as first lieutenant of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment 



1 86 History of Jefferson County. 

Pennsylvania Volunteers, and when their time of enHstment expired, he again 
went out as captain of Company B (six months) Independent Battalion, July 23, 
1863. Again feeling that his country still needed his services, he went once 
more to the front as captain of Company B, Two Hundred and Eleventh Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania Volunteers. He served gallantly through all their cam- 
paigns, winning high encomiums of praise from his superior officers, and hav- 
ing the love and respect of his men, to whom he was a kind and faithful friend, 
until in the severe fight at Fort Steadman April 2, 1865, he was shot in the 
charge of his regiment, and instantly killed. He had been promoted to lieu- 
tenant-colonel of his regiment the day before he fell. W'hen the news of his 
fall reached his home in Brookville, a meeting of the citizens was held April 
13, and resolutions of respect and sorrow for the dead soldier, and condolence 
with his family, were passed, and a committee of soldiers appointed to take 
charge of his remains, and make arrangements for his funeral. On the 30th 
of April his body, which had been brought home by his brother, Mr. A. B. Mc- 
Lain, was laid to rest in the Brookville cemetery. Colonel IMcLain left a wife 
and three children to mourn his loss. Mrs. McLain, with his daughter Anna, 
and son Charles, reside in Brookville, his eldest daughter, Ella, dying a few 
years since. 

June I, 1864, the day before the Two Hundred and Eleventh was mus- 
tered out of service, the officers and men of the regiment presented to Colonel 
Levi A. Dodd, a splendid horse and equipments, as a token of the esteem and 
respect in which he was held by his command. The horse was a favorite one 
of General Hartranft, commanding the division, and with the equipments cost 
six hundred dollars. 

Jefferson County Men in the Two Hundred .a.nd Eleventh Regi- 
ment P. V. 

Colonel, Levi A. Dodd, promoted from lieutenant-colonel April 4, 1865; 
adjutant, Herman F. Steck, promoted from first sergeant Company B, May 1 1, 
1865. 

Company B. — Captains, Charles McLain, Charles J. Wilson; first lieuten- 
ant, Milton H. McAninch ; first sergeant, Thomas M. Myers; sergeants, John 
M. Alford, Anson H. Bovvdish, Thomas P. Craven, William Hall, Thomas P. 
McCrea, Israel D. Smith, Joel Brown ; corporals, Robert W. Anderson, James 
McMurtrie, Reuben K. Morey, Joseph A. Dempsey, Simon M. Denny, Milton 
Graham, Andrew Braden, Malachi Davis; musician, Peter Spangler; privates, 
Marvin Allen, James T. Alford, H. J. Baughman, Henry Bullers, Jeremiah 
Bowers, Fayette Bowdish, Henry J. Bruner, Calvin G. Burns, James W. Boyd, 
John Bailey, Alvin Clark, David W. Craft, Esekiel Dixon, Daniel Deeter, 
Charles Driscoll, Solomon F. Davis, Peter Emerick, Joshua F. Fisher, Russell 
M. Felt, Adam Foust, Lewis Gaup, Christ. C. Gearheart, David P. Gearheart, 



Miscellaneous Military Organizations. 187 

Justice Gage, Mathew Gayley, Hiram Hettrick, Jacob Hartman, Anthony M. 
Holden, Edward A. Holly, Joseph Ishman, Frank Kreitler, Thomas S. Kline, 
Thomas Lindemuth, J. S. Montgomery, Alexander Moore, James Mackey, 
Jesse B. Miller, Milton G. Miller, John K. McElroy, William G. McMinn, Henry 
McGinley, James O'Hara, George W. Paris, Henry Peters, James Penfield, 
Washington A. Prindle, Samuel C. Richards, William J. Riddle, Frederick Ray- 
winkle, Lafayette Stahlman, Solomon Shoffner, Fulton Shoffner, George W. 
Shaffer, Lewis Swab, John Simmett, Warren Sibley, James M. Thompson, John 
Thomas, Madison A. Timblin, Frank Truman, George Walker, Joseph M. Wil- 
son, William A. Watts, Jacob Weidner, Thomas M. Witherow. 

Companies B, and C, Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment, P. V. 

The men for the Two Hundred and Sixth Regiment were principally 
recruited in the southern part of the county. The regiment was organized at 
Camp Reynolds, Pittsburgh, September 8, 1864, under Colonel Hugh J. Bra- 
dy, a cousin of Captain Evans R. Brady. The field and line officers were all 
veterans, and nearly all the men had seen service. Soon after it was organized 
the regiment was sent to City Point, and assigned to the Army of the James. 
On the 4th of October, while engaged in building a fort near Dutch Gap, it 
was under the enemy's guns, and had one man killed and several wounded. 
For this work the regiment was commended in a complimentary order, by the 
commander of the department, who ordered the works to be called Fort Brady. 

On the 26th of October the regiment was ordered to report to General 
Terry, commanding the Tenth Corps, and assigned to the Third Brigade First 
Division, and soon after went into winter quarters near the line of works north 
of Fort Harrison, where the men were well drilled and disciplined. 

By an order from the War Department of December 3, the Tenth and 
Eighteenth Corps were consolidated, and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth 
Corps formed from them. All the white troops were put in the Twenty- 
fourth. General Ord was put in command of the Army of the James. 

When the army moved on the 27th of March, 1865, the Two Hundred and 
Sixth was detached and ordered to remain in camp, reporting to General Dev- 
ens commanding the Third Division. This order was received with great 
disfavor by the regiment, and in response to the remonstrance against it, the 
following answer was returned from headquarters. "I am directed by General 
Foster to state that he regrets exceedingly that your command should have 
been ordered to remain. The order came from department headquarters, and 
the general did all in his power to have it revoked, but could not." The con- 
valescents of the First Division were ordered to report to Colonel Brady, who 
was directed to organize and hold them in readiness to move. 

On the 3d of April the troops in front of Richmond were ordered to ad- 
vance, and it was soon discovered that the enemy had evacuated his works and 



1 88 History of Jefferson County. 

fired the city, so that our troops marched in without opposition. On the 22d 
the regiment was relieved from General Devens's command, and ordered to re- 
port to General F. T. Dent, military governor, who assigned it to provost duty 
in Richmond. A month later it returned to the brigade, of which Colonel Bra- 
dy assumed command. The regiment was soon after sent to report to General 
Gregg, at Lynchburg, who assigned it to provost duty in that place. It 
remained here about two weeks, and then rejoined its division at Richmond. 
On the 26th as no further service being required of it, it was sent to Pittsburgh, 
and the term of service having expired was mustered out June 2, 1865. Gen- 
eral Dandy in command of the brigade said of this regiment: "Under your 
gallant commander Colonel Hugh Brady, you were the first to enter Richmond, 
and to display in the capitol of traitors the Stars and Stripes of }'0ur country. 
Carry home with you, and bequeath it to your children, the red heart, the 
badge of the First Division. It is the symbol that will live when the present 
and succeeding generations have passed away." 

Muster Roll of Company B, Two Hundred .\nd Sixth P. V. 

Captain, William Neal ; first lieutenant, Henry C. Campbell ; second lieu- 
tenant, Arr. Neal ; first sergeant, Benjamin W. Reitz ; sergeants, William A. 
Hadden, Thomas J. Cooper, John C. Cameron, Darius E. Blose ; corporals, 
Benjamin T. Smyers, David G. Gourly, Charles Barry, David Neal, Joseph W. 
Long, Thomas R. Lamison, Jacob Keihl, Mitchell R. Lewis ; privates, John D. 
Brown, Joshua Brink, James M. Bush, Lewis H. Bollinger, Abraham Bowman, 
Boaz D. Blose, William J. Bell, Eli Byerly, Peter Brunner, Philip Bush, Jacob 
Conrad, John Carr, Robert English, William Frampton, George Frampton, 
James S. Gray, John Grove, Daniel Gearheart, Enoch G. Gray, Eli Homer, 
Michael P. Hummel, Thomas M. Hawk, William Huffman, William L. Henry, 
Samuel S. Jordon, George Johnson, George M. Jordon, Elijah Kinsell, Thomas 
Kerr, Levi Kinsell, James E. Lewis, Jacob Lingenfetter, Robert F. Law, Will- 
iam M. Michaels, Thomas M. Marshal], William P. Morris, John Marsh, Har- 
rison Marsh, Eli Miller, Robert W. McBrien, John E. McPherson, John W. 
Neal, Samuel H. Nolf, John C. Neal, T. J. Postlethwait, Samuel H. Parkhill, 
Michael Painter, David Painter, David Pierce, Isaac Postlethwait, John Pierce, 
Dallas M. Rishell, James O. S. Spencer, Gotleib Steiver, Thomas Spencer, Jo- 
seph T. Sparr, Peter Swaney, Isaac Smouse, David L. Smeyers, Philip Smey- 
ers, Alfred Shaffer, William E. Simpson, David A. Thompson, George H. Tor- 
rance, John Varner, Benoni Williams, Samuel C. Williams, Thomas M. Will- 
iams, Charles C. Williams, William Weaver, George C. Wachob, John M. 
Whitesell, Jacob G. Zufall, George J. Zufall. 

Company C, Two Hundred and Sixth P. V. 
First sergeant, Charles M. Brewer ; sergeant, William L. McOuowen ; cor- 



Other Military Organizations. 189 

porals, John McHenry, Thomas P. North ; privates, Joseph Gary, Samuel 
Frampton, George S. Hennigh, John Hickox, Joseph Mauk, Joseph P. North, 
Michael Palmer, Henry C. Peffer, W. P. Eostlethwait, John F. Pifer, David G. 
Pifer, Samuel Pearce, John Rinn, William Riddle, George W. Shorthill, Joseph 
Shields, David Stiver, Daniel Stiver, John F. Smith, William Sutter. 

Company E, Two Hundred and Sixth P. V. 
Sergeant, Benjamin F. Miller. 

Company F, Two Hundred and Sixth P. V. 
Private, Tobias Long. 

Company H, Two Hundred and Sixth P. V. 

Corporal, David S. Altman ; privates, George F. Bowers, John H. Bowers, 
William H. Campbell, Henry Fritz, George S. Gailey, John H. Miller, Andrew 
Marsh, Samuel McNutt, John C. McNutt, Joseph McCracken, John St. Clair, 
John Wagner, Jacob Wagner. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY MEN IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry — Sufferings of our Soldiers in Rebel Prisons — Company 
K, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry — Berdan's Sharpshooters — Eighteenth United States In- 
fantry — Miscellaneous — United States Colored Troops— Emergency Men. 



Q 



UITE a number of Jefferson County men enlisted and did gallant serv- 
ice in companies and regiments raised in other localities. The names and 
organizations of all such that we have been able to find we give below : 



Company L, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. 

The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized at Washington, D. C, 
September, 1861, by Colonel Josiah Harlan, as an Independent light horse 
cavalry regiment, composed of companies from different States ; but as Con- 
gress had only authorized the raising of regiments by States, the formation of 
this regiment as an independent organization was irregular, and on the 13th of 
November it was attached to the Pennsylvania State organizations, and was 
thereafter known as the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry — the One Hundred 

and Eighth regiment in line. 
21 



190 History of Jefferson County. 

Company L, in which were forty- seven men from Jefferson county, was 
raised by Captain John B. Loomis of Clarion, and was mustered into the serv- 
ice September 12, 1S61. This regiment was one of the best cavalry organiza- 
tions in the army, and performed gallant service. It took part in thirty-two 
battles and over one hundred and five skirmishes. 

Company L lost in killed and died the following men from Jefferson 
county : 

Killed. — Henry Allen, Charles Barnard (killed at Oil City while at home of 
veteran furlough), Amos W. Delp, Jesse Evans, Calvin Lucas, Amos Weaver, 
Thomas C. Nolf; died, Paul Hettrick, Joseph Gates; James McCann died at 
Andersonville, Ga. 

A number of this company were captured in the fight at Reams's Station, 
Va., June 29, 1864, among whom was David S. Orcutt, of Corsica, and whose 
experience in rebeldom was, we presume, not excelled for hardship by any other 
of our soldiers. After being captured he was taken to Richmond, and there 
kept in Libby prison twenty days, and then sent to Andersonville, Ga., from 
which place he escaped, but was recaptured by blood-hounds, near Macon ; 
fi»m there he was taken to Savannah, and on his way to the latter place he 
again managed to escape, and was again, the next day, recaptured by blood- 
hounds and sent to Savannah, and from there to Millen. When Sherman 
" came marching through Georgia," the prisoners were sent ahead of the army 
to Savannah and exchanged, and then sent to Annapolis, Md., where Mr. Or- 
cutt was put in the hospital, and from there transferred to a hospital in Balti- 
more. From Baltimore he was taken to Washington, D. C, as a witness in the 
trial of Wirz, on which he was detained for six weeks, when he was so pros- 
trated by illness, that he had to be sent back to the hospital at Baltimore, 
where on the 12th of April, 1865, he was discharged and returned home, after 
having served in the army four years and one month. When he was taken 
prisoner he weighed one hundred and eighty pounds ; when he was released 
he was reduced to one hundred pounds, and he has never recovered from the 
effects of his imprisonment. David R. McCullough who was taken prisoner at 
the same time, made his escape from Andersonville, and after traveling four- 
teen days and nights, reached our lines at Chattanooga about Christmas, 1864. 
Mr. Orcutt says, " No one will ever know what we suffered at Andersonville. 
Only those who have been there can tell anything about it. All other prisons 
were parlors compared with Andersonville." 

The following Jefterson county men were in Company L : 

First lieutenant, Robert J. Robinson ; second lieutenant. Shannon McFad- 
den ; first sergeant, William K. Shaffer; sergeants, Enos G. Nolf, Christian D. 
Fleck, James Baldwin, Aaron Fulmer, William N. George, Thomas McDowell, 
Edward Meeker, Charles Kline, Amos Weaver ; corporals, John H. Shaw, 
James M. Matthews, David B. Zilafro, Paul Hettrick ; farrier, Samuel Moor- 



Other Military Organizations. 191 



head ; privates, Samuel Anderson, Henry Allen, Charles Barnard, James Chris- 
tie, William P. Confer, James F. Cannon, Amos W. Delp, Benjamin Divler, 
James P. Dillman, Jesse Evans, Frederick Fulmer, W. N. George, Joseph 
Gates, John C. Hettrick, Jacob Heckathorn, Josiah Klingensmith, Calvin Lu- 
cas, Moses W. Mathews, D. R. McCullough, John McCuUough, James Mc- 
Cann, John R. McFadden, Daniel R. Noble, Thomas B. Nolf, David S. Orcutt, 
John C. Piatt, Richard Tipton, Jacob Taylor, James R. Vandevort, Amos 
VVeaver. 

A number of recruits were put into this regiment in 1863-64, among whom 
were the following additional Jefferson county men : 

Company A. — Corporal James H. Moore ; privates, Lester S. Beebe, Will- 
iam Baughmon, James D. Dean. 

Company B. — Privates, George E. A. Clark, James E. Mitchell. 

Company C — Privates, Liberty Beer, Samuel W. Bruner, Martin Eakman, 
Paul Vandevort, Josiah Wyley. 

Company G. — Private, F. J. Strong. 

Company I. — Privates, John L. Knapp, William L. Slack. 

Company K, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. 

The Fourteenth Cavalry another gallant body of men was enlisted Novem- 
ber 23, 1862, and mustered out, August 24, 1865. The following Jefterson 
county soldiers were members of Company K : 

Sergeant, William R. Cowan ; corporal, Benjamin F. McCreight ; bugler, 
John F. Gruber ; privates, John G. Bouch, Jacob J. Bodenhorn, Henry J. Bo- 
denhorn, S. P. Cravener. The latter died in prison at Andersonville, Ga. 

Company C, Second Regiment, U. S. Sharpshooters. 

During the month of August, 1861, Captain S. M. Dewey, of Harrisburg, 
Pa., visited Jefferson county for the purpose of recruiting men for a company 
in " Berdan's Sharpshooters." None but expert marksmen were received, each 
individual being required to " make ten consecutive shots at a distance of two 
hundred yards, within five inches of the center of the target, or fifty inches 
measured from the center of the target to the center of ball-holes. Each man 
to certify to his ' target ' before a justice of the peace." 

Ira J. Northrup was left in charge of recruiting for this company, and soon 
recruited a good squad of men who were at once sent to the headquarters of 
the regiment at Harrisburg, and were mustered into the service October 5, 
1 86 1. This company did gallant service for the Union. They were all ex- 
pert marksmen, and were armed with the most approved breech-loading rifles. 
The history of " Berdan's Sharpshooters " is that of the Army of Potomac. 
In the thick of every battle they were sure to do effective work as their shots 
always told on the foe. 



192 History of Jefferson County. 

The following men represented Jefferson county in Company C. U. S. S. : 
Sergeants, Ira J. Northrup, promoted to captain; Frank Rumbarger, John 
W. Pearsall ; corporals, John McMurray, Isaac Lyle ; privates, George Boals, 
George W. Dunkle, John S. Geer, W. E. Jacox, Leroy C. Jacox, James Law, 
Samuel Lattimer, Thomas Long, William McCullough, J. Prindle, L. W. Scott, 
George 11. Stewart, Wesley C. Thompson, James Watts. Samuel Law died of 
wounds received at Antietam. 

EiGiiTEEXTii U. S. Infantry. 

In the winter of 1 86 1-62 quite a number of men were enlisted in Jefferson 
county for the regular army by Sergeant W. D. Madeira, of the Eighteenth. 
United States Infantry. They were put into Company E, Third Battalion 
of that regiment, and with the men recruited in Clarion and Venango counties, 
formed almost the entire company. Those subsequently recruited for the same 
service were put in Company F of the same battalion, until January, 1863, 
when they were all transferred to the Second Battalion. 

The Eighteenth saw hard service in the Army of the Cumberland, which it 
joinetl just after the battle of Fort Donelson, and with which it remained until 
its term of service expired, just after the battle of Lovejoy's Station, Ga. 

The following men from Jefferson county served in the regiment: 

Couipany H, Second Battalion. — Sergeant, Herman Kretz. 

Company E. — Sergeant, Thomas Barr ; corporal, Thomas Baird ; privates, 
John Conrad, Frank Carroll, James Cochran, John Dean, William Dean, Joseph 
Dempsey, Jeremiah Emerick, Jonathan Harp, James Hall, John Houpt, Wilson 
Hutchinson, Adam Heilbruner, Jacob Hcilbruner, Nelson Ishman, Andrew 
Love, S. R. Milliron, William Mathews, Jacob Messinger. David Porter, Samuel 
Rhodes, William Reinstine, William Reams, Amos Shirey, John Strawcutter, 
Samuel Saxton, Jacob Shaffer, Isaac Shoffner, Russell Vantassel. 

Company F. — Sergeant William Martz ; privates, William Adams, John 
Custard, James Campbell, Samuel Haines, Adam Haines, Amos Starr, Samuel 
D. Shaffer, Peter Wolfgang, John Wolfgang, Peter Wolf, Samuel Wolf 

Of these Andrew Love, Samuel Rhodes, Jacob Shaffer, Russell Vantassel 
were killed. John Custard who was discharged in 1864 was lost coming home, 
the train being captured by the rebels, and he was, it is presumed, killed, as 
he was never heard of afterwards. 

Thomas Barr, Jonathan Harp, Samuel Haines, Adam Haines, Peter Wolf- 
gang, John W^olfgang, Adam Heilbruner, Jacob Heilbruner, James Campbell, 
W'illiam Adams, Amos Shirey and John Strawcutter, served until their term of 
enlistment expired January 6, 1865 ; the others had been killed or previously 
discharged. Sergeant Madeira who recruited them was killed at Murfrees- 
boro, Tennessee. 

Company E, Fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, First Lieutenant Jo- 
seph P. Lucas. 



Other Military Organizations. 193 

Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, Company H, private, J. Wilson 
Henderson ; transferred to Company H, One Hundred and Ninety-first Regi- 
ment, and promoted to sergeant. 

Company G, Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, private, Christian 
Miller. 

Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, 
Henry B. Heckendorn. 

Company M, Sixth United States Cavalry, Robert A. Hubbard. 

Company C, Fifteenth United States Infantry, Captain William W. Wise. 

United States Colored Troops. 

On account of the limited colored population, Jefferson county had very, 
few representatives in the colored regiments, but those who did go out from 
this county did noble service. Several of the best ofScers belonging to the 
colored organizations were from this county. Major McMurray who served 
as captain of Company D, Sixth Regiment, and as inspector on the staff of 
General Charles J. Paine, commanding the Third Division of the Eighteenth 
Corps, gives the following incidents of his regiment, to which some of the Jeff- 
erson county men belonged : 

" While we were lying at Parson Station, N. C, I was put on the picket line 
in charge of the detail from my regiment, Captain Riley of my regiment was 
brigade officer of the day, and the major of another regiment in our brigade 
was division officer of the day. My orders from the brigade officer of the day 
were to allow no one to pass my portion of the line except on a pass given or 
countersigned by General Paine, commanding our division. I happened to be 
opposite to and near corps headquarters. Soon a sergeant came from the 
corps hospital with a detail of men to go outside the lines. I refused to let 
him pass. He returned to corps headquarters and soon came back with a pass 
from General Terry's adjutant-general. I wrote on the back of this pass that 
my orders were to allow no one to pass my portion of the line except on a pass 
given or countersigned by General Paine, commanding the Third Division, 
signed my name, rank, and regiment to it, and sent the sergeant back with his 
detail. 

" When I was relieved and sent to camp the next morning the first officer 
I met was the adjutant of my regiment, who told me I had been ordered under 
arrest. I remained in my tent until the next day, when I wrote a brief state- 
ment explaining what I had done, and stating the order I had received from 
the brigade officer of the day. This was forwarded through regimental and 
brigade headquarters, and on its receipt by General Paine I was sent for. I 
repeated to him the orders I had received, and he sent for Captain Riley, who 
said he had, as brigade officer of the day given the orders to me, having re- 
ceived them from the division ofificer of the day. The major who had been 



194 History of Jefferson County. 

division officer of the day was sent for, and he confirmed the statement of Cap- 
tain Riley, adding that he had communicated the orders as received by him, 
according to his understanding. The general said there was evidently a mis- 
understanding, as he would never have given such an order. 

" The general ordered his horse saddled at once, rode over to camp head- 
quarters, and in a few hours an order came down ordering my release from 
arrest. The next day I was detailed by general orders as inspecting officer on 
his staff, and remained with him in that capacity or as aid-de-camp until mus- 
tered out of service." 



"On the morning of September 29, 1864, the day of the capture of Fort 
Harrison, our brigade was ordered to assault the enemy's works at Deep Bot- 
tom, near Spring Hill, about a mile from the Fort Harrison front. The assault 
was made shortly after sunrise, through a heavy slashing. When we went into 
the fight our regiment numbered about three hundred and fifty ; when we came 
out it numbered about one hundred and twenty-five, sixty of whom belonged 
to two companies that were not in the assault, being deployed as skirmishers 
on the flanks of the brigade. 

" My company was in the centre of the regiment as well as of the brigade, 
and was almost annihilated. When we went into the fight I had thirty enlisted 
men and one officer. When we came out I had myself and three enlisted 
men. Eleven of the company were killed, fifteen were wounded, and one was 
captured. My first lieutenant, who is now a captain in the Third Cavalr)', was 
shot through the right arm. 

" I know of no loss equal to this in a square stand-up fight, in the history 
of the late war. Of the hundred men who started out in my company one 
year before, but one was left with me; the three who escaped being recruits." 

Company D, Sixth Regiment, Captain John McMurray brevetted Major, 
April 15, 1865 ; Second Lieutenant Thomas P. McCrea. 

Company H, Corporal Robert Webster, killed at New Market Heights, Va.; 
privates, Peter B. Enty, Peter F. Enty, both died in service. 

Seventh Regiment, Adjutant George Miller. 

Eighth Regiment, Surgeon A. P. Heichold ; Hospital Steward George W. 
Luke. 

Company I, Eighth Regiment, Captain Robert A. Travis. 

First Massachusetts Colored Troops, Oliver Steel. 

Emergency Men of 1863-64. 

The victories gained by the rebel troops at Fredericksburg, in December, 
1862, followed by that of Chancellorsville, in May, 1863, emboldened their 
leaders so much, that they contemplated a raid into the northern border States. 
As a precaution against this invasion, the War Department June 9, 1863, 



Other Military Organizations. 195 

issued an order creating two new military departments, that for the western 
district being established at Pittsburgh, with Major-General W. T. H. Brooks 
as commandant, and on the 13th Governor Curtin issued a call for volunteers 
to protect the southern borders of our State. This was followed on the 1 5th, by 
the rebel raid on Chambersburg, and there was a general uprising of the peo- 
ple in response to the call. On the 28th of June, General Lee having already 
crossed the Potomac with his entire army, Governor Curtin again called for 
sixty thousand men for ninety days, to repel the invasion, " but to remain only 
so long as the safety of the Commonwealth should require." Under this last 
call three companies were raised in Jefierson county and mustered into the 
Fifty-seventh Regiment. Emergency Volunteers, July 3-8, 1863. 

On the organization of the regiment Colonel James R. Porter, whose term 
of service with the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers had 
just expired, was chosen colonel. The Fifty-seventh took part in the chase 
after Morgan, and were for a time engaged in guarding the fords of the Ohio 
River from Steubenville to Wheeling, W. V. The Fifty-seventh while occu- 
pying strong ground on the Warrenton road, undoubtedly foiled Morgan's 
attempt to cross at that point. 

No further need arising for their services, the regiment was mustered out. 

Much satire has been indulged in at the expense of the " six weeks " sol- 
diers, but their presence proved a powerful check to the enemy, and though 
not brought into actual combat, they were ready for it, and it was no fault of 
theirs that they did not meet the enemy. Called suddenly from the business 
walks of life, they met the emergency promptly and cheerfully, at the call of 
danger. Many of them were men who had already met the enemy ; some 
were at home on account of wounds, others who had served the term of their 
enlistment, others physically unfit for a long term of service, and some boys in 
their teens ; but the rolls of these companies show the material they were 
composed of. 

The return of the Emergency men was saddened by the death of one of 
their members, Mr. Samuel McEIhose, who died in camp at East Liberty, near 
Pittsburgh, August 16, 1863. Mr. McEIhose was one of the most prominent 
citizens of Jefierson county, being at the time of his death the editor and pro- 
prietor of the Jefierson Star, which paper he had established in Brookville in 
1849. He had also served as county superintendent of common schools for 
two terms, and was a well-known educator. Mr. McEIhose was strongly wed- 
ded to the cause of liberty, but his health being far from robust, prohibited 
him from enlisting until the call came for volunteers to defend our own State, 
when he could no longer remain at home ; but closing his office he, with all 
his hands, enlisted, and ere the time of service expired he died for his country 
as much as though a rebel ball had laid him low. 

The field and staff of the Fifty-seventh was largely from Jefferson county, 
viz.: 



196 History of Jefferson County. 

Lieutenant-Colonel, Cyrus Butler; quartermaster, M. H. Shannon; assist- 
ant surgeon, John M. Cummins; chaplain, John C. Truesdale ; quartermaster- 
sergeant, W. J. McKnight ; commissary-sergeant, John J. Thompson. 

Company B, Fifty-seventh Regiment. 

Captain, Cyrus Butler, promoted, captain, Alexander L. Gordon ; first 
lieutenant, William Dickey; second lieutenant, John A. McLain ; first 
sergeant, Daniel Fogle ; sergeants, Wilmarth Matson, William C. Smith, 
William Kelso, Robert Cathcart ; corporals, Samuel J. Ream, Joseph M. Gal- 
braith, Samuel A. Hunter, John Alexander, Jared Jones, Clarence R. Hall, 
John McCullough, James L. Brown; musicians, Warren P. Bowdish, Samuel 
McElhose ; privates, Charles S. Andrews, John S. Barr, Hugh Brady, Benjamin 
Boyer, Elias Boyer, Henry Bullers, William Bailey, Philip Carrier, Isaiah Cor- 
bet, Daniel V. Clements, Lanford Carrier, Solomon Davis, Oliver Darr, Mor- 
gan English, George W. Farr, John H. Fike, George G. Fryer, Edwin Forsyth, 
Leander W. Graham, Henry D. Guthrie, Jacob Geist, Airvvine Hubbard, 
Elias J. Hettrick, Elijah C. Hall, Darius Hettrick, Henry Hettrick, John 
Hartman, Eli Hettrick, Thaddeus S. Hall, John W. Hawthorne, William Hall, 
Daniel Horam, William Ishman, Moses Ishman, Edward G. Kirkman, Alexander 
Kennedy, James Lockwood, Logan Linsenbigler, Enoch J. Loux, William 
Love, Magee A. Larrimer, Jeremiah Mowry, George Mowry, John Moore, 
James W. Murphy, John H. McElroy, A. H. McKillip, J. R. McFadden, Christy 
McGiffin, John McMurray, William O'Connor, Monroe Prindle, Benjamin 
Reitz, Calvin W. Ray, David J. Reigle, Robert Reed, Harris Ransom, Joseph T- 
Space, Calvin Simpson, Thomas Stewart, Peter Spangler, Michael Strawcutter, 
Charles Shindledecker, Newton Taylor, John Truby, Barclay D. Vasbinder, 
Hezekiah Vasbinder, Russell VanTasscU, Barton B. Welden, Ira Welch, John 
C. Wilson, Jackson Welch, William A. Williams. 

Company G, Fifty- seventh Regiment. 

Captain, Nicholas Brockway ; first lieutenant, John C. Johnson ; second 
lieutenant, Ezekiel Sterrett ; first sergeant, M. R. Bell ; sergeants, Frederick 
Harvey, Joel Brown, Perry C. Fox, William Mulkins; corporals, James Den- 
nison, John H. Robinson, Samuel Davenport, Richard Humphrey, John R. 
W^ilkins, John Adams ; privates, Jesse N. Atwell, Joseph Briggs, Charles Ba- 
ker, Dennis Butts, John Bryant, William Brittain, David Bovaird, James Cal- 
houn, James Coder, William Clinton, Andrew Calhoun, John Caldwell, Stewart 
Crawford, John M. Dailey, William Frost, Stephen Fox, Justice Gage, John 
Goodar, Thomas Groves, Franklin Goodar, Samuel Holt, Washington Hender- 
son, Jacob Hartman, William Irwin, John Irvin, James Jackson, Cyrus Kilgore, 
Robert Kearney, John Kearney, James Kearney, Franklin Lyman, C. Logue, 
Livingston Lockwood, D. W. Linsenbigler, Frank Lindemuth, Wesley Mul- 



Other Military Organizations. 197 

kins, William Mather, William McMinn, William B. McCullough, James Mc- 
Connell, William McConnell, Scott McClelland, Adam Nulf, William Nulf, 
Stewart Porter, V. L. Parsons, Coleman Parris, James Pearsall, James Patter- 
son, Lewis Riley, James M. Smith, James Smith, John Sylvis, Hamilton Smith 
James Stevenson, Levi Vandevort, Frederick Walker, James Welch, William 
H. Wilson. 

Company H, Fifty-seventh Regiment. 

Captain, John C. McNutt ; first lieutenant, James E. Long; second 
lieutenant, J. N. Garrison ; first sergeant, Henry Keihl ; sergeants, David 
Milliron, Peter Fike, George Richards, Daniel Hoy ; corporals, John W. 
Alcorn, Joseph Heasley, John J. Fishell, E. H. Clark, Joseph Glontz, Alvin 
Startzell, Jacob Smith Hiram McAninch ; musicians, Samuel Gearheart, Amos 
Lerch ; privates, William W. Alcorn, James G. Averell, S. R. Anderson, Lewis 
A. Brady, Amos Cailor, Andrew H. Diven, Frank Doubles, John B. Farr, 
Philip H. Freas, Robert Geist, James Geist, William J. Geist, Thomas M. Gib- 
son, Edward Henderson, George B. Haine, William Jenkins, C. N. Jackson, 
Thomas Jones, Israel Johnson, Elijah Keller, John Lash, James Lang, William 
R. Loder, George Mauk, John Matson, Eli Miller, Isaac Mauk, Alexander 
Mauk, Jacob Mauk, John J. Montgomery, Gilmore S. Montgomery, William 
Milliron, John McFarland, Joseph Neal, John G. Porterfield, Amos Raybuck, 
John Ross, George J. Reitz, F. S. Sprankle, Henry Shilling, Manoah Smith, 
William R. Shaffer, Henry Snyder, William Swab, Abraham Thomas, W'illiam 
Wonderling, William J. Wilson, James Walmer. 

Company B and C, Second Battalion Six Months Volunteers. 

In response to the call for six month's volunteers for border defense, issued 
by President Lincoln, and Governor Curtin, in July, 1863, two companies 
responded from Jefferson county, and were mustered into the Second Inde- 
pendent Battalion July 23, 1863, and discharged January 21, 1864. They 
went first into camp at Cumberland, Md., and though not actively engaged, 
did good service in guard and picket duty. Lieutenant Herman Kretz, who 
went out with Company B, was, on the organization of the battalion, promoted 
to major. 

Company B — Captain, Charles McLain ; first lieutenant, Thomas P. Mc- 
Crea; second lieutenant, Samuel P. Huston; first sergeant, David Baldwin; 
sergeants, Frank H. Steck, James E. Mitchell, George Stack, Solomon Kelso ; 
corporals, Henry C. Keys, Charles Lyle, Edward Guthrie, Edgar Rodgers, 
Adoniram J. Smith, Charles Butler, George Newcom, McCurdy Hunter; mu- 
sicians, Archibald O. McWilliams, W. S. Lucas; privates, Benton Arthurs, 
James T. Alford, J. G. Allen, Thomas B. Adams, Joseph Bowdish, William 
Baughman, Benjamin Bickle, Webster Butler, Hamilton Beatty, Robert Beatty^ 
22 



1 98 History of Jefferson County. 

Washington K. Christy, Simon Denny, Marcellus G. DeVallance, William F. 
Ewing, Samuel Frank, Barton Guthrie, William Gilbert, Robert S. Gilliland, 
Wilson Gilliland, William Gordon, John J. Guthrie, Norman B. Galbraith, Jacob 
Hettrick, James Hays, Edward Holly, David A. Henderson, John H. Hus- 
ton, Eli J. Irvin, George Irvin, Lawson Knapp, John L. Knapp, Robert Kelly, 
Thomas F. Keys, John T. Kelso, William Love, John L. Lucas, Edward Linde- 
muth, Constantine Levis, Philip Levy, William Miller, David F. Matter, Alex- 
ander Moore, Robert H. Mcintosh, George McDole, John S. McGiffin, Robert 
M. McElroy, Arad Pearsall, John B. Patrick, John S. Richards, John C. Ri ea, 
Reuben M. Shick, Amos Shirey, Alfred Slack, Robert A. Smith, William C. 
Smith, John Showalter, Lewis Stine, Henry Startzell, Frederick Steck, John 
Shields, David Simpson, James M. Simpson, Frank Truman, William L. 
Thompson, Joseph Thompson, Paul Vandevort, John C. Vandevort, Josiah 
Wiley. 

Company C — Captain, William Neel ; first lieutenant, Thomas K. Hastings ; 
second lieutenant, William C. Brown ; first sergeant, James L. Crawford ; ser- 
geants, John M. Brewer, William W. Crissman, Thomas J. Cooper, Henry C. 
■Campbell ; corporals, Thomas S. Neel, David A. Buchanan, Daniel M. Swisher, 
Joseph M. Kerr, Robert T. Philliber, John B. Bair, John St. Clair, Charles S. 
Bender; musicians, William J. Drum, Clark D. Allison; privates, Robert B. 
Adams, Charles S. Brown, George R. Brady, David Black, John Bush, George 
W. Barto, George A. Blose, Lorenzo D. Bair, William Boyd, David R. Bender, 
Darius E. Blose, P"inly Cameron, Joseph C. Curry, John Chambers, John B. 
Croasman, Michael L. Coon, W. L. Chamberlain, Daniel M. Cook, James N. 
Chambers, George W. Davis, William C. Downy, David S. Downy, Abijah 
Davis, Hiram Depp, Thomas D. Frampton, John Fierman, Benjamin F. Framp- 
ton, George H. Grove, David G. Gourly, James Garrabrant, James B. Hinds, 
John C. Hadden, George Hannah, Henry Hilliard, William A. Johnston, Mitch- 
ell R. Lewis, John. J. Lewis, Thomas R. Lamison, Charles Ledos, Robert 
Means, Henry M. Means, Elias Meeley, George Moot, Israel W. Marsh, i Robert 
McBrier, James R. McOuown, WilHam T. Neal, Aaron Neal, John W. Neal, 
Thomas J. Postlethewait, Watson B. Ross, Casper Reader, Irwin Robinson, 
William H. Redding, Samuel Shaffer, John Shorthill, John Summerville, Gar- 
ret Standish, Samuel Stevenson, James G. Sample, George W. Taylor, James 
Urey, James H. Weaver, Silas W. Work, John H. Work, David R. Whitesell, 
Thomas M. Williams, Adam Yohe, George W. Yount. 

Emergency Men of 1864. 

In July, 1864, Governor Curtin again called out the militia to repel the 
contemplated raid of Early into Pennsylvania, and in response to this call a 
company for one hundred days was raised in Jefferson county, by Captain 

1 Israel W. Marsh died at camp near Cumberland, Md., September 30, 1S63. 



Other Military Organizations. 199 

Charles Stewart, which left Brookville July 10, 1864. This company was prin- 
cipally recruited in Corsica and Reynoldsville. Captain Stewart on the organ- 
ization of the regiment, which was an independent organization, having no 
number, was chosen lieutenant- colonel. Their services not being needed on 
the border, Colonel Stewart was ordered to Bloomsburg, Pa., to quell disturb- 
ances there. The company was discharged November 10, 1864. 

Company F, captains, Charles Stewart, promoted ; Joseph R. Weaver ; first 
lieutenant, John A. Rishel ; second lieutenant, W. A. Burkett ; first sergeant, 
Gilbert P. Rea ; sergeants, Augustus H. Derby, Arad A. Pearsall, George W. 
Chamberlain, William K .McClelland; corporals, Gordon R. Clark, James D. 
McKillip, L. N. Tovvnsend, John McGeary, John M. Gamble, James W. Mur- 
phy, James Goe ; musicians, William Dougherty, John H. Corbet; privates, 
Benjamin F. Bickle, Jacob Bash, Samuel G. Boyer, Jacob Boyer, Jonathan W. 
Clark, Alexander Campbell, John Cochran, William G. Cummins, John C. Cal- 
houn, George W. Couch, John Covert, Myers Deiorm, Martin L. Devallance, 
George Evans, Lewis Evans, Benjamin F. Earheart, James T. Fox, Hiram A. 
Frost, Richard Fitzsimmons, Thomas Fitzsimmons, James Green, Thomas B. 
Galbraith, William Guthrie, John Hastings, Robert Harriger, Andrew Haugh, 
Harvey D. Haugh, Jackson A. Horrell, John A. Hoffman, William B. Hughes, 
Samuel E. Harris, Michael Hensell, John Hall, Robert J. Irwin, Nathaniel Imen, 
Alfred Johnson, Alexander Kennedy, David S. Kelly, W. W. Kelly, Robert 
Kelly, John T. Kelly, John Kelso, Thomas M. Kier, William C. Kime, David 
Long, David L. Lambing, Samuel London, Benjamin Love, Henry Leech, 
James K. Moore, Orville T. Minor, Campbell Morrison, William M. Michael, 
Albert McHenry, Christopher B. McGiflin, John S. McCauley, Harvey H. 
Pearsall, Richard W. Porter, Henry Rhodes, Lyman A. Rich, Taylor D. 
Rhines, Samuel Shoftner, Asa W. Scott, Porter J. Stitzell, John C. Wilson, 
Thomas R. Weaver. 

In giving prominence to the dead officers of Jefferson county, the writer 
has borne in mind the brave and gallant men in the ranks, who served with 
such noble heroism under these officers, and it is no disparagement to those 
heroes whose graves crowd the cemeteries at Seyen Pines, Fredericksburg, An- 
tietam, Gettysburg, and lie unmarked at Chancellorsville, or those who each 
year, in increasing numbers go to swell the silent population of our cemeteries 
at home, that their deeds of valor are not recorded. In all that has been writ- 
ten in praise of the fallen officers, the names and glorious deeds of the men 
who made the charges that cleft the lines of the enemy ; who in every batde 
upheld the officers, and aided in all that was grand and heroic, these are the 
names — these the deeds that are read between the lines — but these names are 
legion, and to give the details of their gallant services would fill a volume, while 
to select out a few, where all are equally deserving of praise, would be invid- 
ious. No soldiers who have fought in any army on the face of the globe, are 
more deserving of praise than are the private soldiers of Jefferson county. 



200 History of Jefferson County. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE DRAFT AND THE RELIEF FUND, 

The Fir-st Draft in Jefferson County— The Enrollment under the State Call— The Quota 
Filled — Organization of the Provost-Marshal General's Bureau — The Enrollment Board — Quotas 
under the different Drafts — Lists of the Lucky Ones — Drafted Men in the Eighty-second Penn- 
sylvania Regiment — The Relief Fund in Jefferson County — Aiding the Families of the Soldiers. 

The Draft in Jefferson County. 

THE first draft was in pursuance of the order of President Lincoln, of Au- 
gust 4, 1862, calling for 300,000 men. The enrollment for this draft was 
by States, and commissioners were appointed in each county to superintend 
the same. Hon. Isaac G. Gordon was the commissioner for Jefferson and For- 
est counties, and Dr. William J. McKnight was appointed examining surgeon. 
Mr. Gordon appointed the following persons to enroll the militia in the several 
townships : 

Brookville, John J. Thompson ; Barnett, Charles Butterfield ; Beaver, Ben- 
jamin Thomas ; Bell, P. W. Jenks ; Clover, H. R. Bryant ; Corsica, William 
Glenn ; Eldred, Milton Graham ; Gaskill, Henry Brown ; Henderson, William 
E. Bell; Heath, W. P. Jenks; Knox, James E. Long; McCalmont, John 
Rhoads ; Oliver, Isaac C. Jordan; Perry, Irwin Robinson; Punxsutawney, 
William Campbell ; Porter, F. W. Bell ; Pine Creek, Oliver Brady ; Polk, R. 
G. Wright ; Ringgold, P. H. Shannon ; Rose, F. C. Coryell ; Snyder, A. J. 
Thompson ; Union, E. B. Orcutt ; Washington, N. B. Lane ; Warsaw, Abram 
Yetter ; Winslow, John Boucher; Young, D. C. Gillispie. 

Under this enrollment the militia force of the county was found to be 3.482, 
of which 1,107 were already in the service, leaving 2,375, subject to the draft, 
but as Jefferson county had already sent more than her quota under the call, 
she escaped this draft. 

The act of Congress creating the office of provost-marshal general was ap- 
proved March 3, 1 863, and James B. Fry appointed to that office March 1 7, 1 863. 
Within a very short time thereafter the network of the organization adopted 
under the law was extended to all the counties and towns in the loyal States, 
and the work of the bureau commenced, viz., the arrest of deserters, enroll- 
ment of the national forces for the draft, and the enlistment of volunteers. 

When this bureau was put in operation it was found that the strength of 
the army was deemed inadequate for offensive operations, nearly four hundred 
thousand recruits being required to bring the regiments and companies then in 
the service up to the legal and necessary standard. The system of recruiting 
heretofore pursued had been found inadequate to supply the demand that the 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 201 

rapidly diminishing ranks of the army required. To meet this demand, caused 
by the casualties of battle, and the expiration of enlistments, a new system of 
recruiting was inaugurated. The general government through the provost- 
marshal general's bureau, assumed control of this business, which had hereto- 
fore been under the jurisdiction of the State governments. The provost-mar- 
shals of the several congressional districts, aided by a commissioner and sur- 
geon in each, were made recruiting officers, and as this manner of procedure 
sprang from the people, while at the same time exercising the authority of the 
government, it reached the masses and greatly promoted volunteering, and en- 
abled the difterent boards of enrollment to examine, enlist, muster, clothe, and 
forward recruits as fast as they could be obtained. The quotas of districts and 
sub-districts were made known, each locality was advised of the number it was 
required to furnish, and that in case of failure to fill their quota a draft would 
follow. 

Under this arrangement the board of enrollment for the Nineteenth Con- 
gressional District of which Jefterson county formed a part was established, 
with headquarters at Waterford, Erie county, and was constituted as follows : 
Provost- marshal, Colonel H. S. Campbell, of Erie county; commissioner, 
Jerome Powell, of Elk ; surgeon, Dr. John Mechling, of Jefterson (Dr. Mechling 

was appointed April 21, 1863); first clerk, Frothingham ; second clerk, 

John Haldeman, both of Erie county. These constituted the regular board of 
enrollment. Besides these from six to twelve additional clerks were employed. 
Dr. Mechling resigned April 21, 1864, and Dr. C. M. Matson of Brookville, 
was appointed to take his place. Mr. Haldeman also resigned in July or Au- 
gust to accept the appointment of recruiting agent of colored troops at Fortress 
Monroe, Va., and Edward Souther, of Ridgeway, was appointed in his place. 
Soon after Mr. Souther was appointed commissioner in place of Powell re- 
signed, and Joseph B. Henderson, the present cashier of the Jefterson county 
National Bank of Brookville, was appointed to the second clerkship. 

The board of enrollment was ordered to move its headquarters to Ridge- 
way, Elk county, December 17, 1864. The several drafts were all conducted 
by this board, and its headquarters continued at Ridgeway, until June 15, 1865, 
when by order of General Stanton, Secretary of War, Colonel Campbell, Dr. 
Matson, Edward Souther, and J. B. Henderson were discharged, and the dis- 
trict consolidated with the one east of it, and the records in charge of the chief 
clerk, Charles Himrod (who had succeeded Mr. Frothingham), removed to 
Williamsport, Pa. 

The work of the provost-marshal general's bureau was a gigantic one, and 
the strength of the army was so materially arid systematically increased, that 
the rebellion was soon quelled. The number of men obtained by this means 
is given in the report of Provost-Marshal General Fry: 



202 History of Jefferson Cotnty. 

Product of the drafts 168,649 

Number who paid commutation money for the procuring of substitutes under act of 

March 3, 1863 85,457 

Number who paid commutation under section 17, act of February, 1S64, (conscien- 
tiously opposed to bearing arms) 1.267 

Volunteer recruits (army and navy) and regulars 1,076,558 

1. 331. 931 

In the State of Pennsylvania $8,634,300 was paid for commutation. Of 
this amount the nineteenth district paid $1,439,995- 

The whole number drawn in the district was 3,387 ; number who failed to 
report, 263 ; whole number examined, 3,124 ; personallj' held, 247 ; furnished 
substitutes, 177; paid commutation, 928; total number held, 1,352; tlie num- 
ber exempted for different causes, 1,245 ; number drawn who were already in 
the service, 60. Of the number drawn Jefferson county furnished 1,473 

The bounties paid for men ranged from $300 to $600. Provost-Marshal 
Campbell appointed Captain Madison M. Meredith recruiting officer for Jeffer- 
son county, September 9, 1863, and with the inducements held out for re- 
cruits, a number of the townships paying local bounties, several of the districts 
filled their quotas under the first drafts. 

Very few of the men drafted in the county were sent into the service. The 
majority paid their commutation, others furnished substitutes or were released 
for some of the different causes exempting them from service. 

Under the call of July 18, 1863, for 300,000 men, the correct enrollment of 
Jefferson county in both classes was, first class, 1,624; second class, 813 ; total^ 
2,437, making the militia force of the county over 3,000. Under this enroll- 
ment the quota of the county was 484. This quota to which was added the 
after per cent, in addition, was distributed in the difi'erent subdistricts of the 
county as follows: Brookville borough, 35 ; Barnett, 7 ; Beaver, 22 ; Bell, 15 ; 
Clover, 21; Eldred, 15; Gaskill, 12; Henderson, 16; Knox, 20; Oliver, 21; 
Pine Creek, 26; Rose, 15 ; Snyder, 24, Union, 19; Warsaw, 29; Winslow, 32 ; 
Washington, 31 ; Punxsutawney, 11; Young, 20 ; Polk, 5 ; Heath, 9; Corsica, 
5 ; Perry, 24; Porter, 15 ; Ringgold, 25 ; McCalmont, 10. 

Names of those Dr.\fted. 

In pursuance of the above the following names were drawn from the wheel 
at Waterford, Wednesday, August 26, 1863 : 

Brookville Borough. — Richard J. Espy, Frank Kreitler, George Aaron, E. 
Reitz, W. Stevens, Abram Snyder, W. Dickey, T. Carroll, A. Scribner, J. Coon 
J. T. Carroll, R. Cathcart, G. W. Keiser, A. Mackey, G. G. Fryer, J. S. Hub- 
bard, W. O'Connor, John J. Thompson, J. Milliron, J. M. Pierce, John Sho- 
walter, William Glenn, F. Overbeck, C. Warner, C. S. Andrews, W. Lansen- 
dorfer, W. D. J. Marlin, F. C. Coryell, H. H. Barr, D. Rebeneck, R. Snyder, G. 
Johnson, S. Cale, J. B. Henderson, W. English. 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 203 

Bariiett Township. — C. Butterfield, A. Bashline, H. Bailey, William Boyer, 
J. Cook, S. L. Hulsopple, I. Cassett. 

Beaver Toivnship. — J. M. Burns, I. Crawford, A. Shaffer, W. Boughman, 
J. Johns, J. Thomas, J. E McNutt, J. Shick, L. Boughman, L. Fenstemacher, 
E. Oxenrider, John Thomas, E. Alcorn, W. Heckman, B. Wessen, H. Smith, 
P. A. Shaffer, E. Sherman, O. Myers, Eli Coulter, Reuben Dinger, J. Shaffer. 

Bell Townsliip. — W. Dunmire, J. Hoch, J. Caldwell, J. Hilburn, D. Davis, 
Godfrey Hilburn, J. Frederick, G. Finley, P. Kline, Henry Weis, Abram Peace, 
T. Davis, W. Stefty, H. Peterman, T. Dunn. 

Clover Toivnship. — M. Love, P. Vandevort, L. Jack, M. Knapp, A. Van- 
devort, L. C. Carrier, A. Hettrick, C. B. McGiffin, S. McGiffin, J. Hime, S. 
McGiffin, J. B. Ferguson, E. Campbell, John Brocius, I. Welch, R. Fitzsim- 
mons, S. M. Rodgers, G. A. Carrier, Andrew G. Hildrich, Grisswold Carrier, 
A. Alcorn. 

Corsica Borough. — H. Love, G. W. Gardner, J. B. Long, E. Depp, J. S. 
Espy. 

Eldred ToiviisJiip. — J. Singer, J. Brown, L Graham, R. B. English, J. Ply- 
ler, C. W'eaver, E. Forsyth, E. Lindemuth, H. Maxwell, W. Gallagher, E. Love, 
A. Butler, J. Lindsey, J. T. English, M. Gailey. 

Gaskill Townsliip. — A. Bower, J. M. Bowers, S. Remaley, L Bowers, J. 
Bowser, D. Remaley, J. Peterman, J. Brooks, E. Sheasley, Joseph Young, J. 
R. Bowers, Abe Bowers. 

Heath Township. — A. Zimmerman, J. Fowler, S. Wallace, G. McCoy, J. 
Dearhalp, N. Kirkland, G. Brocius, William Winlack, Thompson Crow. 

Henderson Township. — G. Emry, D. S. Slemmer, P. E. Smeyers, J. Bonnett, 
L France, H. J. Weaver, William Null, Solomon Knisely, L France, G. W. 
Ream, B. Boyer, H. Shaffer, A. Lott, B. Welder, P. J. Anthony, Jacob Davis. 

Kttox Township.— D. Wolf, S. Harriger, D. Rhinehart, A. Wiley, F. Shan- 
non, A. Averell, S. A. Hunter, H. J. Wise, P. Bailey, I. McKee, Isaac Harri- 
ger, A. Eshbaugh, John Farringer, S. F. Wilson, A. Burdoff, J. Cummins, J. 
Rhoads, D. Rhinehart, Adam Mohney, Jefferson Barber. 

McCalmont Township. — J. Smith, W. R. Pifer, J. G. Ernst, John Varner, 
J. W. Means, J. Straithoff, A. H. Deemer, Abram Warner, L W. McGee, 
John Bell. 

Oliver Tozunship. — J. Montgomery, W. Pantall, S. Horner, J. Smith, J. 
Fishel, J. J. Miller, D. Coulter, S. Stahlman, L. J. Boyington, Miles Smith, H. 
Doverspike, \N. H. Fishel, W. Jordon, D. W. Hoch, L M. Depp, J. Shaffer, 
T. Wadden, J. M. Clyde, S. Dobson, A. Hill, A. Miller. 

Pine Creek Township.— S. Baughmon, J. B. Campbell, J. T. Alford, N. S. 
Geere, J. E. Long, W. Kirkman, J. Bliss, J. Kunselman, J. Heasley, J. S. Geere, 
J. Moore, S. Siple, A. W. Livendorffer, C. Murphy, J. Rhodes, Henry Start- 
zell, E. Huffman, J. Dempsey, R. Vantassel, H. Horn, L Alsehouse, T. Clark, 
L Shoemaker, W. C. Evans, J. Dunham, J. W. Dempsey. 



204 History of Jefferson County. 

Pituxsiitawney Borough. — Jacob Zeitler, J. W. Hughes, J. J. J. Bishop, W. 
A. Means, A. C. White. G. W. Zeitler, B. Zeigler, W. Beck, T. K. Hastings, 
O. N. Nordstrom, W. R. Evans. 

Polk Toii'7iship.—B. K. McLure, W. H. McKillips, J. McGiffin, C. F. Hart- 
ung, George Heitzenreider. 

Porter Township.— 1. J. Bish, WilUam Postlethwait, D. Bish, G. Marsh, H. 
Snyder, J. Brombaugh, P. Bish, Joseph Bish, F. Ellenberger, J. Dibler, A. Hin- 
terliter, M. McDevitt, J. C. Hoover, E. Hoover, C. Miller. 

Perry Tozvnsliip. — D. Whitesell, P. Beam, J. N. Heckendorn, N. Croasman, 
Darius Blose, Thomas Reed, M. Depp, Bennewell Raybuck, S. <T. Means, W. 
London, T. S. Mitchell, D. Moser, S. Watkins, T. F. Adams, J. J. Lewis, A. 
Lingenfelter, W. B. Sprankle, J. Stunkard, A. B. Sivering, G. Palmer, J. Wa- 
chob, Joseph Postlethwait, J. B. Freas, Philip Weaver. 

Ringgold Township. — S. Michael, G. Hain, D. Mowry, S. Shaffer, P. W. 
Filler, D. Dinger, J. M. Miller, J. Milliron, J. Peters, W. Geist, B. Bush, D. 
Timblin, J. Hunger, J. Powell, A. Mowrey, E. Reed, C. Small, J. H. Wynkoop, 
Levi Boyer, S. Minich, H. Snyder, D. Falk, E. Dinger, A. H. Divin, Jacob 
Farringer. 

Rose Toivnship. — J. Lehman, H. Vasbinder, J. Ross, S. Shirey, T. C. With- 
erow, J. Matson, E. Brocius, J. E. Huffman, E. McGarey, M. Dowling, W. H. 
Brown, E. McAnnlch, P. Kitchen, J. S. McGiffin, Robert Clements. 

Snyder TozK.'nship. — I. Smith, S. Whepley, C. Grant, T. Calhoun, J. Bryant, 

C. Clinton, W. G. Noblitt, C. Arthurs, J. Robinson, P. Hefflefinger, L. Burgess, 
W. Sibley, B. Shaw, J. Kearney, W. Grant, B. F. Mullin, J. Kearney, Ira Welch, 
A. Phelps, C. Klein, G. W. Chamberlain. 

Union Township. — J. Hughes, S. Lamb, J. Howe, J. McLaughlin, J. Clark, 
R. Hughes, P. Rensell, J. L. McCullough, J. Casey, J. Hindman, S. Summer- 
ville, J. W. Kelly, T. Trumbull, J. Cochran. 

Washington Towjiship. — W. Dougherty, A. Patton, W. A. Gordon, W. Brit- 
ton, J. M. Smith, A. Hunter, J. G. Smith, J. Clinton, T. Long, R. Tedley, W. 
Conn, J. Tobin, J. Fitzsimmons, S. Crawford, W. P. Kearney, S. McConnell, A. 
Burtop, R. Miller, S. Davenport, G. Nelson, J. Burtop, J. Bovaird, H. Groves, 

D. Bovaird, H. Beck, J. Moore, A. Bovaird, B. Molter, R. Stevenson, C. R. 
Calhoun, W. McConnell, D. Dennison, J. Conn. 

Winslow Toivnship. — N. Strauss, Levi Shugars, T. B. London, E. Saxens, 
J. N. Hanna, J. Booth, P. Doverspike, S. Phillipi, J. H. Johnston, A. Snyder, I. 
London, J. Smith, Hiram Smith, T. Clayton, J. P. Sugars, W. Foltz, J. M. 
Foltz, A. Gathers, J. Lyons, P. Rockwell, J. J. Deemer, T. Reynolds, R. S. 
Gathers, H. Phillippi, A. Kuhnley, S. McCreight, P. Brown, S. M. Crawford, 
A. Welsh, D. Cyphert. 

Warsaiv Township. — J. W. Irvin, A. O. McWilliams, I. D. Smith, P. C. 
Fox, L. Lockwood, R. WMlson, B. Lindemuth, I. M. Temple, M. R. Bell, J. 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 205 

Bullers, N. Smith, R.W. Anderson, J. N. Riggs, N. Keys, I. Graham, T. Moore, 
J. Miller, T. T. Crawford, A. J. Bartlett, John dinger, S. Smith, J. R. Trim- 
ble, E. Perrin, G. Vasbinder, E. Russell, S. Sartwell, A. E. Aloore, C. Clinger, 
J. Miller. 

Voin/or Township. — J. M. Graffius, H. W. Smith, D. Barnett, W. Graffius, 
W. Crissman, G. M. Long, J. Barnett, W. Craft, T. Pantal, Christ. Smith, Adam 
Smith, J. Work, W. P. Gaskill, R. Kerr, T. J. S. Henneigh, E. Berry, W. G. 
Carmalt, S. Phillips, J. Kerr, C. Clawson. 

The second draft was commenced about the 15th day of April, 1864, ^nd 
was for the deficiencies under the calls of the president of October 17, 1863, 
for 300,000 volunteers for three years' service ; February i, 1864, for 200,000 
men (in addition to the call of October 17) for three years' service, and March 
14, 1864, for 200,000 men to supply the wants of the navy, and to provide for 
contingencies, or, the calls being added together, for 700,000 men for three 
years' service. The quota for Jefterson county, under these calls was 672, viz.: 
Brookville, 54; Barnett, 10; Beai'er, 32; Bell, 22; Clover, 28; Eldred, 27; 
Gaskill, 16; Henderson, 23; Knox, 27; Oliver, 29; Pine Creek, 36; Rose, 
27 ; Snyder, 30 ; Union and Corsica, 24; Warsaw, 37 ; Winslow, 43 ; Wash- 
ington, 44; Young and Punxsutawney, 48; Polk, 8; Heath, 13 ; Perry, 29; 
Porter, 18 ; Ringgold, 32; McCalmont, 15. 

Under this draft the following names were drawn at Waterford, June, 1864. 

Barnett Totvnship. — George W. Stoner, John Beasom, Isaac Cassett, Frank 
E. Jackson, George Frazier, James W. Daniels. 

Beaver Township. — Henry Hettrick, B. S. Raybuck, Isaac N. Byers, Henry 
Saucerman, Peter Wells, George Smathers. 

Gasici/l Toionship. — Augustus Winslow, Peter F. Bowser, Isaac Bowers, 
John Miller. 

Henderson Tozvnship. — Daniel F. Smyers, Samuel R. Spencer, Jacob G. Zu- 
fall, Jacob Bonnett, Henry Hammerman, James D. Anthony.^Ludwick Preston, 
Elias Frease. 

Pine Creek Tozvnship. — Ephraim Weidner, Eli Johns, James P. Black, Reu- 
ben Scott, Joseph Zimmerman, George Rhodes, Joseph Parmeter, Peter Eme- 
rick, James McFadden, John McCullough, Bennewell Kroh, John Carrier, Solo- 
mon Baughman, Emanuel Weiser, James F. Lowry. 

JFins/ow Township. — Henry Smith, John Clayton, Martin Foltz, John 
Douthett, Richard McClure, William Gathers, George Brodhead, Lewis Lud- 
wick, Mathew Leigle, Noah Syphert, Solomon Dickey, James Foltz, Levi 
Knapp, Levi Shuckers, James^Sheasley, Simon Sheasley, Warner G. Repshur, 
Charles B. Clark, Henry L. Lindsey. 

Heath Tozvnship. — James Guthrie, John O'Neil, Adam Zimmerman, Brown 
Galbraith, James Delong, George Brocius, Jonathan Pike, Oliver Grossman. 

Porter Towiiship.— Robert Elkin, Hugh McDowell, William H. McDonald, 
James Stockdill, William Snyder. -^ 



2o6 History of Jefferson County. 

McCalmont Tozviisliip. — Jacob Kuntz, Jacob Zimmerman, Hiram Nichol- 
son. 

The other districts in the county having raised their quotas, thereby escaped 
this draft. 

The draft under call of July 1 8, 1864, was made under the provisions of the 
amendment to the enrollment act, approved July 4, 1864, for 500,000 volun- 
teers for one, two, or three years' service, and fifty days was allowed to fill quo- 
tas by volunteering before the draft took place. 

Under this draft the quota of Jefterson county was four hundred and fifty- 
three, viz.: Brookville, 36; Barnett, 6; Beaver, 21 ; Bell, 17 ; Clover, 21 ; El- 
dred, 19; Gaskill, 13 ; Henderson, 13; Knox, 17; Oliver, 19; Pine Creek, 23; 
Rose, 18; Snyder, 18; Union and Corsica, 17; Warsaw, 25; Winslow, 20; 
Washington, 30; Punxsutawney and Young, 33; Polk, 6; Heath, 7; Perry, 
23 ; Porter, 11 ; Ringgold, 21 ; McCalmont, 11. 

Out of those townships not filling the above quota, the following men were 
drafted : 

Barnett. — Henry Bailey, Henry Ream, William Cook, Leonard Agnew, 
S. L. Holsopple, John Agnew. 

Beaver. — Henry Reitz, Israel Osman, Philip Plyler, Jonas Himes, Thomas 
Guthrie, Thomas, Shaft'er, Frank Hettrick, Peter R. Reitz, Samuel Thomas, 
George J. Reitz, Samuel Gearheart, George Smathers, Charles Plyler, Jacob 
Shick, Jacob Wagoner, Isaac Shaffer, Henry Byerly, Daniel B}'erly, Lawrence 
Baughman, Jonas Sowers, Samuel Reed, Henry Myers, Michael Brocius, 
Jacob Hettrick, Isaac Motter, John Lang, jr., John Cabel, John Funk, Peter 
Shrauger. 

Eldred. — Bastian Miller, Simon Miller, John Lindsey, William McCaskey, 
Henry Peters, James Gallager, Luther L. Hackett, William Carroll, Thaddeus 
Hall, Joseph Lindsey, William Hall, James Kerr, John Anthony, Henry P. 
Beer, Harman Miller, James McNeal, Thomas McNeal, Isaac Kerr. 

Gaskill. — Martin H. Parker, Abraham Bowers, John F. Atwell, John Wain- 
right, John Bowers, John Frampton, Henry Shields, Daniel Kelener, David F. 
Bowser, William A. Bowers, Philip Smith, Johiel Brooks, Robert S. Miller, 
Daniel Remaley. 

Henderson. — Frederick Koher, John Heim, John France, David Slemner, 
James Gourley, Jacob Philhart, Benjamin Yohe, David Pifer. 

Knox. — Christopher Mills, George P. Wiley, John Rhodes, John Ferringer, 
George Newcom, Joseph Bower, William S. Love, Michael E. Steiner, Samuel 
A. Hunter, Franklin Doubles, Henry Sivelong, David M. Cochran, Eli Rhine- 
hart, Henry J. Wise, Samuel P. Davidson, George S. Cochran, Philip Kitchen, 
Henry Gilhousen, Samuel Yount, William Bailey, George W. Harriger, James 
Wills. 

Oliver. — John Lash, Solomon Shirey, Joseph Clontz, Amos Raybuck, John 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 207 

Spare, Jacob Hettrick Joseph Gaston, Christian Shick, John Dobson, Josiah 
Miller, Charles Hickox, Lyman J. Boyington. 

Snyder. — Silas Whelply, J. Briggs, Justice Gage, Frederick Walker, Russell 
Felt, James Penfield, William Kearny, John Wilson, William H. Wilson, Mc- 
Curdy Millen, Samuel Holt, J. B. Rice. 

Union. — John Trimble, Francis Winters. 

Corsica. — John Thompson, A. L. Russell. 

Warsaw. — ^Thomas Aljoe, George Walker, Martin DeVallance, John A. 
Fox, Martin Smith, William Evans, Benjamin E. McMurtrie, John Leper, Sam- 
uel M. Humphrey, John A. Adams, Norman I. Pierce, Jeremiah Allen, John 
Bailey, Milton J. ^Miller, Jasper Suftblk, Frank Lindemuth, J. C. Andrews, 
George W. Corbin, Henry L. Lithgo, John H. Pearsall, Lyman L. Lockwood, 
John Templeton, Thomas Jamison, Jacob M. VanOrman, James Suffolk, Jacob 
Raught, Robert Wilson, Joseph Miller, Henry Bullers, Lewis Evans, Jason W. 
Cochran, Martin Hoffman. 

Young. — Henry Haugh, John Hutchinson. 

Polk. — Lewis Evans, J. H. Starrett, Jesse Claypole, William Hettrick, Rob- 
ert Corbet, John Chamberlain, 

Heath. — James Guthrie, James Burrows, Brown Galbraith, Victor Picknin, 
Jonathan Munz, Thompson Crow, Campbell Blair, James Moore. 

Porter. — Jacob Howard, John Elkin, Samuel Secrist, James Kennedy, 
Thomas B. Adams, Ephraim A. Adams, George R. Timblin, Jonathan Eber- 
hart, Joseph D. Allen, Charles Gahagan, Daniel McGregor, William Coleman, 
Garrett B. Shrauger, Daniel C. McGregor. 

Ringgold. — Henry Hinderliter, Isaac Richards, William D. Reitz, John 
Hollebough, William Geist, William Martz, Joel Reitz, John Imhoof, Abraham 
Thomas, Michael Hettrick, William F. Butler, John Mowry, Michael Shoaf- 
stall, Daniel Sherry, Alvin Startzell, Edward Paul, George Shugars, Daniel 
Hinderliter, James Geist, Cornelius Geist, Simon Minich, Henry Johnston, 
Elias Martz, David Weaver, John Freas, John B. Postlethwait. 

The next draft was ordered December 19, 1864, on the call of the Presi- 
dent for 300,000 men, and Jefferson county quota was 364, viz.: Brookville, 
12; Barnett, 3; Beaver, 18; Bell, 15; Corsica, 4 ; Clayville, 4 ; Clover, 16; 
Eldred, 16; Gaskill, 13; Heath, 4 ; Henderson, 12; Knox, 16; McCalmont, 
10; Oliver, 14; Punxsutawney, 13 ; Pine Creek, 20 ; Perry, 20 ; Polk, 2; Por- 
ter, 10; Ringgold, 21 ; Rose, 15 ; Snyder, 9; Union, 11 ; Warsaw, 21 ; Wins- 
low, 24; Washington, 24; Young, 17. 

The following is the official list of those drafted : 

" Office of Provost Marshal, 

" RiDGEWAY, Pa., March 7, 1865. 
"John Scott, Esq., Editor Republican : 

" Dear Sir : — For your information I furnish you a list of the men drafted 
in your county. 



2o8 History of Jefferson County. 

" The names are given as they are drawn from the wheel — the one hundred 
per cent, included. 

" Yours Truly, 

" H. S. Campbell, Prov. Mar" 

Brookvillc. — John E. Carroll, Charles McCain. 

Bartieti. — Jackson Cook, William Wallace, David Walters, George Frazier, 
Robert P. Seaton, James Truby. 

Bearer. — Leander Tetrick, Joseph Fenstamaker, Adam Gumbert, Henry 
Hettrick, James B. Wattenbaugh, William Edmonds, William Brocius, Daniel 
Keefer, Peter Wells, Solomon Byerly, George Myers, Thomas Jones, John L. 
Barr, Tobias Himes, Jacob Brocius, William Barkhouse, Milton Edmonds, 
Henry Guthrie, Joseph Spare, Henry M. Emhoof, Samuel Valentine, Frederick 
Myers, Elias Thomas, Thomas Alcorn, B. S. Raybuck, John James, John W. 
Osborn, Patrick O'Loughlin, George Geist, Jacob Ames, George Byerly, 
Christian Funk, Joseph Thomas, David W. Smith, John C. Smith, Isaac Reitz. 

Bell. — John Redden, Silas Brooks, Aaron Smouse, David Rudolph, John R. 
Grube, George Bair, David W. Couch, John Green, David Bair, Henry Kuntz, 
Augustus Dougherty, William Orr, William D. Carey, Samuel Neel, Reuben 
Williams, Conrad Smouse, Henry Sheasley, Charles Spindler, David Grube, 
Jacob Hoch, Samuel Smouse, Solomon Harrold, Joseph Frederick, Fred 
Hummell, John Shatter, Jacob Grube, Andrew Hawk, John Caldwell, Joseph 
Steffy, Daniel McElwain. 

Corsica. — James M. Mapes, Dennis Rensel, John Espy, William Rensel, 
William D. Wadding, James H. Elliott, George Rensel, Joseph Elder. 

Clover. — John K. Covert, John S. Thompson, Charles Shingledecker, 
James E. Walmer, Abraham Wayland, David F. North, Euphrastus M. 
Carrier, Dwight A. Wesson, George W. Burns, Thomas Mitchell, David C. 
Simpson, Samuel Moore, Edwin G. Carrier, Spencer Inman, Barton B. Wel- 
den, Samuel McGiffin, Hiram Carrier, John Hice, James Dickey, Joshua Knapp, 
James C. Anderson, James M. Shields, Joshua Vandevort, George Scott, John 
B. Porter, Watson H. Anderson, George Brocius, Benjamin Brocius, Jonathan 
Horner, Clark B. Haven, David Ditty, Frederick Hice. 

Clayvillc. — Thomas Rodgers, Lewis R. Davis, Hugh Doming, Jacob C. 
Pierce, Daniel Updegraff, Peter Hettrick, Elias Richner, William S. Perry. 

Eldred. — Hugh Maxwell, Noah Stahlman, David Craft, Daniel Bear, 
Conrad Brenkley, Albert Pearce, Charles Ackley, John Nolf, Thomas Stewart, 
James T. English, Robert J. Matson, Michael Hofi'man, Thomas Graham, 
William Lewis, Levi Lindemuth, Mathew Gailey, W'illiam Hughes, Andrew 
M. Larrimer, James Cowan, John W. Wynkoop, Joseph Songer, Frederick 
Kahle, Isaac Buzzard, Peter Catz, Jacob Mineweaser, Charles Bowen, James 
Moore, R. Lyle, John White, James Irwin, Reynolds Buzzard, Washington 
Kahle. 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 209 

Gaskill. — Joseph Young, John Winslow, Christian Hoover, Henry Sheesly, 
George Keller, James M. Bovvers, Peter Bowser, Isaac Bowers, Jacob Bowser, 
WilHam Grossman, William McKee, John P. Murray, William E. Cofifman, 
Augustus Kinter, Daniel Cornman, Jacob Smith, Levi Shirley, Lewis May, 
John Brooks, Augustus Winslow, George Shirley, Peter Welder, Robert 
Swartz, Solomon Bowers, James Dougherty, Samuel P. Hoover. 

Henderson. — Charles Miller, Charles Miller, John Frederick Bonnett, James 
D. Anthony, George Kunley, John Kunley, Jacob Kunley, Mathias Foere, 
Jacob Davis, Peter Weaver, Isaac M. Cougharon, Henry Scott, jr., George 
France, Frederick Boyer, John Rider, John Miller, Andrew Hammond, Jacob 
Bonnett, Izrael France, Ludwick Pruister, Henry Hammerman, James C. 
Cougharon, John Gourly, William Smith. 

Heath. — Henry L. Dunmire, Levi Snyder, William O'Harra, John D. 
McNeal, John O'Neil, Charles O'Harron, John Dearhalps, Robert Painter. 

Knox. — Solomon Harriger, William Davidson, Lott Anderson, Harvey 
Barr, Isaiah Johns, Jacob Shilling, William Reed, John Futts, John Ney, 
Franklin Miller, Silas Anderson, Edgar Rodgers, David Chitister, Henry 
Sentner, Daniel Friedline, Alexander Shirey, Daniel Sarvey, Robert Camp- 
bell, Thomas Anderson, William Rice, Elias Eshbaugh, Jacob Johns, Daniel 
Wolf, Daniel Rhoads, Christopher Rhoads, Sylvester McAnnich, William H. 
W^yley, Jacob Shaffer, Philip Guthrie, Jacob Miller, William Yoder, Jackson 
Gearhart. 

McCalmoftt. — Augustus F. W. Lorring, Jackson Sheasley, John C. Pifer, 
Elias Bests, Jacob Straithoof, Jacob S. Smith, Thomas Brown, jr., John H. 
Hopkins, Philip Moot, John B. Zeitler, Solomon S. Yoter, Robert Whitesell, 
Jacob Kuntz, Jacob N. Means, Lewis Elbel, Benjamin McCann, James McGee, 
Samuel Rhoads, Charles Moot, Alexander Dickey. 

Oliver. — William V. Reed, Jacob Kaylor, William Eisenhart, Philip Het- 
trick, John Drayer, James M. Hadden, John Clontz, Samuel Burkett, Nicholas 
Shaffer, Godfrey Reitz, Benjamin V. Reed, William Mauk, Jacob Beightel, 
William A. Gibson, Ezra Shirey, Thomas Wadding, Andrew Huffman, John 
R. Pantell, Alexander Parks, John Miller, Charles Hickox, Eli Miller, John 
Miller, of J., Charles Wonderley, Harrison Ickes, Adam Raybuck, George 
Startzell, John Coleman. 

Punxsjitawney. — Thadeus Campbell, Franklin Fickenger, Reuben Win- 
slow, Cyrus M. Wilson, Martin L. Heinnigh, George Long, John Zeitler, 
Frederick Hauck, Charles S. Reese, George T. Gray, J. G. Myers, James S. 
St. Clair, Alexander G. Hughes, Nelson D. Porter, Joseph Shields, William 
Henry, Valentine Snyder, J. J. J. Bishop, John R. Evans, Stacy B. Williams, 
James E. Mitchell, Oscar Winslow, Robert A. Bouch, V. S. Murray, John B. 
Bair, John B. Wilson. 

Perry. — John Frampton, James P. Kelly, Samuel Mauk, Sanford Neal, 



2IO History of Jefferson County. 

Thomas S. Mitchell, James Wachob, James Gray, James McHenry, James 
Hamilton, Joseph Nevvcom, Samuel Sprankle, James Grossman, Christian Lau- 
breck, George H. Grove, Jacob L. Coon, Samuel Curry, John Crissman, Wil- 
liam Moser, Hugh Bell, Philip Whitesell, Samuel A. Weaver, Isaac M. Knapp, 
David M. Postlethwait, Thomas T. Adams, William P. McHenry, David 
Weaver, Nathan Grossman, George Gourly, Henry Kennedy, George Nevv- 
com, George E. Blose, Joseph W. Sharp, Martin Reitz, Jacob Mauk, James 
Young, William G. Cummins, George H. Shrock, Henry Shilling, Thadeus 
Means, Archibald Hadden. 

Pine Creek. — Niman Chitester, James Dykes, James Weidner, Abel TuUer, 
Joseph P. Taylor, John Hutchins, Izrael Snyder, Hartley Holden, William 
Vandevort, William Ishman, Emanuel Weiser, Josiah Harman, Jacob Kroh, 
Samuel Work, Eli Johns, Jacob Krisher, Webster Butler, Sylvester R. Milliron, 
William Moore, \yiiliam Harris, John C. Wilson, Charles Murphy, Henry 
Bussard, Jared Jones, Charles Wetzel, Michael Mowry, James Kelly, Michael 
E. Kroh, Isaac Cable, Joseph Lattimer, Wadsworth Butler, Alonzo Andrews, 
John C. Long, William Cable, Samuel Wilson, James Butler, George Zettler, 
Joseph Dempsey. 

Porter. — Hugh McDivett, Elisha Hoover, John W. Potts, Charles H. 
Coleman, James M. Timblin, Michael Bish, John McClelland, Noah Marsh, 
Elisha C. Barnett, Peter Stear, Thomas T. Coleman, James Stockdale, Jacob 
Dibler, William Snyder, W. McGregor, William H. McDonald, George Bish, 
John Y. Gahaghan, Johnston Welchons, William Bish. 

Polk. — Samuel Coon, George Smith, Thomas Davis, Sylvester Davis. 

Ringgold. — Charles Martz, Christian Shaffer, Solomon Martz, William 
Bush, William Young, Levi Gearheart, George Shaffer, William Keil, William 
Gearheart, Benjamin Bush, Nathan B. Grossman, Solomon Shaffer, Joseph Pow- 
ell, Simon Shaffer, EHas Lettick, A. Falk, Joseph Mottern, Elias Dinger, Philip 
Snyder, Moses Powell, Levi Boyer, Francis Upenbacker, David Buck, John 
Smathers, John Wise, Isaac Brocius, Moses Ferringer, John Yount, J. C. Mc- 
Nutt, William Milliron, Lewis Mottern, John H. Hinderliter, R. B. Farr, James 
Postlethwait, Simon Hilliard, Charles Kaylor, Amos B. Lerch, James Richards, 
Conrad Geist, Jacob Koons, Daniel Snyder, Edward Falk. 

Rose. — John Carr, John Sylvus, John Lewis, John M. McGary, Mathias 
Honadle, Amos Reitz, William H. Smith, Joseph Montgomery, John J. Warey, 
Joseph S. Oxenrider, Thomas M. Witherow, Martin Richards, James R. 
Witherow, John J. Campbell, Alexander McMannigle, Joseph McSparrin, 
Henry Alsehouse, Anthony Arnold, John Brown, Lawrence Neal, William 
Sarvey, George Ohl, Adolphus Verbeck, Alexander Campbell, J. Greely, 
Joseph Thrush, Thomas Edmonds, Samuel C. Witherow, John M. Haugh, 
S. A. Morrison. 

Snyder. — Benjamin F. Townle}', William Tolbert, Allebert Galusha, David 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 211 

Dean, John W. Mcintosh, Webster N. Johnston, W. H. Wilson, H. Shieet, Isaac 
Chamberlain, John Briggs, Valentine Mohny, John Robinson, David Walker, 
John Robinson, J. W. Green, Samuel Holt, Mathew Bovaird, Alonzo Myers. 

Union. — John H. Monks, John M. Kelly, Enoch Steele, Newton Taylor, 
John Orcutt, Philip Aaron, Reuben Klingensmith, Jeremiah Kohler, Joseph 
Summerville, James H. Brown, John Brown, Jacob Howe, G. H. Kennedy, 
William McKee, Washington McKinley, Isaac Siars, Amos Hinderliter, William 
Jones, David Sharp, Simon Snyder, Robert M. Siars, James White. 

Washington. — Joseph Waterhouse, William Dean, William McConnell, 
Robert McDonald, John G. Smith, Robert Tweedy, Charles R. Calhoun, David 
Dennison, William McCullough, John A. Crawford, John C. Groves, Nesly Sen- 
ior, Robert Wait, James R. Groves, Ezekial Sterrett, Thomas G. Groves, Rob- 
ert R. Smith, William Stevenson, David McGarey, William Dellmore, Alex- 
ander Keys, Mathew Wright, James Dennison, William J. Calhoun, James Brit- 
ton, Robert Stevenson, John H. Nopsken, George Smith, Robert Patterson, 
James H. Ross, James L. Smith, Joseph Brittain, Archabald McCullough, Elisha 
G. Evans, Joseph Keys, David Moore, James Patten, George McClelland, Jo- 
seph Hutchison, Robert H. Mcintosh, William Cooper, Robert Miller, James 
B. Smith, Samuel McConnell, Simon Barkhouse, Thomas Brown, Miller Mc- 
Curdy, James Shaw. 

Warsaw. — John Reed, John dinger, Jackson Moorhead, Eli Vasbinder, 
William Russell, jr., John Miller, Joseph Bowers, Tobias Painter, Jacob Yount, 
Isaac Graham, Gabriel Stahlman, E. A. R. Clark, Conrad Clinger, L. E. Bart- 
lett, Anthony Arnold, Tliomas T. Crawford, L. J. Boyington, George Wilson, 
Fergus Craven, Charles Horn, A. J. Bartlett, W. W. Bartlett, Abram Vande- 
vort, N. P. Smith, Richard Humphrey, J. A. Richards, Gideon Lindemuth, 
Joseph McCracken, Adam G. Clark, Michael Reitz, Lester Lockwood, Abra- 
ham Snyder, Nathaniel Wilson, Isaac Carrier, William Foust, Clinton Johnston, 
William Butler, Lewis S. Dunham, Joseph Dunn. 

Wins/ow. — William Daily, Charles B. Clark, Charles H. Prescott, Andrew 
J. Johnston, Lewis Ludwick, John H. Rishel, John Painter, Charles H. Gordon, 
Jacob Cherry, Frederick Brooks, Henry Doling, Gordon Harris, David Hillis, 
George Strouse, Jonathan Deemer, Henry Kroh, William A. Stewart, William 
Fathims, Isaac London, Peter Burkett, William Best, James Sheasly, Henry 
Rhoads, Robert Douthett, jr., Ephraim Murray, Jacob Best, Samuel N. R. 
Boyer, Gould J. Scott, Hugh Lowry, Edward E. Seeley, Jesse B. Wayland, 
George W. Rea, Joshua Fey, Charles Cerp, Abraham Boyer, James Fey, Jacob 
Boyer, Adam Glazier, Noah Strouse, Thomas J. Reynolds, Henry C. Moore, 
John B. Snyder. Henry Foltz, Abner Reed, Robert Morris, James Cathcart, 
Henry W. Hoak, Bennewell Snyder. 

Yoitng. — Richard Berry, Benoni Clawson, Jacob Kesslar, Jacob Covert, To- 
bias Long, John B. Henneigh, Daniel J. Graffius, Frederick Hawk, Charles B. 



212 History of Jefferson County. 

Hutchison, John Painter, jr., Israel McEIvain, Joseph H. Bowman, Emanuel 
Fetterman, Peter Keslar, Christian Weaver, Joseph WilHams, James Saltsgiver, 
Benjamin Frampton, John N. Hawk, Levi McGregor, William S. Hughes, 
Thomas Carpenter, David Brown, Joseph R. Craft, Philip Smith, Henry Win- 
gard, jr., Charles Shwartz, George Long, Moses A. Smith, Samuel Craft, John 
Barley, Alexander Campbell. 

The time for the men drafted under this call to report was fixed by Colo- 
nel Campbell for the 20th of April, but before that time arrived Lee had sur- 
rendered to the victorious army of General Grant, at Appomattox, and an 
order was issued by the provost marshal-general releasing all drafted men who 
had not already reported at the general rendezvous. 

This was joyous news for the drafted men and caused them to enter with 
doubly intensified enjoyment into the general rejoicing that filled the hearts of 
all classes of citizens over the glad tidings that the war had closed. 

It can be said of the people of Jefferson county that they promptly re- 
sponded to every draft, and in no instance was there the least resistance offered 
to the officers in the discharge of their duty. This submission to the will of 
the administration, and acquiescence in the plan for filling up the army, which 
the exigencies of the service demanded, did not prevail in all portions of the 
country. In Clearfield county the enforcement of the draft was met with armed 
resistance, and troops had to be sent to arrest deserters from the draft harbor- 
ing there. 

In the discharge of this duty one of the bravest soldiers of Jeflerson county 
lost his life. Lieutenant-Colonel Cyrus Butler, with Lieutenant George Van- 
Vliet, had gone to Clearfield county under orders from Provost-Marshal Camp- 
bell, to arrest deserters, and on the 30th of October, 1864, proceeded to the 
house of Joseph Lounsber\', who resided two and a half miles from Clearfield 
town, a deserter from both drafts^ to arrest him. On perceiving the officers 
he ran up stairs, Butler and Van Vliet following after ; when Lounsberry shot 
Colonel Butler on the stairs, mortally wounding him. When Butler fell Van- 
Vliet tried to arrest Lounsberry, but the latter, clubbing his revolver, knocked 
the lieutenant down, and escaped. 

Colonel Butler was removed to the town of Clearfield where he died the 
next day. An inquest was held over his remains, and a verdict rendered in 
accordance with the facts. His remains were then taken to his home in 
Brookville, where a stricken wife and four little children received them. He 
was laid to rest in the cemetery there on the 3d of November, followed by the 
sorrowing and indignant citizens. Colonel Butler was born in Pine Creek 
township, his father, David Butler, being one of the first settlers in the county. 
He had always resided there and in Brookville, until the breaking out of the 
rebellion, when he enlisted in Captain Brady's company and was promoted 
from first sergeant to second lieutenant of Company K, Eleventh Pennsylvania 



The Draft and the Relief Fund. 213 

Reserves. He resigned on account of wounds and disability April 17, 1863, 
but again enlisted and served as lieutenant-colonel of Colonel Porter's regi- 
ment Emergency Men, and then while still in his country's service, he died by 
the hand of a traitor. 

The board of enrollment held a meeting on receipt of the intelligence of 
Colonel Butler's death, and passed resolutions condemning the cruel murder, 
pledging themselves to use every eftbrt to bring Lounsberry to justice, and con- 
doling with the bereaved family in their sorrow. They also recommended that 
Mrs. Butler be granted a pension by the government, which was subsequently 
done, she receiving a pension until her death, and her children being admitted 
to the soldier's orphan schools on the same equality as the children of other 
deceased soldiers. 

The enrollment board at this meeting raised the sum of one hundred and 
fifteen dollars, which was forwarded to Mrs. Butler, with the resolutions of con- 
dolence. 

It is impossible to give the regiments in which the drafted men of Jefferson 
county served. Nearly all of those who went into the service under the draft 
of 1863 were put into the Eighty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, and the 
rolls of that regiment give the following names : 

Company A. — Corporal John Fishel ; Edward Barry ; William H. Fishel, 
killed ; Mathew Keys, died ; Wilson Keys. 

Company B. — Joseph Bowdish, killed ; David Dinger, John Deeter, W^ill- 
iam Geist, J. N. Heckendorn, David Hoch, John Ross. 

Company C. — Sergeant John W. Irwin ; Peter Bish, Daniel Bish, Amos 
D. Hinderliter, Edward Forsythe. 

Company D. — Peter Bish, killed ; Jefferson Dempsey, Samuel Horner. 

Company E. — Henry Fisher, William Kirkman. 

Company F. — William C. Evans. 

Company G. — James Bullers, John McNutt, Josiah Shoemaker, Jacob 
Shirey. 

Company I. — Ephraim Bushley, Henry Doverspike, died ; L. Lockwood, 
Lyman Lockwood, Levi Vandevort, Wilson Fisher. 

In the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Regiment were the following drafted 
men from Jefferson county: 

Company C. — Andrew G. Hettrick. 

Company E. — Gabriel Vasbinder, killed ; Russell Van Tassel, Benjamin F. 
Martin. 

Company G. — Elza McAnnich. 

Company K. — John C. Hoover. 

24 



214 History of Jefferson County. 



Relief Fund of Jefferson County. 

In the fall of 1861 it was found that a great many of those who had volun- 
teered in the army from this county had left their families without adequate 
support. To relieve the wants of these wives and children of the volunteers, a 
relief fund was raised by special taxation. The relief board was composed of 
the associate judges and commissioners of the county, who furnished aid to all 
families of absent soldiers in need of such assistance. The assessments and ex- 
penditures for the different }-ears, were as follows : 
1861. 

Real and Personal Property $1,186.25 

Real and Personal Property, additional assessment 1,802.41 

Unseated Lands 556-24 

$ 3.544-90 

1862. 

aieal and Personal 2,823.03 

^Militia Fund, Transferred 335-49 

•Unseated Lands 527.67 

3,686. 10 

1863. 

Real and Personal 2, 723.93 

Unseated 484-83 

Balance Militia Fund S45.76 

4.104-32 

1S64. 

Real and Personal 2,693.56 

Unseated 4S8.50 

Militia 454-33 

3-636-39 

1865. 

Real and Personal 3,285.55 

Unseated 697. 10 

Militia 476.25 

4,458.90 

1S66. 

Militia 39. 1 7 39. 1 7 

$19,470.07 
1867. 
Balance transferred to County Funds 116.15 

Total amount paid for Relief $19,353-92 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 215 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

The Grand Array of the RepuhUc, First Organized — The First Post in Jefferson County — 
Amor A. McKnight Post — E. R. Brady Post — E. H. Little Post — John C. Conser Post — 
John C. Dowhng Post — Jefferson Post — D. S. Porter Post — The Sons of Veterans — The 
Woman's Rehef Corps — The Soldiers' Orphan School — The Little Orphans and the Governor 
— The Wards of the State Provided For — Jefferson County Soldiers' Orphans — Number of 
U. S. Pensioners in Jefferson County — Amount Paid in Pensions. 

Grand Army of the Republic in Jefferson County. 

THE Grand Army of the Republic was organized at Decatur, Illinois, 
April 6, 1866. It was suggested by Dr. B. F. Stevenson, late a sergeant 
in the Fourteenth Illinois Regiment, and he is regarded as the founder. Post 
No. I was organized at Decatur, Post No. 2 at Springfield. Each State is a 
department and posts begin with No. i in each department. 

The preamble of the association of the Grand Army of the Republic sets 
forth : 

" We, soldiers and sailors, and honorably discharged soldiers and sailors, of 
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States, having aided in main- 
taining the honor, integrity, and supremacy of the National Government dur- 
ing the late rebellion, do unite to establish a permanent association. 

" First. To preserve those kind and fraternal feelings which bind together 
the soldiers, sailors, and marines, who united to suppress the late rebellion, and 
to perpetuate the history of the dead. 

" Second, To assist such former comrades in arms as need help and pro- 
tection, and extend needful aid to the widows and orphans of those who have 
fallen. 

" Third. To maintain true allegiance to the United States of America, based 
on a paramount respect for, and fidelity to, its constitution and laws ; to dis- 
countenance whatever tends to weaken loyalty, incites to insurrection, treason, 
or rebellion, or in any manner impairs the efficiency and permanency of our 
free institutions ; and to encourage the spread of universal liberty, equal rights, 
and justice to all." 

The first national encampment was held at Indianapolis, Indiana, Novem- 
ber 20, 1 866. Pennsylvania was represented in this encampment, and soon after 
posts were organized all over this State ; Brookville being the first to secure 
an organization of the order in the county, and Post No. 134 was instituted on 
the 25th of June, 1868, with the following officers: Post commander, W. S. 
Barr; senior vice-commander, William English; junior vice-commander, John 
E. Barr ; officer of the day, J. W. Henderson ; officer of the guard, W. R. Ram- 



2i6 History of Jefferson County. 

sey ; chaplain, W. C. Evans ; surgeon, A. P. Heichhold; quartermaster, George 
Van Vliet ; adjutant, John A. McLain ; sergeant-major, M. C. Thompson ; 
quartermaster-sergeant, A. B. McLain. 

This post was first known by its number — No. 134. Prior to 1869 there 
was no provision in the rules for naming posts. In that year it was provided 
that any post may prefix the name of a deceased soldier, or of some person 
eminent for loyalty or efficiency during the war. ♦ 

In pursuance of this order the post adopted the name of Colonel A. A. Mc- 
Knight, the intrepid commander of the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, and it retained its name until its charter was surrendered in 1878, 
the result of an impression that the order was political in its purposes, and be- 
cause of the removal of many of its members to other localities. The post 
took charge of arrangements for decoration day, inviting the public to partici- 
pate in the ceremonies of decorating with flowers the graves of deceased sol- 
diers, and contributed largely in charity for the relief of distressed comrades, 
and the families of those who had died in the service, and materiallj- aided in 
procuring the admission of soldiers' orphans into the schools provided by the 
State for them. 

On the 1 2th of May, 1882, the organization was revived and Post No. 242, 
Department of Pennsylvania, was organized, and was called for Captain E. R. 
Brady, of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserves, who had gallantly given his life 
in his country's cause at South Mountain, Virginia. The following were the 
officers elected and installed : Commander, James P. George ; senior vice- 
commander, John W. Walker ; junior vice-commander, Charles J. Wilson ; 
officer of the day, Silas J. Marlin ; officer of the guard, George W. Turner ; 
chaplain, Theodore Henderson ; surgeon, W. J. McKnight ; quartermaster, 
Robert A. Hubbard ; adjutant, F. A. Weaver ; quartermaster-sergeant, C. O. 
Hammond; sergeant-major, J. C. Whitehill. 

The post at once commenced a successful career, and in the almost five 
years of its existence, has mustered about one hundred and fifty members, and 
acquired property valued at five hundred dollars ; one-half of this sum being 
in trust for the relief of comrades in need or distress ; the charities of the order 
only being confined to those who participated in the war for the preservation 
of the Union, and the families of such soldiers. 

The officers of the post for 1887 are: Commander, Andrew B. McLain; 
senior vice-commander, Silas J. Marlin; junior vice-commander, Clarence R. 
Hall ; officer of the day, Charles J. Wilson ; officer of the guard, John M. Da- 
vis ; chaplain, Jesse Alcorn ; surgeon, Joseph E. Hall ; quartermaster, John 
Startzell ; adjutant, John W. Walker ; sergeant-major, R. M. Wadding; quar- 
termaster-sergeant, T. H. Wilson. 

E. R. Brady Post has now one hundred and ten elTective members, and has 
lost by death since its organization seven comrades : C. O. Hammond, William 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 217 

Heckendorn, R. J. Nicholson, Joseph A. Geere, A. L. Gordon, E. B. Cavenore, 
and Thomas Durgan. 

The stated meetings of the post are on the first and third Saturday even- 
ings of each month at the G. A. R. hall. 

Captain E. H. Little Post No. 237, G. A. R., Department of Pennsylvania, 
Punxsutawney, was mustered April 14, 1882. 

Charter members. — John T. Bell, Christian Miller, John Cricks, Daniel W. 
Robison, William Altman, John Hastings, H. C. Campbell, Charles M. Brewer, 
R. W. Dinsmore, J. J. Young, John G. Myers, John M. Brewer, Thomas J. 
Cooper, William C. Torrance, George S. Campbell, D. W. C. Hervey, Arthur 
H. Murray. 

First officers. — Commander, John T. Bell ; senior vice-commander, John 
Hastings; junior vice-commander. Christian Miller; surgeon, William Altman ; 
chaplain, D. W. C. Hervey; quartermaster, Joseph J. Young; adjutant, Thomas 
J. Cooper ; officer of the day, John M. Brewer ; officer of the guard, William 
C. Torrance ; quartermaster-sergeant, George S. Campbell ; sergeant-major, 
R. W. Dinsmore. 

Present (1887) officers: Commander, C. M. Brewer; senior vice-com- 
mander, W. C. Torrance; junior vice-commander, W. F. Campbell; chaplain, 
M. J. Dinsmore ; quartermaster, John T. Bell ; adjutant, Thomas J. Cooper ; 
officer of the day, R. W. Dinsmore ; officer of the guard, John Cricks ; quar- 
termaster-sergeant, George H. Torrance ; sergeant-major, George R. Hall ; 
whole amount mustered, 117; members died since organization, 5; present 
number in good standing, 90. 

John C. Conser Post G. A. R. No. 192, Department of Pennsylvania, named 
for the gallant major of the One Hundred and Fifth, was mustered at Rey- 
noldsville, August 27, 1880, with the following officers : Commander, Tilton C. 
Reynolds ; senior vice-commander, H. B. Leach ; junior vice-commander, W. 
W. Ford ; surgeon, J. W. Foust ; quartermaster, E. Neff ; chaplain, W. W. 
Crissman; adjutant, J. B. McCracken ; officer of the day, W. J. Heckman ; 
officer of the guard, Levi Epler ; quartermaster-sergeant, Samuel Sutter ; ser- 
geant-major, L. W. Scott. 

Since its organization it has mustered eighty- nine comrades, having now 
fifty-four good working members. Thirty-nine have left the post by transfer 
or have been dropped from the roll for non-payment of dues. Four members, 
Simon Stine, George Thompson, William Stewart, and George Ferrier, have 
been mustered out by death. The post owns property worth over two hun- 
dred dollars. 

The officers for 1887 are : Commander, R. D. Beer ; senior vice-commander, 
B. Haugh ; junior vice-commander, George Roller, jr. ; adjutant, John W. 
Stouffer ; quartermaster, H. B. Leach ; surgeon, J. W. Foust ; chaplain, Wilder 
M. Boyle ; officer of the day, Levi Epler ; officer of the guard, Thomas Clau- 
baugh ; sergeant-major, A. W. Davis ; quartermaster-sergeant, Samuel Sutter. 



2i8 History of Jefferson County. 

Jefferson Post No. 269, Department of Pennsylvania, was mustered at Brock- 
wayville, August 17, 1882, with the following officers: Commander, Thomas 
Myers; senior vice-commander, F. B. Harvey; junior vice-commander, S. M. 
Temple ; adjutant, Thomas Keys ; quartermaster, Ira Felt ; surgeon, Frederick 
Walker ; chaplain, M. V. Longwell ; officer of the day, Joseph Clinton ; officer 
of the guard, W. G. McMinn ; sergeant-major, George Britton ; quartermaster- 
sergeant, D. C. Nelson. 

The officers of the post for 1887 are: Commander, Ira Felt; senior vice- 
commander, G. W. Sibley; junior vice-commander, J. Gage; quartermaster, 
J. W. Frost; surgeon, G. F. Walker; chaplain, J. Robinson; officer of the day, 
M. L. DeVallance; officer of the guard, P. Boyer ; adjutant, C. Levis; ser- 
geant-major, N. B. Wilson ; quartermaster-sergeant, Thomas Hutchison. The 
post meets on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. 

Captain J. C. Dowling Post No. 303, G. A. R., Department of Pennsylvania, 
was called for the first officer from Jefferson county killed in the war, was mus- 
tered at Corsica, February 22, 1883, with the following officers: Post com- 
ander, John Baker ; senior vice-commander, A. P. Simpkins; junior vice-com- 
mander, A. Knabb ; adjutant, D. McKee; surgeon, James Douglass; chaplain, 
W. Downing ; officer of the day, John Williams ; officer of the guard, J. B. Mc- 
Cullough ; quartermaster, N. Taylor ; sergeant-major, George J. Shultz ; quar- 
termaster-sergeant, R. R. Snyder. 

The officers of this post for 1S87 are : Commander, George J. Shultz ; sen- 
ior vice-commander, George Shick ; junior vice-commander, J. L. Douglass; 
adjutant, R. R. Snyder ; quartermaster, J. B. McCuUough ; surgeon, John Ba- 
ker; chaplain, A. Knabb; officer of the day, D. McKee; officer of the guard, 
A. P. Simpkins ; sergeant-major, J. A. Myers ; quartermaster-sergeant, Amos 
Shirey. 

This post, which meets the first and third Thursday of each month, has 
twenty-seven members, and has lost two by death since its organization. 

Colonel D. S. Porter Post, No. 434, G. A. R., Department of Pennsylva- 
nia, called for a brave soldier of Indiana county, was mustered at Sprankle's 
Mills, in Oliver township, May 8, 1884, with the following officers: Com- 
mander, W. W. Perry; senior vice-commander, F. W. Grove; junior vice- 
commander, T. L. Hall ; adjutant, D. W. Smith ; quartermaster, George 
Baughman ; surgeon, Philip Smathers ; chaplain, Henry Troutmore ; officer of 
the day, B. D. Blose ; officer of the guard, Samuel Haines; sergeant-major, 
Samuel Shilling; quartermaster-sergeant, Peter Slagle. 

The officers for 1887 are: Commander, George Baughman; senior vice- 
commander, Andrew Alcorn ; junior vice-commander, Joseph Clontz ; adju- 
tant F. C. Eshbaugh; quartermaster, B. D. Blose; surgeon, Alexander Mauk; 
chaplain, J. C. Mauk ; officer of the day, F. W. Grove ; officer of the guard, 
H. Hinderleiter; sergeant-major, W. W. Perry; quartermaster-sergeant, Philip 
Smathers. 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 219 

This post meets on the second and fourth Saturday evenings in Seller's 
Hall. The muster-in fee is three dollars, and the monthly dues for members 
is twenty-five cents. The benefit paid to sick comrades is three dollars per 
week. The post started with forty-seven charter members, and now has a 
membership of thirty-nine. Up to this date (18S7) no deaths have occurred. 

All these posts are in good working order and are doing much toward keep- 
ing green in the memories of the veterans' the incidents, dangers and privations 
of camp, march, field, and hospital. The order which they represent since its 
first modest start in 1866, has grown to be one of the most influential organi- 
zations in the country. Its principles of fraternity, charity, and loyalty, met 
with a hearty response from the boys who wore the blue, and to-day the Grand 
Army of the Republic has an organization of the rank and file of the Union 
Army of over 6,000 posts, with a membership exceeding 300,000. 

Sons of Veterans. 

Another organization that the late war has caused to spring up in the 
country, and which is becoming quite a large and well organized society, is the 
"Sons of Veterans." This order is composed of the sons of those brave men, 
who fought and won the battles that made this nation free. It should be kept 
up and encouraged, for in the years to come when the last soldier of the Grand 
Army has been " mustered out," the sons of veterans will have to take up some 
of the duties that now devolve upon the comrades of the Grand Army, one of 
which will be the beautiful ceremony of decorating the graves of " those dead 
heroes of ours." 

There are now in Jefferson county six camps of this order, all being in good 
working order. 

Captain R. R. Means, Camp No. 15, Western Pennsylvania Division, Sons 
of Veterans, mustered in October 31, 1883, with the following officers : Captain 
T. N. Humphreys ; first lieutenant, T. N. George ; second lieutenant, D. D. 
Dunkleburg ; chaplain, J. B. Whitehill ; orderly sergeant, L. A. Thompson ; 
quartermaster-sergeant, H. G. Means. 

Present officers. — Captain, John M. Van Vliet ; first, lieutenant, Archie J. 
McMurray; second lieutenant, A. H. Liebengood; chaplain, George W. Means ; 
orderly sergeant, A. S. Jackson ; quartermaster-sergeant, H. G. Means ; ser- 
geant of the guard, L. B. Long; corporal of the guard, I. L. Jones; camp 
guard, W. D. Sager ; picket guard, Harry Harp. Number of members thirty- 
nine. One death, William H. Clark, died March, 1884. 

Lambert Camp, No. 15, Western Pennsylvania Division, Sons of Veterans, 
was mustered at Punxsutawney, March 6, 1884, with the following officers: 
Captain, Grant Ramey ; first lieutenant, John D. Evans ; second lieutenant, Ed- 
win A. Murray ; chaplain, Joseph M. Hughes ; quartermaster, A. M. Mc- 
Quown; orderly sergeant, Linn B. Hughes; sergeant of guard, James Spen- 
cer ; corporal of guard, James Dinsmore ; color-bearer, William Rodgers. 



220 History of Jefferson County. 

The officers of the camp for 1887 are: Captain George B. Stumph ; first 
lieutenant, Ed. A. Murray ; second lieutenant, Frederick Rodgers ; chaplain, 
Harry McConnell ; quartermaster, Linn B. Hughes; orderly sergeant, Thomas 
C. Redding; sergeant of guard, J Samuel Gibson; corporal of guard, James 
Young; color-bearer, Harry Myers. 

The camp is now called McClelland Camp, and the present number is 145. 
It has a membership of twenty members, and meets every Thursday evening 
in Grand Army Hall. 

James McKillip Camp, No. 23, Division of Western Pennsylvania Sons of 
Veterans, was mustered at Corsica, March 22, 1884, with the following officers : 
Captain, H. C. Mathews ; first lieutenant, E. L. Baker ; second lieutenant, E. S. 
Armagost ; orderly sergeant, D. C. Cowan ; surgeon, H. T. Baker ; chaplain, 
W. J. Cowan; quartermaster, S. J. T. Luther; sergeant of guard, G. N. Mc- 
Millen ; camp council, E. L. Baker, N. G. Beatty, Joseph Armagost. 

The officers for 1887 are: Captain, E. L. Baker: first lieutenant, W. J. Ev- 
ans ; second lieutenant, R. M. Stahlman ; orderly sergeant, R. E. McKee ; 
quartermaster-sergeant, H. T. Baker ; chaplain, D. C. Cowan ; surgeon, 



; sergeant of guard, John T. Luther ; corporal of the guard, C. E. 

Mathews ; camp guard, W. J. Cowan. 

This camp was originally numbered 21, but on the consolidation of divi- 
sions became 23. It numbers twenty-two members, and the stated business 
meetings are held on the first and third Saturday evenings of each month. 

General Phil. Kearney Camp, No. 36, Western Division of Pennsylvania, 
Sons of Veterans, was mustered at Reynoldsville, August 18, 1884, with the 
following officers : Captain, H. J. Cartin ; first lieutenant, J. C. Dillman ; sec- 
ond lieutenant, H. A. Stoke ; chaplain, C. A. Stephenson ; camp council, C. H. 
Stephenson, W. H. Ford, Wilbur Dillman ; first sergeant, Robert S. Lytle ; 
quartermaster-sergeant, John Conser ; sergeant of the guard, Louis Ford ; cor- 
poral of the guard, E. E. Watson ; camp guard, Charles Epler ; picket guard, 
M. C. Ferrier. 

The officers for 18S7 are; Captain, B. E. Hover; first lieutenant, George 
Kline ; second lieutenant, S. E. Carl ; camp council, H. G. Lewis, George 
Roller, George Kline ; first sergeant, Robert S. Lytle ; quartermaster-sergeant, 
Joseph Roller chaplain, W. Z. Burris ; color-sergeant, C. Still ; sergeant of 
the guard, E. E. Watson ; corporal of the guard, John Hewlett ; picket guard, 
George Roller. 

The camp meets every Thursday evening in Grand Army Hall, and has 
twenty-five members in good standing. 

Captain Charles McLain, Camp, No. 16, Sons of Veterans, was organized 
at Brockwayville, on May 14, 1884, with the following officers : Captain, O. A. 
Sibley; first lieutenant, J. E. Frost; second lieutenant, C. L. Foust; chaplain, 
A. H. Lemmon ; orderly sergeant, J. P. Keys color sergeant, U. S. Grant ; 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 221 

quartermaster, R. W. Adams ; sergeant of the guard, F. A. Callen ; corporal 
of the guard, W. J. Britton ; camp guard, C. T. Felt. 

The camp was reorganized on December 3, 1885, and is now known as 
General Custer Camp, No. 47, and has twenty-five members in good standing. 
Thursday evening of each week is the time of holding stated meetings, and its 
officers for 1S87 are as follows: Captain, J. P. Keys; first lieutenant, A. H. 
Lemmon ; second lieutenant, C. T. Felt ; chaplain, L. C. Levis ; first sergeant, 
O. A. Sibley ; color sergeant, F. W. Lemmon ; quartermaster, W. J. Britton • 
sergeant of guard, Charles Felt ; corporal of guard, L. E. Andrews ; camp 
guard, M. C. Myers. 

One of the most prominent members of the Sons of Veterans in Jefferson 
county, as well as in the order at large, is the captain of General Custer Camp, 
John Patterson Keys, of Brockwayville. Although only twenty years of age, 
having been born May 13, 1867 — the day when Jeff. Davis was taken to Rich- 
mond on a writ of habeas corpus — he has already been honored by his division 
in being elected a delegate to the grand division, the national body of the order. 

The Camp Fire published at Portsmouth, Ohio, says of him : 

" He derives his right to membership from his father who was a member of 
Company C, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

" He joined the Sons of Veterans as the second charter member of Camp 
No. 16, [opposition] which was mustered in on May 14, 1884. At the time 
of muster he was appointed and became the first orderly sergeant, and he had 
no intention of taking any active part in the work of the order; but it gained 
such a hold on his affections that he was very careful not to miss a meeting, 
and became one of the hardest and most ardent workers in the camp, so much 
so that he was elected as a delegate to represent the camp at the division en- 
campment held at South Bethlehem July 4, 1884. 

" In December of the same year he was appointed assistant mustering officer 
by the colonel, and was elected captain of his camp, but resigned and was ap- 
pointed orderly sergeant for the ensuing year. Was elected again to represent 
his camp at the encampment held at Bellefonte, Pa., on the iSth day of Au- 
gust, 1885, at which time he was elected as a delegate to the grand division or 
national body. On September 2d, Sergeant Keys was appointed aid-de-camp 
on the staff of the colonel, to rank as lieutenant. 

"Through the influence of Lieutenant Keys his camp severed its connection 
with the Philadelphia branch and was mustered into the national order on De- 
cember 3, 1885, as Camp 47, and he was again installed orderly sergeant for 
the third time. One day later he was appointed assistant inspector and com- 
missioned chief of staff of the West Pennsylvania Division. 

" At the election of officers for 1886 he was unanimously elected captain, 
and re-elected in 1887. 

" In June, 1886, he was re- appointed and commissioned chief of staff by 

25 



222 History of Jefferson County. 

Colonel Brockway, and the colonel could not possiby have made a better selec- 
tion. Captain Keys is well qualified in every particular to perform the duties 
of that honorable and dignified office. He has the honor of being the young- 
est division officer in Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the executive 
committee of the Northwestern Association Sons of Veterans. His only defeat 
for office occurred when his supporters brought him out for colonel of the divi- 
sion at the encampment held at Allegheny City, June 8, and 9, 18S6. 

"It is seen that he has held numerous offices in the order, but they have 
come unsought and undesired, and he has accepted them with a full sense of 
their duties, and the exactions they would make upon his business. But he 
never shirked a duty or allowed an opportunity to pass without rendering 
assistance to a camp, or event of interest to the order, when he felt that his 
action or presence would be of avail. In camp or division elections the various 
candidates seek his advice, influence, and support. 

"May his efforts in life's labors be crowned with success, and may the world 
be as bright and happy in its intercourse with him as he has been with us." 

Woman's Relief Corps. 

This order is an auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic. It was 
started by the mothers, wives, sisters and daughters of the soldiers, sailors and 
marines, the vetehans who aided in putting down the rebellion, and other loyal 
women of the land who desired to aid the Grand Army in its work of charity 
towards the destitute soldiers and their widows and children. Its doors are 
open to all loyal women of good moral character, and who have never given 
aid to the enemies of the Union. It welcomes into its ranks the noble women 
who gave up all the comforts of home, to care for the sick and wounded sol- 
diers of the Union armies. 

The Woman's Relief Corps is a helpmeet of the Grand Army, rendering 
assistance in caring for those who are in need, and a soldier or his family never 
appeals in vain for help ; but the organization is a secret one, and the good 
work and relief given by the ladies is never divulged. The widow and the 
orphan have all their wants attended to quietly and lovingly without ostenta- 
tion. 

These ladies teach their children patriotism, and love of country ; to main- 
tain true allegiance to the United States of America, and to discountenance 
treason. There is no desire to perpetuate a war feeling or hatred towards 
those who aided the rebellion, but to teach and encourage patriotism and the 
defense of the flag, wherever assailed, and, along with it, virtue, temperance, 
and truth, their crowning motto being fraternity, charity, and loyalty. 

There are now three of these societies in Jefferson county. 

Captain J. C. Dowling Women's Relief Corps was organized at Corsica, 
May 5, 1886, with thirty charter members. The first officers elected were: 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 223 

president, Mrs. N. Taylor; senior vice-president, Mrs. J. Baker; junior vice- 
president, Miss Lyde King; secretary, Mrs. K. Baker; treasurer, Mrs. J. D. 
Orr ; chaplain, Mrs. H. Smith ; guard. Miss Carrie Jones ; conductor, Miss 
Laura Orcutt. 

The following officers were elected for 1887: President, Mrs. J. D. Orr; 
senior vice-president, Mr. A. P. Simpkins ; junior vice-president, Mrs. A. 
Knabb ; secretary, Miss Maude Shultz ; treasurer, Mrs. J. McCuIlough ; chap- 
lain, Mrs. A. Shirey ; guard. Miss Ollie McKinley ; conductor. Miss Jennie 
Baker. 

E. R. Brady Woman's Relief Corps, No. 74, was organized by Mrs. Anna 
Wittenmeyer, of Philadelphia, at Brookville, February 25, 1887, with the 
following officers : President, Mrs. Annie M. Garrison ; senior vice-president, 
Mrs. Marie Bishop; junior vice-president, Mrs. S. J. Thompson; secretary, 
Mrs. Jennie Pinney ; chaplain, Mrs. Ella Henderson ; treasurer, Mrs. D. E. 
Taylor ; conductor, Mrs. Virginia Blood ; assistant conductor, Mrs. M. E. 
Steel ; guard. Miss Eva Andrews ; assistant guard. Miss Minnie Ewing. This 
corps meets in Grand Army Hall, the first and third Saturdays of each month. 

John C. Conser Woman's Relief Corps, No. 75, was organized at Reynolds- 
ville, March 18, 1887, with twelve members. The installing officer was Mrs. 
Cowles, of Foxburg, Pa. The following officers were elected : President, Mrs. 
Anna J. Montgomery; senior vice-president, Mrs. Julia A. Reynolds; junior 
vice-president, Mrs. Ann Gibson ; chaplain, Mrs. M. D. Scott ; secretary. 
Miss Elenore Reed ; treasurer, Miss Emma Cartin ; conductor. Miss Nevada 
Foust; guard, Miss Clara Foust ; assistant guard. Miss Minnie Beers. The 
corps meets in Grand Army Hall, on the second and fourth Fridays of each 
month. 

Soldiers' Orphans of Jefferson County. 

No prouder scheme was ever formed than that which adopted as the "wards 
of the Commonwealth," the children of Pennsylvania soldiers, made orphans 
by the war, and for which almost the entire credit is due to Andrew G. Curtin. 

On Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 1863, two children called at the 
executive mansion, in Harrisburg, and asked for bread. Fortunately, they 
were met by the governor himself, and, in reply to his questioning, the little 
waifs informed him that their father had been killed in battle ; that their 
mother had since died, and they had no one to care for them. This artless 
story appealed at once to the heart of Governor Curtin, and all through the ser- 
vices of the morning it kept before him, and as soon as he again found himself at 
home, with his family, he burst forth : " Great God, is it possible that the 
people of Pennsylvania can feast this day, while the children of her soldiers who 
have fallen in this war, beg bread from door to door ? " 

From that moment he never, for a moment, lost sight of this problem — 
how to care for these orphan children of the State. , 



224 History of Jefferson County. 

After the failure of our arms on the Peninsula in 1862, the president of 
the Pennsylvania Railroad tendered to Governor Curtin fifty thousand dollars, 
for the organization and equipment of troops ; but this offer he had to decline 
at the time, as no disbursement could be made of the sum for the State, with- 
out legislative action. When the scheme for the gathering in and educating 
of the orphans of our dead soldiers took possession of his mind, he requested 
the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad to allow this sum to be paid into 
the State treasury, for the purpose of creating a fund, to be used for the main- 
tenance and educating of destitute soldiers' orphans. The company finally 
agreed to allow the money to be thus appropriated, and no one but will allow 
that this was a purely unselfish act, for while the original purpose of the offer, 
to use it in equipping soldiers for use in time of danger, was a means of pro- 
tecting their own property, giving money to aid the helpless orphans would 
not advance or protect the interests of their road. 

Governor Curtin now turned his attention to the Legislature, without 
which he could do nothing, and in his annual message of January, 1864, he 
brought to the attention of that body the project he had in view, as follows: 
" I commend to the prompt attention of the Legislature the subject of the 
relief of the poor orphans of our soldiers, who have given, or shall give, their 
lives to the country during this crisis. In my opinion their maintenance and 
education should be provided for by the State. Faihng other natural friends 
of ability to provide for them, they should be honorably received and fostered 
as children of the Commonwealth. The $50,000 heretofore given by the Penn- 
sylvania Railroad Company, referred to in my last message, is still unappro- 
priated ; and I recommend that this sum, with such other means as the 
Legislature may think fit, be applied to this end, in such manner as may be 
thought most expedient and effective. In anticipation of the adoption of a 
more perfect system, I recommend that provision be made for securing the 
admission of such children into existing educational establishments, to be there 
clothed, nurtured and educated, at the public expense. I make this recom- 
mendation earnestly, feeling assured that in so doing, I represent the wishes of 
the patriotic, the benevolent, and the good of the State." 

The friends of the bill, framed in accordance with the suggestions and- 
wishes of Governor Curtin, failed to pass anything, during the Legislature of 
1864, except the following, in regard to the donation of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company: "Be it enacted, etc.: That the governor of the Common- 
wealth of Pennsylvania be, and is, hereby authorized to accept the sum of 
fifty thousand dollars, donated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, for the 
education and maintenance of orphan children of deceased soldiers and sailors, 
and appropriate the same in such manner as he may deem best calculated to 
accomplish the object designed by said donation ; the accounts of said disburse- 
ments to be settled in the usual manner, by the auditor-general and the gov- 
ernor, and make report of the same to the next Legislature." 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 225 

Calling to his aid the services of Professor Wickersham and Hon. Thomas 
H. Burrows, Governor Curtin began the work that resulted in the care and 
educating of so many orphans. 

It was not until 1S65, however, that the Legislature could agree on a bill, 
to carry out these wishes and suggestions of the governor. The plan met with 
much opposition, but finally the act which we give below became a law, by the 
House passing the bill, as amended by the Senate (which had stood by the 
governor all the way through), by a vote of sixty-four in its favor, and twenty- 
four against. We give the act in full : 

" Section i. Be it enacted, etc.. That there is hereby granted the sum of 
seventy-five thousand dollars, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, for the education and maintenance during the year 1865, of the 
destitute orphan children of the deceased soldiers and sailors from this State, in 
the service of the United States, during the existing rebellion, to be drawn on 
the warrant of the governor, as it shall be needed, and to be expended and ac- 
counted for in the manner directed by said act. 

" Section 2. That the conveyances and transfers of the custody, care, and 
control of said orphans, till their arrival at the age of sixteen years, heretofore 
made, or hereafter to be made, to the State Superintendent of Soldiers' Or- 
phans' Schools, by their respective mothers, guardians, or next friends, and 
upon said orphans for all the purposes of education and maintenance, till their 
arrival at said age ; and that if said orphans abscond, or be withdrawn without 
his consent from the custody of the superintendent, or from the institution in 
which he shall place them, they, and all persons withdrawing and harboring 
them, shall thereupon be liable to the provisions of the Acts of Assembly re- 
lating to absconding apprentices. 

" Section 3. That when any of said orphans shall arrive at the age of six- 
teen years, or sooner if deemed expedient, said superintendent shall, at the 
written request of said orphan, and of his or her mother, guardian, or next friend 
put or bind him or her out to such trade or employment, and to such master, 
mistress, er employer, as shall be thus requested, and for such terms as shall 
expire, if a male, at or before the age of twenty-one, and, if a female, at or 
before the age of eighteen years, in which indenture there shall be included 
such covenants for the further education of the orphan as said superintendent 
shall prescribe, and such apprenticeship shall be, in all other respects, not herein 
provided for, subject to the provisions of the Acts of Assembly relating to mas- 
ters and apprentices." 

Governor Curtin during his entire term of office took the greatest interest 
in these orphan schools, which he soon had established on a firm basis, and the 
orphans ever found in him a firm, true friend. 

Governor John W. Greary, who succeeded Governor Curtin, a veteran of 
the Mexican War, and of the Rebellion, warmly espoused the cause of the 



226 History of Jefferson County. 

orphans. In his inaugural he said : " Among our most solemn obligations is 
the maintenance of the indigent widows, and the support and education of the 
orphan children of those noble men who fell in defence of the Union. 
I pledge myself to bear in mind the injunctions and wishes of the people, and 
if possible, to increase the efficiency of and multiply the benefits of the schools 
and institutions already so creditably established for the benefit of the orphans 
of our martyred heroes." 

In January, 1873, Major-General John F. Hartranft was inaugurated Gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania, and in him the soldiers' orphans found another devoted 
friend, who, as his first recognition of them, invited them to his inaugural, and 
eight hundred and nineteen boys from the different schools, were allowed to 
be present. In his official message he gave the subject of the orphans a con- 
spicuous place. "What prouder monument" said he, "could we erect to the 
Pennsylvanians who fell in battle, than to care for and educate their children ?" 

Tlius Pennsylvania was the first to gather in these children bequeathed to 
her care by the life-blood of their fathers, and she has nobly fulfilled her trust. 
Over ten thousand of these soldiers' orphans have been fed, clothed and edu- 
cated, and incalculable good has been done by this grand scheme of benefi- 
cence. 

The Grand Army of the Republic has stood manfully by the orphans of 
their dead comrades, and it was through their efforts that an appropriation was 
made in 1872 by the Legislature of two thousand dollars to assist a limited 
number of the most worthy pupils who had completed their term in the or- 
phan schools, to further pursue their studies at the State Normal Schools. 

In 1874 they gained another benefit for the children of soldiers, admitting 
the children of disabled soldiers born after the first day of January, 1866, into 
the soldiers' orphan schools, the previous act having excluded them. In 1875 
a bill was drafted by Hon. Charles W. Graham, member from Allegheny City, 
which removed the limitation, and provided for the admission of the children 
of both deceased and disabled soldiers, without regard to date of birth. This 
bill was warmly opposed in the Legislature, but owing to the efforts of Mr. 
Graham and other members of the G. A. R., was finally passed. 

The members of the Grand Army also had a constant watch over the in- 
stitutions in which the orphans are cared for, and it has been through their 
instrumentality that the abuses and corrupt management that have crept into 
some of them have been ferreted out and corrected. 

From the statistics furnished us by superintendent E. E. Higbee, February 
I, 1887, we find that the number of children admitted to soldiers' orphan 
schools since their organization, from Jefferson county, is two hundred and 
eighty-six ; number now in the schools, fifty-one ; number admitted to Nor- 
mal Schools, eight. 

The orphans from Jefferson county were principally sent to Dayton Soldiers' 



The Grand Army of the Republic, Etc. 227 

Orphan School, one of the best conducted in the State, and those who have 
completed their course there, have returned to their homes fitted to go out and 
battle with the world, and are making good, useful citizens, who will prove 
worthy of the care bestowed upon them. 

By an act passed and approved June 28, 1883, the Legislature has fixed the 
time for the discharge of all soldiers' orphans from the schools, and the closing 
of the same on June i, 1890. 

Pensioners of Jefferson County. 

We have seen with what alacrity the loyal men of the United States re- 
sponded to the call for troops, when the life of the nation was imperiled. And 
when the war was over the government, saved by those brave hearts and reso- 
lute hands, could do no less than to enact laws, granting pensions to those who 
had suffered from wounds or sickness while in the service, and to the widows 
and those depending upon the many brave men who fell in battle or died of 
disease ; and to the credit of the national honor be it said, that almost without 
demur, acts were passed creating a pension bureau, and appropriations made 
to sustain the same. 

The pension laws granting aid to the disabled survivors of the war, and to 
those who by the war, had lost their protectors and bread-winners, was no act 
of charity, but of right and justice ; it is not even an act of requital, for no 
money can pay for loss of limb or health, or, in any way, replace the fallen 
husband, father, or son. 

At present the pension laws only provide for those who can prove disa- 
bility, or wounds received in the service ; but popular feeling, and the voice of 
the people, is demanding of our law- makers that all Union soldiers, without 
adequate support, shall be placed upon the pension rolls, and then will be 
blotted out from our fair escutcheon forever the disgrace of allowing any 
man who wore the blue, or fought under the starry banner, to become an in- 
mate of our poor-houses. There should never be such a word as pauper ap- 
plied to a soldier of the Union. 

With the systematic regulations governing the pension bureau, and the 
rigid examinations enforced, there is little danger of fraud; but it were better 
that a hundred unworthy men should profit by the pension laws, than that a 
single deserving soldier should suffer for the aid that is justly due him. There 
is no other appropriation of the government that is scattered so broadcast over 
the entire land, and which reaches and benefits all classes, as does this pension 
money. 

The whole amount paid in pensions for the year ending June 30, 1886, was 
$63,797,831.61. Of this sum $3,050,330.10 was paid out by the pension 
agency at Pittsburgh, and of the latter amount there was disbursed in Jeffer- 
son county during the same period, $52,038.50. 



228 History of Jefferson County. 

There are one hundred and thirty-one different rates of pensions paid for 
different ranks in the service, to widows, minors, dependent parents, widows of 
1812, and to the invalid soldiers, according to the extent and nature of their 
wounds or disability. March 19, 1886, an act was approved by which the pen- 
sions to widows of private soldiers and dependent parents was raised from eight 
to twelve dollars per month, and on the 4th of June following, their certificates 
were made out for that amount. 

The number of pensioners in Jefferson county for the year ending June 30, 
1886, with the monthly allowance paid to each class, is as follows: 

A'o. Amount. 

Invalid Soldiers 352 $3,158.50 

Widows 47 614.00 

Dependent Parents 42 504.00 

Widows of Soldiers of 1812 5 60.00 

Total number of Pensioners 446 Total amount Paid $4,336.50 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE PRESS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The First Paper Started in the County— John J. Y. Thompson the First Editor— The Jefter- 
sonian Democrat — The Brookville Republican of Fifty Years Ago — The Back-n'oodsman — The 
Jeffersonian — The Jefferson Star — The RepubUcan — The Graphic — The Democrat — The Nen-.s- 
papers of Punxsutawney — Journalism in Reynoldsville — The Brockwayville Record — The 
Newspaper of Fifty-five Years Ago Compared with that of To-day — Veteran Editors. 

THE Press has and still forms an important factor in the affairs of Jefferson 
county, and is the greatest educator in the country. Reaching every home, 
the different newspapers are read by all classes, and their influence is felt in 
religious, social, business, and political circles as no other agency is. The 
large circulation of the leading papers of the county is one of the most potent 
guarantees of the intelligence of the people. 

The first record we find of any paper in the county is that of the Jeffer- 
sonian Democrat, which was established at Brookville in 1832, by John J. Y. 
Thompson. The following year Thomas Reid purchased a half interest, and 
the paper was changed from a Democratic to a " neutral " sheet. Reid soon 
retired, and Thompson and J. P. Blair continued the publication of the paper 
until 1834, when Thompson disposed of his interest to Dr. K. Scott, and the 
firm became Blair & Scott. In 1835 Scott sold his interest to George R. 
Barrett, who, soon after, also bought out Blair, and published the paper for 
one year. Then Jesse G. Clark and James P. Blair were the editors and pro- 
prietors for six months, when James H. Laverty and James McCracken (of 



The Press in Jefferson County. 229 

Clearfield) became the proprietors, and continued the publication of the paper 
until 1836, when Laverty retired ; and it was published by McCracken and 
Levi L. Tate until November 9, 1S37, when Tate retired; and McCracken 
published the paper, under the name of the Brookville Republican, until the 
fall of 1838. 

We have " No. 3, Vol. I " of this paper, dated Wednesday, November 29, 
1837, before us. It is printed on rather fair paper, and is a five column to the 
page sheet. The first page is devoted to miscellaneous selections ; the inside 
contains a report of the " Reform Convention," a brief resume of the news of 
the day, a few short editorials relating to the weather, and a gentle hint to the 
patrons of the paper that prompt payment is expected. 

In the advertising columns, the sheriff, Joseph Henderson, advertises the 
court proclamation, and sheriff sales — six writs ; the prothonotary, Thomas 
Lucas, the list of causes for the December term of court, twenty-three in 
number ; notice to collectors by the commissioners, James Winslow, John 
Philliber, John Pierce. William Rodgers, postmaster, advertises fifty-six, 
letters remaining in the post-office, at Brookville, on the 1st day of October, 
1837. A temperance meeting, to be held "at the court house, on the 4th of 
December, and to be addressed by Rev. Mr. Hill," and a notice of a " Malitia 
Appeal to the field officers of the 145th Regiment, P. M.," also appears. The 
names of some of the other advertisers were William Clark, James M. Mahan, 
Dougherty & Kerr, John I. Wilson, Levi L. Tate, McLain & Mathews, Luther 
Geere. 

In the winter of 1837-8, Thomas Hastings & Son started a newspaper in 
Brookville, called the Backwoodsman, and soon after Mr. McCracken removed 
his press and fi.xtures to Strattanville, Clarion county, where they were after- 
wards purchased'by William T. Alexander, who removed the office to Clarion 
and commenced the publication of the Clarion Democrat. 

The Backzvoodsman was published by Hastings & Son and by John Hast- 
ings, until the latter, about the year 1841, sold the establishment to William 
Juck and Levi G. Clover, who placed the paper in charge of George F. Humes, 
an eccentric character, who published it for about a year. In his valedictory 
Humes informed his patrons that they might " go to h — 11, and I will go to 
Texas." 

In 1843 David Barclay and Barton T. Hastings assumed control of the 
paper, under the firm name of Barclay & Hastings, and changed the name 
from the Backzvoodsman to the Brookville Jcffersonian. Barclay soon retired, 
and the paper was published by Hastings, until November lO, 1846, when the 
office was purchased by Evans R. Brady and Clark Wilson. 

On the 19th of January, on account of having all the legal and official ad- 
vertising to do for the county of Elk, Brady & Wilson changed the name of 
the paper to the Jefferson Democrat and Jefferson and Elk County Advertiser. 

26 



230 History of Jefferson County. 

On September 26, of the same year, Brady bought the interest of Wilson, 
and again changed the name of the paper, to the Jejfcrsonian and Elk County 
Advej'tiscr. W. W. Wise became associated with Captain Brady in the publi- 
cation of the Jeffosoniaii, ]une. ^, 1849, under the firm name of Brady & 
Wise, until December, 185 1, when Brady purchased Wise's interest, and 
changed the name of the paper back again to the Brookville Jejfcrsoitiaii. The 
paper was enlarged and greatly improved, and was ably edited by Captain 
Brady, until he went into the service of his country, in 1861. He was very 
fond of rafting, and, being a good pilot, his services were always in great 
demand when there was lumber to run, and there are frequent notices in the 
early columns of the Jejfcrsonian to the effect that the " editor and all hands 
are down the creek, and no paper will be issued next week." 

After the death of Captain Brady the Jejfersonian passed into the hands 
<of B. T. Hastings, who continued the management until 1865, when the estab- 
lishment was purchased by Captain J. P. George. 

These papers had all been neutral or Democratic in politics, the Whig party 
having no organ in the county, until October 16, 1849, when the Jefferson 
Star -WAS started by Samuel McElhose and J. A. Duck. December 7, 1S50, 
James C. Brown purchased the interest of Mr. Duck, and the firm was McEl- 
liose & Brown, until May 24, 1853, when Mr. Brown retired. 

J. Potter Miller's name appears for one month as publisher of the Star, 
during the illness of Mr. McElhose, and April 12, 1846, John Scott became a 
partner in its publication until May, 1859, when the firm of McElhose & Scott 
was dissolved. Mr. McElhose continued the publication of the paper until 
his death, which occurred in the army August 16, 1863. The Star was the 
organ of the Whig, and also of the American party, during the existence of 
the latter, and the first organ of the Republican party. 

William LofiBin purchased the press and material of the Star office from 
the estate of Mr. McElhose, and, in 1864, commenced the publication of the 
TWw Era, an independent paper, which he continued until January, 1865, 
when the Jeffcrsotiian and New Era were purchased by Captain J. P. George, 
who consolidated them, under the name of the Brookville Herald. 

In May, 1869, Captain George disposed of the Herald to G. Nelson Smith, 
who again changed the name back to the Jeffersonian. He published the 
paper a little over six months, when he resold the establishment to Captain 
George, who continued the publication of the same until November, 1S74, 
when he sold a half interest in it to Samuel G. W. Brown, of Kittanning; and 
the paper was published by George & Brown, with J. P. George as editor, 
until February, 1876, when Mr. Brown took charge of the office, with A. A. 
Carlisle and William Horn as the editors and publishers of the Jeffersonian, 
and continued until January, 1878, when Mr. Carlisle retired and was suc- 
ceeded by J. B. Oswald, who formed a partnership with Mr. Horn, under the 



The Press in Jefferson County. 231 

firm name of J. B. Oswald & Co. This continued until January, 1880, when 
the paper suspended. In April of that year Captain George took charge 
of the establishment for Mr. Brown, and published the Jcjfersoman until June, 
18S4, when it was sold to McMurray & Samson, and merged with the Dem- 
ocrat. 

Captain J. P. George commenced his career as a printer in Brookville, by 
going into the Jcjfersoniau office, to work for Captain E. R, Brady, in 1S52, 
and remained with him until 185S. In i860 he published the Jefferson Star 
for S. McElhose, and left that paper in May, 1861, to march to the front, with 
Company K. Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Reserves. On his return, in 
1865, from the army he purchased the Jcffersonian from B. T. Hastings, and 
again engaged in the printing business, as above stated. 

In 18S5 he started, in connection with his son, T. Norton George, a job 
printing office in Brookville, which business they still continue under the 
name of J. P. George & Son. 

The Brookville Republican was established August 10, i85'9, by John 
Scott, who had, only a few months previous, retired from the Jefferson Star. 
It was a neatly printed twenty-four column paper, and was well received by 
the people, who gave it a liberal support. It at once took a foremost place 
among the newspapers of the county ; a place it has held ever since. August 
28, 1866, F. A. Weaver, a native of Westmoreland county, and a practical 
printer, was associated with Mr. Scott, in the publication of the Republican, 
under the name of Scott & Weaver, which partnership continued for nine 
years, during which many valuable and costly improvements were made. The 
size was enlarged to eight columns to the page, and the first cylinder power 
press introduced, making an era of great change in the publishing business 
of the county. They also introduced the first first-class job press, compelling 
their competitors to follow their example, and by this means greatly benefited 
the craft, by doing away with the old, unsatisfactory .machinery and employ- 
ing in its stead that of a more advanced and superior style of mechanism, thus 
placing the printing business of Jefferson county considerably in advance of 
many of the neighboring counties. 

In the disastrous fire of November 20, 1874, the Republican office was 
destroyed, losing all their presses and the greater portion of the material of the 
office, involving a loss of three thousand dollars. 

In 1875 Colonel J. Riley Weaver, then consul-general of the United States, 
at Vienna, Austria, became the owner of the Republican, Mr. Scott retiring 
altogether from the business, and the office was managed by the Weaver 
brothers, F. A., W. S., and H. J., until December i, 1885, when the establish- 
ment was purchased from Colonel Weaver by W. S. and H. J. Weaver, who 
are now conducting it. F. A. Weaver, who has had editorial charge of the 
paper since 1866, is still in charge of that department. Since the death of 



232 History of Jefferson County. 

Mr. McEIhose, and the suspension of the Jejferson Star, the Republican has 
been the only organ of the Republican party, and is one of the most promi- 
nent journals of that party in the State, and has done much towards placing 
the party it represents upon its present standing in the county. 

The office is well fitted out with the best and most approved newspaper 
material, steam power presses, and has everything necessary for a complete 
job office. The liberal support given to the Rcptiblican by the party and the 
public generally, in the large circulation and extensive advertising patronage, 
evinces the estimation in which it is held in Jefferson connty. 

From the time of the merging of the New Era and Jcffersonian in 1865 
until the fall of 1876, the only two papers published in Brookville were the 
Republican and Jejfcrsouian, the organs of their respective political parties. 

On the 8th of September, 1876, William G. Clark and William F. Brady, 
two j'oung men who had just finished their apprenticeship in the office of the 
Republican, started an independent paper called the Jefferson County Graphic. 
This venture was quite a hazardous one, and the new paper commenced with 
very little encouragement, but the peculiar style of the editorials, which pos- 
sessed a quaint style of drollery, and the attention paid to the local columns — 
no event occurring being counted too trivial for mention, caused the GrapJiic 
to receive large accessions to its subscription list, and its prospects brightened 
to such an extent that the second year of its existence the young editors felt 
justified in enlarging their paper from a twenty-four to a twenty-eight column 
sheet. They also changed the name to the Brookville Graphic. 

In December, 187S, the sudden death of the junior editor, W. F. Brady, 
cast a gloom over the Graphic, from which it never emerged, and March 19, 
1879, the paper was consolidated with the Democrat, under the name of the 
GrapJiic- Democrat, with McMurray & Clark editors and publishers. 

The Brookville Democrat was founded in 1878, by A. A. Carlisle, the first 
number of the paper being issued January 16, 1878. On December 25, 187S, 
Mr. Carlisle sold the establishment to Major John McMurray, who conducted the 
paper until March 19, 1879, when the Democrat and Graphic were consoli- 
dated, under the name of the Graphic-Democrat, and W. G. Clark was associated 
with Mr. McMurray in its publication, the firm being styled McMurray & 
Clark. Mr. Clark sold his interest to William Horn, the change going into 
effect January i, 1880, and Mr. Horn in turn sold his interest to William L. 
Sansom, the first issue under the firm name of McMurray & Sansom being on 
July 21, 1880, after which the name of the paper was changed to the Brook- 
ville^Dcmocrat again. 

The firm has continued thus up to the present time; but June 18, 1884, 
the Brookville Jcffersonian was merged with the Democrat, McMurray & 
Sansom buying that establishment, since which time the paper has been issued 
under the title of the Jcffersonian Democrat. 



The Press in Jefferson County. 233 

This paper, as its name indicates, is Democratic in politics, and is the only- 
organ of that party in the county. It is neatly printed, ably edited, and ranks 
among the leading Democratic journals of the day. The large circulation in 
the county attests the estimation in which it is held by the party and citizens 
generally. The office is fitted up with a Potter power press, Gordon job press, 
and well selected news and job material, making it in every respect a first- 
class office. 

The first newspaper was established in Punxsutawney, in 1848, by Clark 
Wilson, but was only run for a short time. 

The next venture of the kind in that place was made by J. A. Scott and 
W. S. Barr, both graduates of the Brookville Republican, who on the 13th of 
July, 1 868, issued the first number of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer. 

This paper was a newsy and well printed sheet, and was well received by 
the citizens of the south side. 

In April, 1870, Scott & Barr leased the Plaindealer to W. P. Hastings, and 
June 8, 1870, G. M. Keck purchased from Hastings a half interest in the paper 
and it was conducted by Hastings & Keck until the spring of 1871, when_ Scott 
& Barr sold the material to Keck & Coxson, who changed the name to the Ma- 
honing Argus ; Keck then sold his interest to Coxson, and it was published by 
Mr. Coxson until his death. 

The Malioning Valley Spirit was founded in June, 1S73, by Frank M. 
Smith, of Indiana, who conducted it until December of the same year, when 
it was purchased by W. P. Hastings and G. M. Keck, both of Punxsutawney. 
With Hastings and Keck as editors and proprietors, the Spirit maintained a 
precarious existence for about three years, at the end of which time the inter- 
est of Mr. Keck was purchased by Mr. Hastings, who changed the name of 
the publication to the Punxsuta'wncy Spirit. In ten years of patient labor and 
well directed effort, Mr. Hastings succeeded in making the Spirit a profitable 
and popular institution. In September, 1885, the establishment was purchased 
by the present proprietor, Davis W. Goheen, of Trade City, Indiana county, 
who secured the services of W. O. Smith, of Reynoldsville, as editor, since 
which time the paper has sustained its reputation, and increased its circulation 
to three thousand. The Spirit has always been independent in politics, and is 
an ably edited paper. 

The first issue of the Punxsutawney Valley News appeared on the 21st of 
October, 1885, with Horace G. Miller and Frank P. Tipton as editors and pro- 
prietors. February 3, 1886, J. Lew Allison purchased Mr. Tipton's interest in 
the paper and printing-office, and the editorial and business management is 
now under the control of Miller & Allison. 

From the first appearance of the Valley News it has steadily increased in 
circulation, and has gained a permanent place among the newspapers of the 
county. It is moral in tone, and allows nothing of a sensational character to 



234 History of Jefferson County. 

appear in its columns, while it makes the publishing of local news a special 
feature. The Valley News is independent in politics. It is an eight-page, six- 
column weekly paper, and is published every Wednesday at one dollar and fifty 
cents per year. 

Journalism in Reynoldsville has been subjected to many and various 
changes since the Press was first introduced into the town by John A. Doyle, 
who came from Lancaster, Pa., in 1872. His paper only survived six months. 

In December, 1874, G. C. Brandon, of St. Mary's, Pa., and W. S. Reynolds 
established '<i\\& Reynoldsville Herald. Brandon retired after the fire of 1875, 
in which the Herald building and all the material of the x)ffice was destroyed. 
The paper was continued, with new material after the fire, by Thomas Reyn- 
olds, senior, and his son, W. S. Reynolds, and enlarged from a thirty-two to a 
thirty- six column paper. The sheet has experienced variations in size through- 
out its entire career. 

In 1877 J. R. Bixler leased the establishment and published a three-fourths 
patent organ, known as the Herald and Star. It soon however ceased to 
shine, and the Eye took its place, edited and published by Benscoter & Car- 
tin. But the Eye was soon put out and the Herald once more appeared, with 
W. S. Reynolds, C. C. Benscoter and W. O. Smith at its head, and for a few 
months in the summer of 1S7S, a daily edition was issued. In 1879 Tom Reyn- 
olds, fourth son of Thomas Reynolds, senior, took charge of the Herald, and 
in 1880 W. S. Reynolds steps to the front again, and changes the name of it 
to Our Reynoldsville Paper. He retired April 21, 1881, and G. C. Brandon 
leased the office and material from Mrs. Juliana Reynolds, vi^ho had become 
owner, by the death of Thomas Reynolds, sr. Brandon published the Paper 
until January 6, 1883, when N. J. Lawrence and Frank J. Black assumed the 
editorial control. In about a year Lawrence retired and left the Paper in the 
hands of F. J. Black, who is its present editor and manager. The Paper is a 
bright, newsy little sheet. 

The Brockioayvillc Register \N2&?X.dLX\.&A on Thursday, June i, 1871, a four- 
column quarto sheet by R. O. Moorhead, and was published at that size for 
about two years, when it was enlarged to five columns, ]and in another year 
again enlarged to a six- column paper called the Brockwayville Free Press, and 
leased to Thrush & Sibley, who published it for one year, when the paper was 
discontinued, and the material sold to Clark & Brady, and taken to Brookville, 
where they used it to start the Jefferson County Graphic. 

In February, 1874, the Broekzvayville Record was again started, by J. C. 
Rairigh, who conducted it very successfully until November, 1886, when he 
sold the establishment to Butler & Niver, who are now publishing the paper. 

The Record is a bright little sheet, and is well patronized by the citizens of 
the northern and eastern portions of the county. It is independent in politics. 

Mr. Rairigh, the former editor of the Record, invented the " New Country 



The Press of Jefferson Countv. 235 

Printing Press" upon wliich the paper is printed. It was patented in 1886, 
and is manufactured by Rairigh & Rankin. These presses are neat in design 
and substantially built, the eight column press weighing only three thousand 
pounds. It works on the principle of the proof-press, and is easy on type, in 
consequence of having but one motion, the bed being stationery while the 
sheet is being printed. The cylinder takes the paper off the table, carries it 
upon the form, prints it and delivers it, without tapes or fly. On the return 
motion of the cylinder, the bed drops, and the ink fountain, placed between 
the form and the disc, rises, allowing the rollers attached to the cylinder to 
take ink and carry it upon the revolving disc beneath the table, where it is 
distributed. It carries two form rollers and one distributor. All the motions 
(revolving the disc, opening and closing the grippers, lowering and raising the 
bed and fountain) are automatic. The hand press is run by a crank attached 
to the cylinder. This is the result of the inventive genius of a citizen of Jeffer- 
son county. 

Over half a century has passed away since, in a little one-and-a-half story 
building, which stood on Main street in Brookville, opposite the court house, 
the first type was set and the first newspaper published. This building was 
torn down in 1857, as the Jejfersoiiian says, " in a dilapidated condition." 

What changes have taken place since then ! The little paper of that day, 
which had to struggle hard to maintain its precarious existence, has given 
place to the large eight column, well printed and prosperous journal. The old 
Ramage press has been succeeded by the improved steam power presses, the 
single fonts of type, by the well selected modern material. The job press, then an 
unknown article, is now found in all well appointed offices. Instead of the little 
old dingy room, referred to above, we find our newspapers located in large, 
well lighted, and comfortable offices ; and instead of a single sheet to represent 
the county, we find six well patronized and respectable papers. 

Of the pioneer newspaper men, nearly all have passed away. Brady, Wise, 
McElhose, exchanging the peaceful life of journalism for the battle-field, gave 
their lives for their country. A few of the younger men, Loflin, Horn, and 
W. F. Brady, too have laid down the " stick " and the pen. 

The oldest newspaper men who remain are Captain John Hastings, B. T. 
Hastings, and John Scott. The latter is the oldest printer in the county, 
having learned "his trade" in the office of the Blairsville Record, published 
by Thomas McFarland, in 1828. He afterwards, in 1831 and 1832, worked 
on the Allegheny Democrat, published by Leonard S. Johns, at Pittsburgh, 
and in 1S33 was engagedwith John Canan, in the publication of the Ebeitsburg 
Sky, under the firm name of Canan & Scott. In 1S35 he commenced the 
publication of the Canal and Portage Register, at HoUisdaysburg (this paper 
\%z'i\\\^\xh\\-i\i(t6. di's.Wvt Holidaysburg Register). In 1837 he disposed of the 
Register, and returned to ILbensburg, where he established the Democratic 



236 History of Jefferson County. 

Journal. When he had completed the publication of the " New (State) Con- 
stitution " he sold out to Robert L. Johnston, in February, 1839, and in May, 
1 84 1, removed to Perry (now Oliver) township, and in 1855 he commenced 
work on the Jefferson Star, and in April, 1856, was associated with Samuel 
McElhose in the publication of that paper, removing to Brookville in May, 

1857. 



CHAPTER XX. 

THE CHURCHES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The Presbyterian Church First Gains a Foot-hold in the County — The Old Bethel Church — 
The Pioneer Preachers — The Diflerent Congregation.s — The Jlembershiji, Statistics, and Inci- 
dents — The Associate Reformed Church — The Early Pastors and People — The United Pres- 
byterian Church — The Organizations at Brookville and Jefferson — The Churches at Beaver 
Run and the Beech Woods — The Cumberland Presbyterian Church— Jefferson Congregation — 
The Other Organizations — Church Edifices and ilembership. 

THE early introduction of the gospel into this county was given in a former 
chapter, and as it was written before these sketches of the difterent church 
organizations were furnished the writer, there may be some repetition of some 
of the earliest history of these denominations. 

To show the rapid advancement in this respect in the number of churches, 
church membership, and amount of church property, we give the church 

statistics, as published in the census reports for 1850 and 1870: 

1850. 

No. of Churches. Aggregate Accommodations. Church Property. 

Baptist 2 1,100 $2,000 

Lutheran i 400 200 

Methodist 6 2,100 3,200 

Presbyterian.. .9 4,000 li.Soo 

Total number ^of churches, iS; aggregate accommodations, 7,600; value of church property, 
$17,200. 

1870. — Number of Baptist churches, 5; Evangelical Association, 5; 
Lutheran, 8; Methodist, 18; Presbyterian,^ 21 ; Reformed German, 3 ; Ro- 
man Catholic, 3; total, 64. Sittings — Baptist, 1,950; Evangelical Associa- 
tion, 1,500; Lutheran, 1,500; Methodist, 5,350; Presbyterian, 6,685 ; Re- 
formed German, 750 ; Catholic, 570; total, 18,705. Value of church property, 
$163,900. 

A comparison with the history of the different denominations given below 
with these statistics, shows the rapid growth in the churches in Jefferson county 
in the last fifteen years. 

1 These included the United Presbyterian or Seceders. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 237 

The Presbyterian Church. 1 

The founder of Presbyterianism in America was the Rev. Francis Makemie, 
an Irishman, who organized at Snow Hill, in Maryland, in 1684, what was 
probably the first church purely Presbyterian, in the new western world. 

The founder of the same denomination in Pennsylvania was the Rev. Jed- 
ediah Andrews, a native of New England, who organized, under exceedingly 
discouraging circumstances, the first church of this name in Philadelphia, in 
1698. 

The distinction of laying the foundation of the same church in Jefierson 
county belongs to the Rev. Robert McGarrough. He was born on the Yough 
River, near Cookstown, January 9, 1771 ; prepared for the ministry under the 
tuition of Revs. James Dunlap, pastor of Laurel Hill Church in the Presbytery 
of Redstone, David Smith in the " Forks of Yough," and the greatly influen- 
tial and successful Dr. John McMillan, and was licensed to preach the gos- 
pel by the Presbytery of Redstone in the church of Rehoboth, in Fayette 
county, Pa., October 19, 1803. 

The following April he visited upon invitation the churches of New Reho- 
both and Licking, in what is now Clarion county. These churches were under 
the care of Redstone Presbytery, and had, it is believed from traditions among 
old settlers in the neighborhood, been organized nominally by the Rev. John 
McPherrin in 1802. He is said to have preached the first sermon ever deliv- 
ered in all that region. 

These churches made out calls for Mr. McGarrough, and in June of the 
same year he removed his family, consisting of a wife and three children, to 
the bounds of his first parish. 

The journey required seven or eight days and was made upon two pack- 
horses, the family and all the fixtures and furnishings for housekeeping being 
thus conveyed. The venerable John McGarrough, the oldest son, who is now 
serving as a ruling elder in the Church of Concord, in Clarion county, says that 
his mother and two of the children rode one of the horses, and he rode the 
other, called " Old Dick," mounted on the top of the kitchen furniture and all 
the household belongings, which had been sewed up in bed -ticks, and swung 
across the old beast's back. The inference is that the preacher himself walked 
and led the horse. They were delayed a day each at Mahoning Creek and 
Redbank on account of high waters, and had to construct canoes before they 
could cross. Within a few miles of their destination they were met by a dele- 
gation of the parishioners, who escorted them the remainder of the journey. 
They went to housekeeping in a log cabin not more than sixteen feet square, 
the door made of chestnut bark, the bed constructed of poles and clapboards, 
an old trunk serving for a table, and blocks of wood for chairs. 

And this was the man, and this was the manner of his coming and living, 

27 1 By Rev. Frank P. Britt. 



238 History of Jefferson County. 



who performed the pioneer work of his denomination in this whole territory, 
and was for nineteen years the only Presbyterian minister laboring within the 
bounds now embraced in the Presbytery of Clarion. 

He was an exceedingly slow preacher, but intensely in earnest, and wholly 
consecrated to the winning of souls to Christ, and the building up of the Lord's 
kingdom. Concerning him it has been written, and all who knew of him and 
of his work say, truthfully, 

" Sincere, soul-loving and God-fearing man. 

He sought not wealth of earth, norjman's applause. 
But just to do his part in God's great plan. 

And work where God had sent him for His cause." 

He worked for God ; he walked with God ; he waited upon God, and God 
has given him his reward. 

Soon after Mr. McGarrough's settlement at New Rehoboth and Licking 
he began to preach at several out stations. One of these points was at the 
house of Peter Jones at Port Barnett, where a communion service was held in 
1S09, and occasional services afterward for several years. This communion is 
believed to have been the first ever held in the bounds of Jefferson county. 

Another station some years later, where occasional services were held, was 
at the house of Mr. Samuel Jones in Rose township, four or five miles south- 
west from Brookville. 

As nearly as can be ascertained from tradition and old records, the first 
Presbyterian Church in the county was organized near the last-named point in 
an old log school-house on the hill above the present site of the U. P. Church 
of Jefferson. This was known as the Bethel Church, and was organized in 1824. 

Not long after the organization a dispute arose as to where the proposed 
house of worship should be built, and Mr. McGarrough was sent for to help 
decide it. Religious services were held and the text was " See that ye fall not 
out by the way," Gen. xlv, 24. At the conclusion of the services Mr. McGar- 
rough said that he had understood at the time of the organization that it was 
the wish of the people to build a church as soon as they could, at or some- 
where near the Four-mile spring on the State road. Then picking up his staff 
he said as he walked out, " All in favor of going to the State road will fol- 
lozo me." The whole congregation except one of the elders followed, and the 
matter was decided. The location was definitely settled and the church erected 
just a few rods north of the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike, and about 
three miles west of Brookville, in close proximity to the present site of the 
brick residence belonging to the Widow Cowan. 

This church, the first I presume in the county, was constructed of logs, 
small and closely notched together, and was seated with slabs and blocks of 
wood, resting upon a genuine earthen floor. There was no provision made for 
heating, and the only pulpit was a board placed upon two posts. All traces 
of this primitive church have disappeared, but the old graveyard can still be 



The Churches in Jefferson Countv. 239 

seen as you pass along the pike. The number of members at the time of the 
organization is unknown, but the subsequent year the church is reported as 
having a membership of sixty-eight. 

The first regular preaching that Bethel Church enjoyed was under the Rev. 
William Kennedy, who was a stated supply from October, 1825, to April, 1827, 
for one-half of his time, the other half being given to the now extinct church 
of Redbank, located somewhere between Millville and New Bethlehem. 

When Brookville was incorporated in 1830, the place of worship of the 
Bethel Church was removed from the log cabin church to the second story of 
the jail, and there is no evidence of the old log cabin being used as a place of 
worship after that time. In 1832 the first court-house was built, and this be- 
came the place of worship till 1842, when the first Presbyterian Church of the 
place was completed and dedicated. That building was superseded by the 
more modern and commodious structure which was dedicated January 16, 
1870, and the first cost of which was about $11,000. An addition has since 
been made to the building in the shape of a gallery back of the pulpit in which 
has been built a large and elegant pipe organ. 

May 13, 1842, the church was incorporated and the name changed from 
Bethel to Brookville. Almost one thousand members have been connected 
with it since its organization, and the report for 1886 shows a present member- 
ship of two hundred and forty-four. It has an excellent Sabbath-school, a 
prayer-meeting, and three good missionary societies and has done a grand 
work for Christianity. 

The pastors and stated supplies of this church have been as follows, viz.: 
Mr. John Shoap, stated supply for half time from October, 1834, to the time 
of his death in March, 1835. On account of his failing health he was never 
ordained and installed. Rev. Gara Bishop, M. D., stated supply a good part 
of the time from June, 1835, until the early part of 1840. Rev. David Polk, 
stated supply for half time from June, 1840, to April, 1841, and from the latter 
date pastor until December, 1845. K.^^. C. P. Cummins, M. D., pastor for 
half time from June 15, 1847, to August 5, 1856. On this last date he was 
released and in just ten days from this date he was recalled, and on September 
26 was reinstalled. The final dissolution of the relation took place June 10, 
1862. Dr. Cummins's pastorate of fifteen years is the longest in the history 
of the church, and under his ministrations it grew to be self-supporting, his 
successors giving their whole time to the church. Rev. S. H. Holliday, pastor 
from June 16, 1863, to February 11, 1868. Rev. J. J. Marks, stated supply 
from August, 1868, to April, 1872, and from the latter date pastor until De- 
cember of the same year. Rev. A. B. Fields, pastor from May, 1874, to April, 
1880, having preached to the church one year regularly before being called 
and installed as pastor. Rev. T. J. Sherrard, pastor from November, 1880, to 
March, 1883. Rev. J. H. Stewart, pastor from June, 1883, to September, 



240 History of Jefferson County. 

1886. Rev. S. J. Glass took charge of the congregation April i, 1887, 
preaching his first sermon as pastor April 4. 

The Second Presbyterian church organized in the county was the Beech- 
woods Church. The organization was effected December 3, 1832, in the house 
of Matthew Keys, with fourteen members. A Sabbath-school, consisting of 
two teachers and a dozen scholars, had been held from house to house in the 
neighborhood for several years previous ; almost as soon, in fact, as the first 
settlement was made, which was not till 1823. These early settlers had not 
long been in the community until they were discovered by that faithful under- 
shepherd. Father McGarrough, and another devoted servant of God, the Rev. 
Cyrus Riggs, at that time pastor of the Scrubgrass church, in Butler county. 
These brethren, it seems, preached several times during the five or six 
years preceding the organization in the neighborhood, and they, along with 
ruling elders J. Wilson, Thomas Lucas, and W. Rodgers, of Bethel Church, 
constituted the committee of organizaiion. The great majority of the members 
have been natives of Ireland, or the descendants of such, and a good, honest, 
willing, and warm-hearted people they are. The church has become self- 
supporting, and is well organized and equipped for church work. Its Ladies' 
Missionary Society is abundant in labors. 

Their present house of worship and the first one built by the congregation, 
was erected in 1841. 

It appears that for a time after the formal organization, the church was 
supplied by Mr. John Shoap. 

Rev. Gara Bishop began preaching to them as a stated supply in 1835, 
and for eleven years preached to them more or less of his time. 

Rev. Alexander Boyd was stated supply for about three years, commenc- 
ing with October, 1846. 

The Rev. John Wray, a returned missionary from India, began his labors 
in the congregation in 1850, and for twenty-one years was the honored and 
efficient and successful pastor. Becoming entirely blind, he was compelled, 
much against his own will and to the great reluctance of a loving people, to 
ask for the dissolution of the pastoral relation, which was granted by Presby- 
tery April 26, 1 87 1. The remainder of his days was spent in the bounds of 
the congregation to which he had devoted so great a part of his life, and in 
which he continued to manifest the greatest interest, and by which he was 
remembered with many tokens of kindness and esteem to the day of his death. 
He died at his home in Brockwayville August 16, 18S3, aged 89. 

The next pastor was Rev. \V. H. Filson, for half of his time from May, 
1 87 1, to April, 1875, and for all his time after that date until released, in May, 
1883. 

His successor and the present pastor is Rev. R. A. Hunter, who was or- 
dained and installed pastor in June, 1884, and it is hoped his will be one of 
the longest pastorates in a church where he has been so heartily received. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 241 

Pisgah Church, located in the borough of Corsica, was the third organiza- 
tion. Pisgah is nominally a daughter of Bethel, and yet in reality would seem 
more like a twin sister, for she was organized not a great while after Bethel 
was removed from the log cabin, on the pike to Brookville, and her members 
principally consisted of the members of Bethel living west of the church, and 
the Bethel Church consisted of the members that lived east of the church, the 
old Bethel Church thus becoming two. So, on July 2, 1833, the members of 
the western division of the old Bethel, together with some from New Reho-' 
both, were organized into Pisgah Church, by a committee appointed by old 
Allegheny Presbytery. The Rev. Cyrus Riggs was chairman of this commit- 
tee, and the meeting of organization was held in Mr. Philip Corbet's house, 
the same one now occupied by his son, R. M. Corbet, a half mile west of 
Corsica. There were twenty-five original members, twelve men and their 
wives and a widower. The widower gave the men a majority of one, but at 
the present day the women generally have by far the largest majority on all 
church rolls. 

Six of the thirteen men, viz : William Corbet, William Douglass, Samuel 
Lucas, Samuel Davison, James Hindman, and John M. Fleming, were elected 
and there and then ordained and installed ruling elders. 

From the old records of the church it is learned that a meeting preliminary 
to organization was held in the house of Robert Barr, sr., east of town, on the 
22d of February of the same year, and another one on the 13th of April. At 
the first of these meetings it was resolved to unite as a congregation, to be 
known by the name of Pisgah, and that the place of worship be on the top of 
the hill south of McAnulty's, near the Olean road, and a committee was ap- 
pointed, vested with full power to select a site, purchase from five to ten acres 
of land on either side of the Olean road, and receive the deed in trust for said 
congregation ; and a commissioner was appointed to present the petition of 
the congregation to Presbytery for an organization. 

At the next meeting the committee reported that they had purchased ten 
acres of land on the west side of the Olean road, to extend back to the county 
line, for the sum of fifteen dollars, being less by one dollar per acre than the sell- 
ing price, which donation of ten dollars Mr. White (the father of Judge Harry 
White) had given to the congregation, and that they had received the deed in 
trust, according to appointment. It was also resolved, at that time, that Mr. 
Philip Corbet's barn be the place of meeting for worship that summer. 

The first house of worship was finished in 1841, at a cost of $1,000, and 
was a five-sided building, located just south of the present structure, the pulpit 
being one of those old, elevated box affairs, and situated in the V formed by 
the two western sides of the edifice. That structure gave way to the present 
large building, which was dedicated at a meeting of Presbytery in April, 1859. 
Its first cost was about $5,000. The congregation is raising money at tlie 



242 History of Jefferson County. 

present writing for extensive repairs. A valuable and convenient property- 
was purchased in 1869 for a parsonage. 

In all, about nine hundred members have been connected with this con- 
gregation, and at the present writing it is in a prosperous condition, harmony 
prevailing, and its members being cordial and unanimous in supporting the 
pastor in all good work. Three missionary organizations have made a record 
in that line, of which they need not be ashamed, and the good which they 
have wrought for the souls of the members, and for the church is far above all 
human calculations. In all they have sent away about $1,500. The sum 
total of the moneys raised by the congregation is estimated at not less than 
$40,000. 

Pisgah was first regularly supplied by Mr. John Shoap, a licentiate of the 
Presbytery of Northumberland, who gave half time to Pisgah, in connection 
with Bethel, as a stated supply, in the winter of 1834 and 1835. 

Rev. Gara Bishop, M.D., was stated supply for one-third time from May, 
183s, to May, 1836. 

For the next four years the church only had occasional supplies. 

Rev. David Polk, alleged to have been a cousin of President James K. 
Polk, was the first regularly installed pastor that Pisgah ever had. His pas- 
torate extended from December, 1 840, for one-half of his time, to December, 
1845. 

Rev. C. P. Cummins, M.D., was pastor from June, 1847, for half of his 
time, the other half being given to Brookville, until September, 1862. He 
resigned once in that time, on August 5, 1856, but in ten days was recalled, 
and the next month was reinstalled. The work accomplished by this brother 
in his long pastorate in the charge where he was so greatly beloved, was with- 
out doubt a very great work, and the power for good that he has been to the 
church and to this county cannot be estimated. 

Rev. J. S. Elder was pastor for one-half time from December, 1864, to 
February, 1868, the church of Greenville, in Clarion county, taking the other 
half of his time. 

Rev. J. M. Hamilton was pastor from June, 1869, to April, 1871, his time 
being equally divided between Pisgah and Greenville. 

Rev. Ross Stevenson, D.D., was pastor for two-thirds of his time, the one- 
third being given to the church of Troy, from November, 1871, to February, 
1876. 

Rev. Frank P. Britt, the present pastor for half time, was ordained and in- 
stalled August 24, 1877, the other half of his time being divided between the 
churches of Greenville and New Rehoboth. 

The fourth church on our roll is Perry, situated in Perry township, and 
about five miles north of Punxsutawney. It was organized September 4, 
1836, by a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Blairsville. The early 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 243 

records of the church have been lost. A church building was put up at the 
time of the organization, which was superseded in 1879 by a very neat and 
substantial edifice, of which the people may be justly proud. 

The church was incorporated in 1862, and in 1869 a comfortable parson- 
age, to which belongs several acres of ground, was provided for the pastor. 

For the first four years after its organization, the church was without a 
pastor, but was statedly supplied a part of that time by the Rev. E. D. Barrett. 

In June, 1840, Rev. John Carothers became pastor for half time, serving 
the church of Gilgal, now in Kittanning Presbytery, the other half He was 
released in June, 1854. 

Rev. John McKean was pastor from December, 1856, to September, i860. 

Rev. H. K. Hennigh was stated supply from the fall of 1861 to the spring 
of 1864. 

Rev. James Caldwell, pastor from September, 1869, to April, 1877.* 

Mr. J. E. Leyda was ordained and installed pastor in November, 1877, 
and was released in February, 1880. 

Rev. J. S. Helm, the present popular and successful pastor, was installed 
in October, 1883, and is accomplishing in the united charge of Perry and 
Punxsutawney a most excellent work. How could he be spared from that 
charge ? 

Mount Tabor stands as the fifth church organized, and is located on the 
Olean road, half a mile south-by- west from Sigel. The organization was 
effected in the latter part of 1840, the committee of Presbytery consisting of 
Revs. John Core and David Polk. There were only eleven original members. 
Messrs. William McNeil and James Summerville were elected, ordained and 
installed ruling elders. For the first seven years the congregation wor- 
shiped in an old log school-house. The first church was built in 1848 but 
was replaced in 1873 by the much more beautiful and substantial structure in 
which they now worship. Between three and four hundred members have 
been received into the church, and the change wrought in that whole commu- 
nity since its being established in it is simply marvelous. Its work in the 
interests of the temperance cause in the community deserves special mention 
and the highest commendation. In the beginning of the year 1866 there were 
as many as four licensed houses in the bounds of the congregation, fountains 
of iniquity and disturbers of the peace and prosperity of the whole community. 
The cautious and prudent pastor took his stand, laid his plans and went to 
work, and was ably assisted by the members of the church and a number of 
noble citizens outside. Organized and systematic work was quietly begun, 
and kept up until the whole available strength of the temperance element in 
the community was combined and concentrated against the evil, and the result 
was that all the applications for license were in due time successfully resisted ; 
and from that time to the present there has not been a glass of intoxicating 



244 History of Jefferson County. 

liquor legally sold in the entire bounds. All praise to the pastor and people 
who have wrought, by the blessing of God, so great a good for the commu- 
nity ! Mount Tabor also has her Ladies' Missionary Society, and her record 
in all benevolent work is most creditable. The following ministers have served 
the church : Rev. David Polk, stated supply the first two years after the or- 
ganization ; Rev. William Kennedy, stated supply from 1844 to the time of 
his death, November, 1850; Rev. David Polk, stated supply, a second time, 
from 1852 to 1856; Rev. William McMichael, stated supply in 1858 and 
1859. The present earnest, faithful, hard-working pastor. Rev. Thomas S. 
Leason, was installed October 8, i860. May he long be spared to serve a 
people among whom he has wrought so well ! 

Richardsville is found to be sixth on the list, and was organized in the fall of 
185 I with a score of members. Revs. David Polk and C. P. Cummins, M.D., being 
the presbyterial committee. James Moorhead, sr., John Wakefield, and L. 
E. Bartlett, were ordained and installed at the organization as ruling elders, 
and D. W. Moorhead and John Slack as deacons. The name of the church 
at first was Pine Grove, but it was changed to Richardsville September 5, i860. 
A school-house was used as a place of worship until 1858, when a comfort- 
able church building was erected. The total membership of the church has 
amounted to about 1 50 and at the present writing is reported at 30. Rev. 
David Polk, stated supply the first five years; Rev. William McMichael, 
stated supply for one year, from April, 1859; Rev. T. S. Leason, pastor from 
September, i860, to April, 1863 ; Rev. W. H. Filson, pastor for one-fourth of 
his time from September, 1871, to April, 1875; Rev. A. B. Fields, stated 
supply from June, 1884, to April, 18S6. Since that date to the present writ- 
ing the church has had no regular preaching. 

Mount Pleasant (Knoxdale post ofiice) is the seventh organization effected. 
The services connected therewith were held by Revs. C. P. Cummins and 
John McKean, in the barn of Mr. D. S. Chitister, May 16, 1857. Twelve 
members constituted the original organization, and it has now a membership 
of twenty-eight. The church has had its trials. So many of its prominent 
members have removed from time to time to other places, and others have 
been called away by death. Considerable difficulty was experienced in secur- 
ing a suitable sanctuary. In 1862 the lot and little log church belonging to 
the Evangelical body were purchased, but this was a very inadequate building ; 
so in 1867 an attempt was made to build a new church, but failed through the 
failure of the building committee to act. However, in 1869 the effort was 
renewed, and through the hard labor and persistence of pastor and the little 
band of people it was successful, and a neat and commodious house of worship 
was completed, at a cost of $2,800. Rev. John McKean was stated supply 
until September, i860; Rev. John Wray during parts of 1862 and 1863. 
Rev. T. S. Leason was stated supply from September, 1864, to April, 1883. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 245 

Rev. J. S. Helm was pastor from November, 1S83, to April, 1885. Mr. A. 
T. Aller, a student, preached regularly for one-third time during the summer 
of 1885. No regular preaching since that time. 

Reynoldsville, the eighth on the roll, was organized in the public-school 
building, with fifteen members, on the 12th of February, 1861, by Revs. John 
Wray and Joseph Mateer, D.D. Dr. William Reynolds was elected, ordained 
and installed as ruling elder. Its last report, that of 1886, shows a member- 
ship of eighty-three. It has become self-sustaining and the outlook for the 
future, under good pastoral work, is believed to be very encouraging. Rev. 
Z. B. Taylor resigned in June, 1885 ; it was without a pastor, although having 
been regularly supplied during a part of this time by a student from the 
seminary until June 29, 1887, when Rev. L. B. Shryock was installed pastor. 
In 1 87 1 a house of worship was built, but from some cause it was found to be 
unsafe and was abandoned, and a new building begun in 1875 in a more desir- 
able location. The work on it, however, progressed slowly, and it was not 
completed until the summer of 1881 ; but they now have as neat and attrac- 
tive a sanctuary as could be desired. Old Father Wray, of Beechwoods was 
the stated supply of the church until the spring of 1869. Dr. Marks, of 
Brookville, frequently preached for them in 1871 and 1872. Rev. D. W. 
Cassat was pastor for all his time from March, 1874, to April, 1876. From 
1876 to 1884, when Z. B. Taylor was installed as pastor, the church did not 
have a great deal of regular preaching. 

Maysville Church (Hazen post office) stands as the ninth. Its organiza- 
tion was effected June 14, 1870, with ten members. Revs. John Wray and 
J. J. Marks, D. D., serving as the committee of Presbytery. J. R. Trimble 
and M. C. Hoffman were elected, ordained and installed ruling elders. Their 
membership has increased to forty, but they are not now and have not been 
for some time regularly supplied with the preaching of the gospel. A cosy and 
comfortable house of worship was erected in 1871 at a cost of $2,600. Rev. 
W. H. Filson was the first pastor, serving this church for one-fourth time from 
September, 1871, to April, 1875. Rev. A. B. Fields was stated supply from 
June, 1884, to June, 1885, since which the church has been without regular 
preaching. 

The Troy Church (Summerville post office) is^ located on the Low Grade 
Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad, and was the tenth in the order of 
organization. Revs. Elder and Leason were the committee and attended to 
the duties of their appointment August 22, 1871. Fifteen persons, all mem- 
bers of Pisgah with two exceptions, entered the organization. The meeting 
was held in the Methodist Episcopal Church and a memorable discourse 
was preached by the venerable Richard Lea, D. D., of Pittsburgh, the 
theme being the words found in Revelations xxii, 17, "The Spirit and the 
bride say, come." Their sanctuary, which cost them about $4,000, and 

28 



246 History of Jefferson County. 

which with some extensive repairs made in 1886, affords them an elegant 
place of worship, was completed in the fall of 1874, and dedicated January 15, 
1875. The church has recently organized a ladies' missionary society, is free 
of debt, has good officers, enrolls thirty-eight members, and is sanguine for the 
future. There is no reason, it is believed, why it should not become by and 
by a strong, self-sustaining organization. Rev. Ross Stevenson, D.D., was 
pastor from November, 1871,10 February, 1S76. Rev. J. M. McCurdy was 
stated supply from April, 1877, to April, 1885. Mr. A. T. Aller, a student 
from the seminary, preached regularly in the church for one-third time during 
the summer of 1885. Since that time the church has only had occasional sup- 
plies, but is very desirous of securing a pastor. 

Worthville is eleventh in the date of organization, that date coming on the 
25th of June, 1875. Revs. T. S. Leason, A. B. Fields, and James Caldwell 
officiated and constituted the church with thirty-six members. The first rul- 
ing elders were David Harl, J. C. McNutt, and John Lang, jr. The church has 
a half interest in connection with the German Reformed Church of the same 
place, in a very suitable house of worship. The first pastor was Rev. James 
Caldwell, who served them for one-fourth of his time from November, 1875, to 
April, 1877. The next pastor was Rev. J. E. Leyda, installed in November, 
1877, and released in February, 1880. His successor was Rev. J. S. Helm, 
who was installed in October, 1883, and released in April, 1885. During the 
summer of 1885 it was supplied for one-third time by Mr. A. T. Aller. At 
present Mr. Helm is preaching to them until such time as they can secure a 
pastor. 

Brockwayville is number twelve, and was organized by a committee of Pres- 
bytery consisting of Rev. J. H. Stewart and T. S. Negley, May 8, 1884. Eleven 
members constituted the original organization but at the last report made, that 
number had increased to twenty-eight. Mr. John Cochran was elected and 
installed ruling elder. They have a neat and comfortable place of worship in a 
rented hall, and contemplate building in the near future. Brockwayville ought 
to grow into a strong church. Rev. A. B. Fields was stated supply from June, 
1884, until the time of his death in October, 1886, and was greatly beloved by 
his people. Brother Fields was defective in hearing, and was run over by a 
train, which rendered the amputation of his leg necessary, and finally resulted 
an his death. Rev. Carothers was installed pastor June 29, 1887. 

No 13 and the last on our roll is the church of Punxsutawney, which was 
organized September 4, 1884. The committee of organization was Revs. J. S. 
Helm and J. H. Stewart. Seventeen members entered the organization, and 
that number has now been trebled. There had been a Presbyterian Church 
organized in Punxsutawney in 1862, but for some reason unknown to the pas- 
tor it was dissolved in 1869. For the present wide-awake and growing con- 
gregation, great credit is due Rev. J. S. Helm, who began laboring at that 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 247 

point when he was installed pastor at Perry. He was installed as the first pas- 
tor of Punxsutawney Church and continues to sustain that relation. The 
church has been worshiping in the Baptist sanctuary, but expects to build a 
house of worship the coming summer of 1887. 

These churches are all in the Presbytery of Clarion, which is a part of the 
Synod of Pennsylvania, which is a part of the General Assembly of the Pres- 
byterian Church in the United States of America. 

They have an aggregate membership of 1,200, are teaching 1,300 children 
in their Sabbath-schools, own church property estimated to be worth $60,000, 
and contributed during the last fiscal year $10,000 for the support of the gos- 
pel and the benevolent work of the church at large. 

The work done by this denomination since Father McGarrough began his 
labors in the bounds of the county cannot be computed ; the influence and the 
fruits of the sermons preached, the Bible lessons taught, the prayers ottered, 
the contributions made, the mission-work accomplished, the words of sympa- 
thy and counsel and invitation spoken, and the quiet, faithful, devoted Chris- 
tian lives lived for Christ, never can be known upon earth ; in heaven alone 
where the book of remembrance is being kept, is the record all written. 

The changes that have taken place within the church since its first organi- 
zation in the county are considerable. Tne ridiculously elevated, boxed-up 
pulpits reached by a flight of stairs have been superseded by the common- 
sense ones of the present day ; the " clerks " who stood at the front of the pul- 
pit to lead the singing have given way to organs and choirs; the old psalm- 
books have been exchanged for the new hymnals ; the old custom of having 
two sermons a day, and each one of them two or three times as long as the 
modern sermon, and a half hour's intermission to eat the cakes and get a drink, 
has been discontinued; the use of " tokens" at the communion, which were 
small pieces of lead of various shapes, and without which no one was allowed 
to commune, has been abandoned, the holding of what we call "examines" 
when pastors would meet at stated times and places the young people of the 
congregation and question them on the Shorter Catechism and the Bible has 
also been given up. The habit which once prevailed of people getting up in 
their seats and stretching themselves or leaning against a wall or pillar of the 
building whenever they became tired is unknown by the present generation ; 
and yet, perhaps it would be a better thing to do than to sleep during the ser- 
mon. The old members of Pisgah Church can remember, too, when it was 
no uncommon sight to see a well-known minister take his coat off in the pul- 
pit when he got warmed up with his discourse, and finish his sermon in his 
shirt-sleeves. What a sensation such a proceeding would cause now-a-days. 

What the changes may be in the years to come, it would be difficult to tell, 
but let it be hoped that the Church will prosper and that all the work done by 
all the Lord's people within the bounds of the county and in all the land, may 



248 History of Jefferson County. 

be blessed of God to whom for all that has been wrought in the past, be all 
blessing and praise. 

The United Presbyterian Congregation of Brookville^ 

Was organized in the Associate Reformed Church, and continued in that con- 
nection till the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed Church was 
consummated in the city of Pittsburgh, May, 1858. 

Jefferson is perhaps the most recently settled of the counties in western 
Pennsylvania. The first of those who settled here and felt an interest in our 
cause, came about the year 1830; some earlier, some later. But no move- 
ment was made to have preaching here till 1836. 

Isaac Temple, who was one of the first elders, went to Presbytery and 
solicited preaching for the place where he lived. Of course he was encour- 
aged, hence a subscription was taken for service to be rendered during the 
year 1837. 

The first name on the list is that of David McCormick. I think he was one 
of the elders of the congregation, but whether he was ordained here or in the 
place of his former residence, we have at present no means of knowing. Then 
follows, Thomas McCormick, Job McCreight, Job and W. Rodgers, Levi G. 
Clover, Benjamin McCreight, William Clark, C. A. Alexander, A. Vasbinder, 
Daniel Coder, Joseph Kerr, James M. Craig, Isaac Temple, Andrew Moor, John 
McClelland, William McCullough, David Dennison, WiUiam McDonald, Alex- 
ander Hutchison, John Hutchinson, Andrew McCormick, Charles Boner, An- 
drew Hunter. 

This comes into my hands as the roll of honor. The first men who gave 
their names, and with their names their money, built up and sustain the 
Secession or Reformed Presbyterian cause in this county. Some of these were 
not then nor ever became members of the church which they chose to patron- 
ize. Some of them had perhaps little sympathy with Christianity at all, but I 
find them here signing their names and giving their support to a cause to which 
I have given the labor of my life. I honor them. Most of the names on that 
paper represent men of worth and weight of character. Known in the neigh- 
borhood in which they reside as such, and over all Jefferson county as it then 
was. It will be seen that the parties subscribing to this paper were widely 
scattered. From Brookville to the vicinity of Rockdale and Brockwayville. 
The amount of this first subscription is fifty-four dollars. The compensation 
agreed upon among these psalm-singing churches was six dollars per Sabbath. 

This same paper upon which is the subscription, contains also the disburse- 
ment of the money. In this connection we find first of all the name of Joseph 
Osburn. With this brother I had no acquaintance. He belonged to the As- 
sociate Reformed branch of the United Presbyterian Church, and died several 
years before the union, while yet a young man. 

1 Prejiaied by Rev. I r.Tiik P. Britt. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 249 

The next name is that of Jonathan Fulton, of whom the same thing may be 
said. He died young. He is represented as gifted in a very high degree, 
both as a reasoner and a pulpit orator. Many of you well remember him. 
His ministrations here did much to give respectability to our cause. Joseph 
H. Pressly also ministered here at an early day and with much acceptance. 
This brother who has now gone to his rest, represented to me when in the act 
of moving to this place, that it was the place of all the others he ever visited, 
the one where he wished to live. But a Providence shapes our ends differently 
from our anticipations, and even wishes and efforts to the contrary. This 
brother performed all his life work in the city of Erie, and there he ended 
his life. 

I find also among those who rendered acceptable service the name of M. 
H. Wilson. This brother labored in Jacksonville, Indiana county, Pa. The 
names of A. G. Wallace, Samuel Brown, William Jamison, and others. These 
services covered a space of about twenty years, and were the means of keep- 
ing the people together, and keeping up their sympathy with the cause. 

Of the original signers of the subscription taken in 1S37, only three are 
known to us as now living, viz.: William Rodgers and Benjamin McCreight. 
Mr. Andrew Hunter was long a member of this congregation ; he died at his 
home in Knox township, at the beginning of the year 1875. David Dennison 
was a member of the Beechwoods congregation, and died some time during the 
winter of 1878. 

William McCullough, the other survivor of these subscribers still lives, and 
has membership in the Beechwoods. His son, Boyd McCullough, entered the 
ministry in the Covenanter Church, and subsequently within the last year, by 
certificate, was received as a member of the U. P. Presbytery of Brookville. 

Perhaps it is worthy of remark that he is the only one of the young men 
raised in the bounds of any of these congregations who entered the ministry in 
any connection. 

The three McCormick brothers all died in this vicinity. Two daughters of 
Andrew McCormick live : one. Miss Mary, in Corsica ; Sarah McCullough, 
in Jefferson. 

Various supplies were sent, and at different times. As far as I have the 
means of judging, it appears that Rev. Joseph Osburn was the first Associate 
Reformed minister who visited this section of country, I suppose in 1837. 
After him the name of N. C. Weed occurs as dispensing the Lord's Supper 
for the first time in this wilderness in 1842. 

Shortly after this Rev. Alexander McCahan rendered service here as a 
stated supply for the space of four years. 

The number of communing members at the first sacrament was thirteen. 
This communion was held in the barn of the elder before mentioned, Isaac Tem- 
ple. David McCormick was also an elder officiating at the first communion, but 



250 History of Jefferson Cotnty. 

whether either of these fathers, long since departed, was ordained here or had 
been in the exercise of that office previous to their coming here, does not 
appear from any record. Warsaw was the residence of these brethren, and the 
congregation up to this time went by that name. The place of worship was 
about eight miles to the northeast of Brookville. 

In or about the year 1845 '^^''^ congregation, in view of occupying a more 
central position and adding somewhat to their strength, removed the place of 
worship to the town of Brookville, and at once instituted measures for erect- 
ing a house of public worship. This was completed in 1849 o"" '■'' 1850. The 
congregation then began to think of a regular pastoral settlement. 

About the time that the congregation moved their place of worship to 
Brookville Matthew Dickey, younger brother of Rev. John Dickey, of Rich 
Hill, Armstrong county, was chosen to the eldership in this congregation. 
This brother still lives, at this writing, advanced in years and superannuated. 
His son, William Dickey, is now an elder and an efficient member in this con- 
gregation. 

About the same time with Mr. Dickey, Mr. James Cochran was also 
elected. He represented another district, about equally distant as Warsaw, 
but in a northwest direction. The place is known as Tabor, Haggerty, or 
Sigel. This brother was very useful in the church, raised a large family, and 
was publicly influential in other respects. He died suddenly of injuries re- 
ceived in escaping from a burning house on the bank of the Allegheny River 

in the year . Two of his daughters, Mrs. Euphema Smith and Mrs. 

Steven Oaks, are members of this congregation at this time. 

In the year 1S51 R. H. Graham and William Reed were elected elders. 
They both served with acceptance about the space of ten years, when Mr. 
Reed moved West. He has since died, and his family are not in the bounds 
of any of our congregations. Mr. Graham died in Brookville on the 27th of 
October, 1 86 1. His widow still remains with us. His son and daughter are 
members in another branch of the church. 

These brethren performed important service in keeping up the dispensation 
of ordinances under various discouragements. None of these original elders, 
save Mr. Dickey and Mr. Graham, lived to see a pastor settled in Brookville. 

About the year 1863 Mr. Andrew Braden and Mr. George Trimble were 
elected to the eldership. They had both exercised this office before, Mr. Braden 
in Dr. Dale's church in Philadelphia, and Mr. Trimble in Jefferson. Mr. 
Trimble died some time last winter in Paxton, 111. 

In- 1863 John Thompson, John Kirker, and Joseph Galbraith were elected 
to the eldership. Mr. Kirker now resides in New Brighton, and is a member 
of the Covenanter Church. 

In the year 1869 James Braden and M. A. Calvin were elected members 
of this session. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 251 

In July, 1875, William Dickey and Samuel H. Croyle were elected elders, 
and Thomas B. Galbraith, Samuel Chambers, and Joseph Vasbinder were 
elected deacons, and ordained solemnly, by the laying on of hands, to that 
office. 

Pastors and Pastoral Changes. 

As was before stated, Rev. Alexander McCahan was settled here a stated 
supply from 1846 to 1850. He was an able minister of the New Testament, 
and the cause was fairly presented by his instrumentality. 

In the year 1854 a call was made for J. L. Fairly to become the pastor of 
this congregation. This call was declined. 

During the same year a call was made on Robert N. Dick, licentiate. 
This young brother died before the meeting of Presbytery at which the call 
was to have been sustained and presented. 

A call was next made on Rev. J. C. Greer, which was declined. This 
brother is now settled in Lumber City, in this Presbytery. 

Some time in the year 1859 a call was made on Rev. J. C. Truesdale, which 
was accepted. This brother was introduced here under favorable auspices, 
labored with marked diligence and success about four years. These were 
years of trouble in the country. The agitations which preceded the war were 
in some sense prejudicial to the success of our cause as an anti-slavery church 
as truly as was the open conflict of arms. In all our congregations were some 
whose political connections led them to sympathize with the cause of the Re- 
bellion. They, of course, were very uncomfortable under the preaching of 
men true to our principles and loyal to the country. In 1863 Mr. Truesdale 
resigned his pastoral charge and entered the service of his country as chaplain 
of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers. After 
the close of the war he was several years pastor of the United Presbyterian 
Church in Paxton, 111. He is now in the Presbyterian Church, pastor of a 
congregation in Sharon, Mercer county. Mr. Truesdale's was the first pastorate 
of the United Presbyterian Church of Brookville. 

It would have been in place to mention previous to this pastorate a call 
made on Mr. A. Lowman, a licentiate. .This call was accepted and the young 
brother, under circumstances which inspired large hopes on the part of the 
people, came to this place, with his youthful companion, to make it his home. 
God's purpose proved to be otherwise than he and they all hoped. He was 
suddenly taken ill and died at the residence of Captain J. M. Steck in Brook- 
ville. Resolutions of sympathy and sorrow passed by the congregation are 
dated December 4, 1858. 

In 1864 a call was made on Rev. J. L. Aten which was decHned. He was 
subsequently settled at College Corners, Ohio, and within the last year called 
to Cleveland, where he is now rendering service. 



252 History fo Jefferson County. 

About the year 1866 a call was made on Rev. A. Y. Houston which was 
also declined. This brother was settled some years in Palestine, Ohio ; subse- 
quently in Ryegate, Vt. 

In the year 1868 a call was made on Rev. Samuel Taggart which was de- 
clined. His time has since been usefully employed as secretary of the Young 
Men's Christian Commission of this State. 

In 1869 a call was made for Mr. A. B. Struthers who accepted and was 
settled over this charge, comprising the congregations of Brookville, Jefferson, 
and Beaver Run. He resigned his pastorate about the close of the year 1871. 
I have heard many regrets on the part of the people for his hasty departure. 
His influence was salutary and his name is savory among the people of his 
charge. Some absentation and some dispersion took place during the war, 
and the work of this young brother was in part a work of reconstructiou. To 
a certain extent he was successful. Some, however, left during these troublous 
times who have not since returned, nor found a home in any other society. 

In June, 1872, they made a call for their present pastor, who accepted, and 
was installed in the autumn of the same year. The present incumbent has 
ministered here now just four years. 

In 1 87 1 the membership of Brookville congregation was reported fifty-two. 
This year, 1876, it is reported one hundred and twenty; to this number ten 
have since been added, making the number of communicants one hundred and 
thirty. A Sabbath-school of upwards of a hundred scholars is in successful 
operation. 

The church officers as now constituted are : Rev. G. C. Vincent, D.D., 
pastor ; elders — Andrew Braden, John Thompson, Joseph Galbraith, James 
Braden, M. A. Calvin, William Dickey, Samuel H. Croyle ; deacons — Thomas 
B. Galbraith, Joseph Vasbinder, Samuel Chambers. 

The congregation of Brookville was under the direction of the Presbytery 
of Blairsville, at the time of the union, and, it may be presumed, was organ- 
ized by that Presbytery. 

After the formation of the union there was a reconstruction of Presbyteries, 
and in most instances a change of Presbyterial lines. The Presbytery of Cone- 
maugh was then organized. The southern boundary of this Presbytery was 
the Conemaugh River ; south of that stream the Westmoreland Presbytery. 
The western boundary of Conemaugh seems to have been the Allegheny 
River, and no northern limit was marked, as we had no congregations north 
of Brookville till we come to Caledonia, in the State of New York. 

At a meeting of the Synod of Pittsburgh at Indiana in the year 1872, an order 
was given for the organization of a new Presbytery, from the northern part of 
the territory included in the Presbytery of Conemaugh. Accordingly, the 
Presbytery of Brookville was organized November 26, 1872. The Presbytery 
was small. Three ministerial members became settled in their resoective 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 253 

charges about the time of the organization of the Presbytery, viz. : Rev. J. C. 
Greer, at Lumber City ; Rev. M. S. Telford, at Beaver Run and Beechwoods ; 
and Rev. G. C. Vincent, D.D., at Brookville and Jefferson. 

This congregation has had an existence as a place of worship since the 
year 1836, now forty years. The greater part of that time it has with difficulty 
maintained itself No other branch has in whole or in part been formed from 
it. During these forty years there has been no young man educated liberally 
from this congregation. None have entered the ministry nor any other of the 
learned professions. 

A prayer meeting has for some years been kept up here, sometimes toler- 
ably well attended, sometimes intermittent. During the past winter some bet- 
ter interest has been awakened than usual, and a greater number connected 
themselves with the church than at any one time previously. 

The United Presbyterian Congregation of Jefferson.^ 

About the year 1820 a number of families of like faith settled in Jefferson 
county. These had most of them been settled in Huntingdon county, in this 
State, for a few years (some more, some less), but were originally from the 
same neighborhood in the north of Ireland. Drawn together by a common 
faith, as they had all been educated in the secession church, and stimulated by 
the laudable enterprise of securing homes for themselves and for their families, 
they struck for this country, then an almost unbroken wilderness covered 
mostly with pine forest. 

The place selected for their settlement is north of the Redbank and south- 
west of what is now Brookville, the county seat. At that time justice for them 
was administered in Indiana, some forty-five miles south. This arrangement 
for the administration of justice continued for some ten years after their location 
here. 

From the circumstance adverted to, of these people being emigrants from 
Ireland, the neighborhood was long known as the Irish Settlement. 

The names of the founders were originally : John Kelso and Isabella, his 
■wife ; John Kennedy and Ann, his wife ; James Shields and Elizabeth, his 
wife ; William Morrison and Nancy, his wife ; Samuel McGill and Margaret, 
his wife ; James McGiffin and Sarah, his wife ; Matthew Dickey and Eliza- 
beth, his wife ; James Ferguson and Margaret Bratton, his wife ; Robert An- 
drews and Jane Lucas, his wife ; Alexander Smith and Anne Knapp, his wife ; 
Christopher Barr and Sarah Lucas, his wife ; also, by subsequent marriage, 
Elizabeth McGiffin, widow of Joseph Thompson ; Clement McGarey and 
Mary, his wife ; Hugh Millen and Esther, his wife; Joseph Millen and Polly 

1 This history of the Associate Reformed and United Presbyterian Churches in Brookville, and 
Jefferson county, was prepared by Rev. G. C. Vincent, D. D., in a historical address delivered to his 
congregations of Brookville and Jefferson in 1877. 
29 



254 History of Jefferson County. 

Brown, his wife. These last three settled south of Redbank, and constituted 
the nucleus of what became Beaver Run congregation. 

Then there was Moses Knapp and Susanna, his wife ; none of that name 
are now members of the United Presbyterian Church here. 

There was also a William Ferguson and family south of Redbank ; none 
of that family are now in the county or members of this church. 

Organicatioii. — As nearly as I can ascertain, the first dispensation of the 
Lord's supper in this congregation, was in the autumn of 1S28. The min- 
isters officiating were Revs. Joseph Scroggs and Thomas Ferrier. James 
Fulton, an elder from Piney Congregation, which seems to have been organ- 
ized some time previous, was present at this communion. He and James 
McGiffln were the officiating elders on that occasion. About that time John 
Kelso was elected and ordained to the eldership. These two, Kelso and 
McGiffin, were the only elders, as would appear, until after their first pastoral 
settlement. 

Matthew Dickey and his family moved into these bounds in 1832, and the 
first recorded minutes of Jefferson Session which has come into my hands is 
dated August 31, 1833, and is said to be in the handwriting of Mr. Dickey. 
The session as then constituted consisted of Rev. James McCarrell, moderator; 
James McGiffin, John Kelso, Matthew Dickey, and John Shields. 

The next minute of session is dated July 14, 1838. At this meeting the 
name of Solomon Chambers appears as a member of the court. It is probable 
he was elected at the same time with the others mentioned in the pastorate of 
Brother McCarrell. 

The next recorded minute is dated July 3, 1842, and is in a different hand- 
writing without any name subscribed. Changes had taken place which are 
not noticed in these records. Rev. McCarrell had left (when or for what 
cause does not appear), and Rev. John McAuley appears, who at that time 
examined three applicants for admission, viz. : John Thompson, Joseph Millen, 
and John Millen. These three men are elders in the church ; one in Brook- 
ville, the others in Beaver Run. At the same time eight children were bap- 
tised — William T. Love, Mary A. Ferguson, Elizabeth Campbell, Martha 
Chambers, Margaret Lucas, Chambers Millen, Joseph K. Gibson, and Hugh 
McGill. 

The next date in the minute book, May 16, 1843, states that Rev. John 
Hindman, upon the occasion of the moderation of a call, moderated the ses- 
sion and baptized two children, John Kelso Moore and Rebecca McGriffin. 
Rev. John McAuley disappears as unceremoniously as did his predecessor, and 
we are left to infer that the call moderated at this time by brother Hindman 
was for Mr. John Tod, as the next minute, dated October 15, 1843, represents 
the same Rev. Tod administering an admonition as the organ of a constituted 
court. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 255 

October 10, 1S44, the name of William Morrison first appears as an elder. 
Nothing is known of either election or ordination, yet these certainly did 
take place. 

On the 19th of the same month it would seem that a full board of elders 
met for the first time. Rev. John Tod, moderator ; elders, John Kelso, Solo- 
mon Chambers, William Morrison, George Trimble, and Joseph McGiffin. 
For several years the minutes seem to be correctly kept; I think in the hand- 
writing of BrotherTod. From 1848 to 1835, they are correctly kept and sub- 
scribed by Joseph McGiffin, clerk 

At this meeting it was agreed to elect four additional elders. The election 
was held on the 8th of January, 1856, and James Shields, John Fitzsimons, 
John Thompson, and William Kennedy were elected. The former two ac- 
cepted, the latter two declined serving. 

On the 1 2th of June, 1869, thirteen years later an election was held and 
William Kennedy and John McGiffin were elected. 

Numerous changes meanwhile had taken place which are written in this 
book. Rev. John Tod disappears, but where, why or whither, is not known, 
also Mr. Truesdale, who was pastor for several years, is gone too. 

During the pastorate of Mr. Tod a Sabbath-school and a Bible-class were 
instituted. This by some of the old men who had not kept pace with the pro- 
gress of the age, was considered an innovation, and as such opposed. Never- 
theless it continued to flourish. 

On the 2Sth of May, 1875, C. R. Corbet and J. T. Kelso, were elected 
elders, and Richard Fitzsimons, William Kelso, and Alexander Kennedy were 
elected elders. 

We regard the church as now organized up to the scriptural standard. A 
full board of officers having charge both of the spiritual and temporal interests 
of the church. 

Pastors and Pastoral Changes. 

No one with whom I have conversed in this vicinity is able to inform me 
who first ministered in preaching the gospel to these people of Jefferson. 
When last I met our aged father. Rev. David Blair, in 1872, he informed me 
that he, first of all his ministerial brethren, visited and preached to this people. 
Then as a result he supplied them to some extent, as he and they were long in 
the same Presbytery, and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, I am dis- 
posed to admit his claim. One circumstance, however, renders it doubtful. 
When the first of these people came here Rev. John Dickey was ministering as 
the settled pastor of Piney, Cherry Run, and Rich Hill ; this last is where he 
spent most of his ministerial service, and ended his life. But Piney is so near, 
and the relations were so intimate, it seems improbable that they should enjoy 
a regular dispensation of gospel ordinances, and Jefferson not even have any 
supply. 



256 History of Jefferson County. 

The names of Thomas McCHntock, Daniel McLean, Joseph Scroggs, David 
Blair, Thomas Ferrier, and some others have been mentioned to me as having 
preached here at an early day. Some before the congregation organized, and 
some afterward. 

The first communion was held in 1828, as has been before mentioned, and 
it would seem that measures were taken soon afterward to call a pastor. 

It is not possible from any data within my reach to determine the date of 
the settlement of the first pastor. There is no doubt but that the man was 
Rev. James McCarrell, and that his settlement was about 1830. 

In (the minute book of this session there are only two recorded minutes 
under his pastorate. The first, August 31, 1833, and the second, May 24, 
1834. 

I remember having seen Mr. McCarrell once when a probationer, about the 
year 1829. This was shortly before his settlement here. 

Of Mr. McCarrell's capabiHties as a minister of the Word, or of his success 
as a pastor, I can form no judgment. His place of residence was Strattanville, 
so far out of the bounds of Jefferson congregation that few of these people had 
opportunity of becoming acquainted with him. He was a man of blameless 
life, exemplary in his deportment, and attentive, as much as his domestic cares 
would permit, to all pastoral duties. 

The next date in the minute book of session, reveals the presence of Rev. 
John Hindman, and John McAuley. It seems to be the occasion of Mr. Mc- 
Auley's first communion here after his settlement. Mrs. McAuley, whose 
maiden name was Reed, and raised in the vicinity of South Hanover, in south- 
ern Indiana — raised in the Presbyterian Church, presented a certificate, and it 
is recorded that on this certificate and her " acceding to the principles of our 
church," she was received. It would seem that the pastorate of Brother Mc- 
Auley in Jefferson lasted about four years. He must have left in 1842, as the 
next settlement was in the following year. 

Rev. John Tod was installed pastor of Jefferson, Beaver Run, and Piney, 
on the 15th of August, 1843. His time was divided. One-half to Jefferson, 
one-third to Beaver Run, and one-sixth to Piney. This congregation was 
organized in the Associate Church, under the care of the Presbytery of Alle- 
gheny. During Mr. Todd's pastorate it was the only pastoral charge in Jeffer- 
son county. Brother Tod's services commenced auspiciously at the first com- 
munion held under his care. There was an accession of nine persons received 
on profession of their faith, and eleven children were baptized. This pastorate 
as it was the longest, was the most prosperous that this congregation has ever 
had. The last minute recorded is dated October 22, 1858, which gives Mr. 
Tod's pastorate fifteen years. It may have been more or it may have been 
less. 

It is not long since this brother visited among us and assisted at a com- 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 257 

munion. He is also appointed three months during the present year in this 
presbytery. The principal work of his life is here, and his heart is still toward 
this congregation and the people of Beaver Run. 

I will not attempt to speak of his talents, nor his industry. You know- 
more about him than I do. This much, however, you will allow me to say. 
He has the testimony of every man's conscience that he did labor to promote 
the welfare and prosperity of this congregation, as also the spiritual edification 
of the people of his charge. 

Mr. Tod married a Miss Thompson, from the vicinity of Cannonsburg, 
Washington county. His family consists of three daughters, two of whom are 
respectably connected in marriage. The third still remains with her parents. 

Under the ministry of this brother two of his congregations grew and 
flourish still. The other, Piney, declined until it has ceased to be regarded as 
a congregation. There are reasons for this. The congregation is quite a dis- 
tance from the other congregations and from the residence of the pastor. 
They seldom saw him except in the pulpit, and that, once in six weeks, without 
any other exercises to bring the people together, was rather a formality. 

He preached sound doctrine and he kept his appointments punctually. But 
it is a mistake to think that preaching alone will build up a congregation. 
There must be life and motion as well as form. There was no Sabbath-school ; 
there was no prayer-meeting. The good men of the congregation kept all 
they knew to themselves. They did not speak often one to another, and the 
lambs of the flock were neglected. They were not interested at home. There 
were no meetings in their own church, in which the children were specially 
interested and attracted. When this is the case they will find fun or frolic, or 
good elsewhere. 

This doleful dirge is sung by the winds sweeping over that empty church, 
and that neglected church-yard. A want of interest, a lack of effort, the ab- 
sence of that zeal which characterizes the advocates of a good cause, brought 
the results we see. If the life of that church is not effective, Its death should 
teach a lesson never to be forgotten. The failure of this congregation, and the 
causes of its failure, should not be lost. 

The next pastorate was that of Rev. J. C. Truesdale. About the year 1859 
this brother took charge of Jefferson. His pastorate was short, covering a 
period of about four years, but it was interesting. The anti-slavery controversy 
grew warm. Civil war was inaugurated. They took sides as they were loyal 
or disloyal, and as this brother uttered no uncertain sounds, he was highly 
esteemed, and he was cordially hated. Some time during the year 1863 he 
resigned his pastoral charge and entered the army as a chaplain. In this he 
served to the close of the war. 

Mr. Truesdale was subsequently settled in a United Presbyterian congre- 
gation, in Paxton, III, for several years. He is now in another church connec- 
tion, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Sharon, Pa., serving with acceptance. 



258 History of Jefferson County. 

The next pastor was Rev. A. B. Struthers. His name first appears as mod- 
erator of sessions April 29, 1869, and disappears after October 7, 1871. His 
pastorate did not exceed three years. It seemed to have been peaceful and 
prosperous. There was a revival of Sabbath-school work. There was also 
some advance ground taken on the subject of temperance. Mr. Struthers left 
suddenly. Of this I have heard many regrets. By his prudence and piety, 
and natural goodness of heart, he endeared himself to his people. He also by 
his exemplary life secured respect to the cause represented. This brother I 
understand, is also, in another branch of the church. 

During these years the minutes in the hands of John McGiffin, esq., are 
neatly and correctly kept except in the case of baptisms, the number is simply 
given without name of parents or children. 

Our pastorate commences with the second Sabbath of July, 1872. This 
day, the first Sabbath of July, 1876, rounds up our four years of service. Of 
this pastorate I will say nothing. My settlement in this place was plainly prov- 
idential, while the parties knew nothing of each other. Our Heavenly Father 
to whom our prayers were presented in common knew all the parties, their 
qualifications and their necessities, and by his providential direction brought 
us together. 

This congregation was for many years under the care of the Presbytery of 
Allegheny Association. Subsequently about the year 1850 a new presbytery 
was organized in the north part of the old presbytery, called the Presbytery of 
Clarion. This was the connection of Jefferson congregation at the time of the 
union in 1858. After the union there was a reconstruction of Presbyteries, 
and what was then formed under the name and style of Conemaugh Presby- 
tery, had the care of all the United Presbyterian Churches in this and adjoin- 
ing counties. 

At the uniting of the Presbytery of Pittsburgh in Indiana, in 1872, a peti- 
tion was presented and acted upon, that the north part of the territory of said 
Presbytery, be constituted a Presbytery by itself by the name of the Presby- 
tery of Brookville. This congregation has not furnished anything to the min- 
isterial force of the church. As at present constituted Rev. G. C. Vincent, 
D. D., pastor ; James Shields, John Fitzsimons, William Kennedy, John Mc- 
Gifiin, R. C. Corbet, J. T. Kelso, elders ; Alexander Kennedy, Richard Fitz- 
simons, William Kelso, deacons. 

Dr. Vincent's history of the United Presbyterian Church brings the record 
down to the year 1876. He resigned the pastorate in 1877, and after being 
for several years president of Franklin College at Athens, Ohio, is now (1887) 
pastor of the United Presbyterian Church, of Latrobe, Pa. Two of his sons 
are also ministers of the United Presbyterian Church. 

Dr. Vincent was succeeded by Rev. G. A. B. Robinson, who is the present 
pastor of Brookville and Jefferson churches. The present membership of these 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 259 

two congregations is, Brool<ville one hundred and thirty-six, Jefferson one hun- 
dred and fifty-three. Rev. J. H. May is pastor of the churches at Beaver 
Run and Beechwoods, the two other United Presbyterian congregations in 
the county. Since the close of Dr. Vincent's pastorate many of those 
whom he mentions have exchanged the church militant for the church above. 
Among these are : Benjamin McCreight, Mrs. McCreight, Thomas Mabon, 
Mrs. Jane Mabon, Mathew and Mrs. Elizabeth Dickey, Mrs. R. H. Graham, 
John Thompson. Rev. John Todd, one of the old pastors, has also passed 
away. In the spring of 1885 the Brookville congregation purchased the old 
Methodist Episcopal church on Jefferson street for $2,000, getting possession 
in September of that year. They then went to work and remodeled the en- 
tire building. The repairs cost $3,500, making the entire cost of the edifice 
when completed $5,500. A new belfry and spire was one of the improve- 
ments, and the old windows were replaced by beautiful stained glass windows. 
Of these the large, brilliant, circular window above the pulpit was the gift of 
Mrs. T. K. Litch, and bears her name. Memorial windows were also put in 
by the children and friends of the following deceased members of the congre- 
gation : James and Elizabeth Cochran, William and Margaret B. Reid, Benja- 
min and Eliza McCreight, Thomas and Jane Mabon, Matthew and Elizabeth 
Dickey, Robert H. and Matilda C. Graham, John J. Y. Thompson and Paul 
Darling. The memorial to Paul Darling was given by the congregation, in 
recognition of his bequest of one thousand dollars to the church. 

This remodeled and beautified structure, now one of the prettiest and most 
comfortable places of worship in the county, was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Read, 
of Pittsburgh, in December, 1885. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Jefferson County. 

It was several years after the Presbyterian Church had gained a foot-hold 
in this region, before there is any record of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
having any ministers in the field. 

Rev. G. W. Clark, of Meadville, one of the oldest ministers in the Erie Con- 
ference, having been admitted in 1836, and who has been a member ever since, 
for the greater part of the time being connected with Allegheny College, in 
giving us some facts concerning the early days of the church in Jefferson 
county says : 

" The M. E. Church had considerable prosperity in other parts of the con- 
ference for several years before we accomplished anything in Clarion and Jeffer- 
son counties. That region had been pretty thoroughly occupied by the Cal- 
vinistic Churches, and the people were taught that Armenianism was another 
gospel, so that there was no encouragement to be given the Methodists as fel- 
low-helpers of the truth. There were in those churches many devout Chris- 
tians and excellent ministers, but most of them had little or no acquaintance 



26o History of Jefferson County. 

with either our doctrine or usages, and, as the ' sect was everywhere spoken 
against,' their prejudices were strong, and their doors, for the most part, closed 
against us." 

Rev. George F. Reeser has given a full account of his thirteen year's work 
in the ministry in Jefferson county, whicli will be found in a preceding chapter; 
but since that time many gaps occur in the history of the church, as in most 
instances the church records have been so carelessly kept that much that was 
valuable in its history in the county, has been lost. Scarcely any record is had 
of these early pioneers of Methodism ; those who with tears and prayers wa- 
tered the seed that has now grown to be a large tree, with fruitful and far- 
reaching branches. A much needed reform is necessary in this matter of keep- 
ing church records. If every pastor was obliged to keep a full account of all 
that transpired during his pastorate, leaving it intelligently spread upon the 
church books, the history of the church would be very easily gotten at. 

The pastors now in charge of the different churches and charges have done 
their best to aid us with the few records left for them, in giving this history of 
the Methodist Church. The different congregations are taken up in the order 
in which they appeared in the county. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Punxsutawney. 

The first Methodist class in Punxsutawney was organized in the year 182 1 
by Rev. Elijah Coleman, a local preacher of the Methodist Church. This class 
consisted of ten members and was then a part of the Mahoning Circuit, Balti- 
more Conference. There were forty-two appointments on the circuit, and it 
took six weeks to go around it. 

In 1824 the membership consisted of Jacob Hoover and wife, Jesse Arm- 
strong and wife, Parian White and wife, Joel Stout and wife, Betsy Clawson, 
and John Corey. At that time Parian White was class-leader, but he was soon 
followed by Jacob Hoover. Money must have been scarce in those early days, 
since in the year 1825, Rev. Elijah Coleman is said to have received his pay in 
pine boards. In 1826—27 some two hundred were added to the membership 
of the circuit. There must have been an increase all along the years but it is 
difficult to tell how much. The ten members of the first class in Punxsutaw- 
ney have increased to one hundred and eighty, and the limits of the early cir- 
cuit must contain six thousand Methodists now. 

About 1830 Punxsutawney was an appointment on the Ridgeway mission 
of the Pittsburgh Conference, and not until 1836 did it become identified with 
the Erie Conference. Punxsutawney prior to 1847 was for several years con- 
nected with the Red Bank Circuit. Then it was attached to the Mahoning 
Circuit, and finally gave name to the Punxsutawney Circuit in 1S52. As late 
as 1876 four neighboring appointments were united with it, but now only Big 
Run is associated with it, and for two years it stood alone as a station (18S3- 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 261 

84, and 1S84-5). The present membership of the charge (1887) is about two 
hundred and ninety. None are now Hving who were members sixty-six years 
ago in Punxsutawney. Ephraim Bear and his wife Priscilla, are now the oldest 
members. Brother Bear was converted in 1840, during the ministration of 
George Reeser. 

For some years the Methodists had no church in which to worship, but 
services were held in Jacob Hoover's grist mill. In 1833 the first church was 
erected, on the site of the present britk structure. About 1854 the old frame 
church was torn down to give place to the present commodious two-story 
brick building. Financial difficulties impeded the work, and the new 
church was not completed until 1S58, when it was dedicated by Bishop 
Kingsley. In the interval, of four years, services were held in various places, 
such as Gaskill's shop. Father Hunt's store, and in the old school-house. 
During this period the new building, while not yet completed, was sold by the 
sheriff, but was saved, only to be sold again, in 1861 for the sum of $225, which 
James E. Mitchell, then not a member of the church, paid oft' for the struggling 
society. 

Prior to 1844 the church had no parsonage, but Mrs. James Winslow, now 
deceased, had donated a lot for that purpose, and in 1844 the present parson- 
age building was erected thereon. It is now one of the old landmarks, stand- 
ing among better and more recent buildings, but is to give place immediately 
to a commodious and modern structure. 

The Big Run class has been in existence for some forty years, but the 
church building was erected in 1872. The society is strong and is about to 
entirely remodel the church. One hundred and twelve members are on the 
class-books. In no particular are the records of this charge complete. Two 
hundred and sixty-one baptisms are recorded, and eighty-two marriages; but 
for some whole years no record has been made. 

Many preachers have labored on the charge. Rev. Elijah Coleman was 
here in 1821, and in 1825 with I. H. Sackett. An Elliott and a Godard are 
associated with these years. The following list is about complete: 1827, 
James Babcock ; 1830, Fleck and Day; 1832, Somerville; 1833, Bump; 
1834, Kinnear ; 1835, Butt; 1836, Elliott and Hawkins; (somewhat doubtful); 
1837, S. Heard; 1838, J. P. Benn and R. Peck; 1839, M. Himebaugh and 
R. Peck; 1840, I. Mershon and George Reeser; 1841, John Graham and 
George Reeser; 1842, H. W. Monks and I. Schofield; 1843, D. H. Jack and 
H. W. Monks; 1S44, R. M. Bear and S. C. Churchill; 1845, T. Benn; 1846, 
I. C. T. McClellan; 1847, J- W. Hill and J. R. Lyon; 1848, H. S. Winans 
and J. R. Lyon; 1850, J. Whippo ; 1S51, J. J. McArthur; 1852-3, George 
Reeser; 1854, N. G. Luke; 1855, J. M. Greene and P. W. Sherwood ; 1856, 
J. Howe; 1857, James Shields and J. K. Shaft"er ; 1858, I. C. T. McClellan 
and James Shields ; 1859, N. G. Luke and F. Vernon ; i860, B. M. Marsteller 

30 



262 History of Jefferson County. 

and J. L. Hayes ; 1 86 1-2, C. M. Heard ; 1863-4-5, A. D. Davis and Cohvell ; 
1866-7-8, David Latshaw ; 1869-70, McVey Troy; 1871, Clinton Jones; 
1872, John M. Zeilie; 1873-4-5, M. Miller; 1876-7-8, Cyril Wilson; 1879- 
80-Si, A. M. Lockwood; 1882-3, J. H. Keeley; 1884-5, H. V. Talbot; 
1886, Levi Beers. 

The Methodist Episcop.a.l Church of Summerville.i 

Methodist ministers preached at or around Troy as early as 1822, and 
having no church building the neighbors, feeling friendly, invited these occa- 
sional gospel visitors to preach in their dwelling houses. 

Mr. Darius Carrier informed the writer that his residence was opened for 
public service as early as 1825 and 1826, and so continued until a more com- 
modious place of worship was obtained. 

The first quarterly meeting was held by Elder Swayze, at the residence of 
Mr. Nathan Carrier, who was the leading man in getting the Methodist church 
organized at Troy. 

Rev. Philip Clover, being now in the ninety-second year of his age, in- 
formed the writer that Revs. Job Wilson, Thomas M. Hodson, James Babcock, 
A. Jackson, Elder Mack, Elder Ayers, and Elder Swayze, were among the 
first Methodist preachers in this part of Jefferson county. The first class was 
organized by Elder Ayers in the summer of 1830. The members were Rev. 
Philip Clover, Abram Milliron, John Welsh, Nathan Carrier, Euphrastus 
Carrier, Hiram Carrier, James McElvain, and their wives, and the Widow 
McElvain. Rev. Philip Clover was chosen as their first class-leader. At 
that time Troy was within the bounds of the Pittsburgh Conference, and be- 
longed to the Shippenville Circuit. 

A church building was erected about the year 1843, during the pastorate 
of Rev. David Jack, which served the society as a place of worship for over 
forty years. In the j-ear 1885, during the pastorate of Rev. H. A. Teats, a 
new house of worship was commenced, and finished during the pastorate of 
Rev. A. L. Brand, and dedicated by Rev. David Latshaw, presiding elder, 
February 28, 1886. The main building is thirty-six by fifty-six feet, one- 
story, built of wood, and costing $4,000. It has class or reception rooms on 
either side, opening into the auditorium by folding-doors. The building is 
thoroughly finished without and within by painting, graining, and frescoing. 
It is heated by furnace and lighted by the Baily chandelier. There is a first- 
class bell, and at this date all our church property is free from debt. In the 
years 1873 and 1S74, during the pastorate of Rev. Cyril Wilson, a new two- 
story parsonage was built, costing $1,800. 

The membership at Troy (now called Summerville) is at present ninety in 
full connection, and thirty-five on probation received during the past winter 
(1887) by the present pastor, L. G. Merrill. 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 263 

Our church building at Pleasantville was built in 1885, during the pastorate 
of Rev. H. A. Teats and dedicated by Rev. I. C. Pershing, D. D., of Pitts- 
burgh. This church building cost about twelve hundred dollars. The leading 
men in the erection of this church were Jonathan Horner and Thomas Ed- 
monds. 

The Brookville Methodist Episcopal Church. 

The first class was formed in 1828, in an old barn, north of where Brook- 
ville now is, and David Butler appointed leader. A Sunday school was also 
started, with Cyrus Butler superintendent. These first members were David 
and Cyrus Butler, with their wives, and John Dixon. 

In 1829 the following members were added to the little congregation : John 
Long and wife, John Monks and wife, William McKee, Elijah Heath, William 
Mendenhall, William Steel. Of those who composed the membership of the 
first class Mrs. David Butler and Mr. John Dixon alone survive ; the former is 
now eighty-three years of age and the latter is in his eightieth year. The next 
place of worship is said to have been a school-house that stood near the site of 
the present jail. Mrs. A. J. Brady, who has been a member of this church for 
about years, says that her first recollection of attending service in Brook- 
ville, was in a house occupied by her uncle, William Robinson, which stood in 
the rear of the lot upon which is now the residence or T. L. Templeton. One 
lady says that shoes were in those days a luxury, to be cared for carefully, and 
she was wont to carry hers with her when she came to church from her fath- 
er's house in Pine Creek township until she came to the place now occupied 
by the grist mill of T. K. Litch & Sons, when she would put them on, and 
after the service, on her way home, she would again remove them. The mem- 
bers of this little congregation were obliged to come on foot for long distances 
to attend these meetings, and these incidents show the self-denial practiced by 
those who founded this church. 

As soon as the old court-house was erected, the congregation took its turn 
with others in worshiping there, until in 1850, when through the exertions of 
Rev. G. F. Reeser, the pastor in charge of Brookville Mission, as it was then 
called, aided by Judge Heath, C. Fogle and others, the first church was built. 
The difficulties encountered in this first building enterprise have already been 
given by Mr. Reeser, in a former chapter. 

In May, 1856, this church was destroyed in the disastrous fire that visited 
Brookville. It was a frame building, and in the list of losses published at the 
time, the loss to the congregation is given at $2,500. On this there was an 
insurance almost covering the loss, but owing to some technicality the insurance 
company, the Lycoming Mutual, refused to pay it, and though the matter was 
taken into the courts the church recovered nothing on the loss. The trustees 
immediately went to work and during the fall of 1856 and spring of 1857, the 



264 History of Jefferson County. 

church was rebuilt. During the building of the new church services were held 
in the Lutheran Church and court-house until the basement was ready for use, 
and then services were held in the Sunday-school room until the audience room 
was completed. This church, the one now owned and occupied by the United 
Presbyterians, who purchased it from the Methodist congregation in 1885, was 
built at a cost of $6,000, D. S. Johnson being the builder. This church becom- 
ing inadequate to the wants of the congregation, a new building was begun in 
the summer of 1885, on Pickering street, on property purchased from Mrs. E. 
R. Brady and Dr. M. B. Lowry. The new church, which is of brick, built in 
Gothic style, was finished in the following spring, being dedicated April 4, 
1886. The entire cost of the building, gas fixtures, furniture, etc., was $18,- 
250. Of this $10,414.19 was realized from the estate of the late Paul Darling, 
who had in his will bequeathed to the church $4,000 towards the building of a 
new church and also named it as one of the residuary legatees. The balance 
of the cost of the building was raised by subscription and the church was dedi- 
cated free of debt. The building committee were J. E. Long, John Startzell, 
I. F. Steiner, David Eason, E. H. Darrah ; treasurer of church fund, Frank X. 
Kreitler, secretary David Eason. The contractor and builder was Martin 
Sadler, of Brookville. 

The bell, the deep tones of which call the people to worship in the new 
church, was the gift of E. H. Darrah, and his wife Jane Darrah, and F. X. 
Kreitler, and cost $500. The magnificent front window of the church was put 
in as a memorial to Paul Darling, by the trustees. The beautiful circular win- 
dow, back of the minister's pulpit, was the gift of James E. Long as a memorial 
to his parents, John and Jane Long, two of the first members of the Brookville 
congregation. 

This church is the largest and handsomest church edifice in Jefferson 
county. It is so constructed that the Sunday-school room and class rooms 
can be thrown into the auditorium. While all worked with a will to erect this 
fine new churdi, much of the praise is due to the hard-working pastor, at the 
time, Rev. P. VV. Scofield, on whom much of the burden fell, he not only aid- 
ing in soliciting, but in collecting subscriptions. He was only able to enjoy 
the new church a short time as his allotted term of three years expired with 
the end of the conference year in September. To Mr. Scofield was also due 
the arranging for and maintaining of the Erie Conference, which was held in 
the new church in September, 1887. The Church Furnishing Society, which 
was started when the church was building, raised over $1,100, which was ap- 
plied to the furnishing of the edifice. During the present year the trustees 
have purchased at a cost of $2,850 the property of John Matson, sr., on the 
corner of Jefferson and Pickering streets, to be used as a parsonage. 

The present organization of the church is Rev. John Lusher, preacher in 
charge, (appointed at last conference), David Eason, local preacher. Trustees, 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 265 

E. H. Darrah, A. C. White, David Eason, J. E. Long, Frank X. Kreitler, An- 
drew Craig, H. H. Brocius, S. H. Whitehill, John Startzell. Stewards, C. C. 
Benscoter, W. A. Thompson, William L. Sansom, M. H. Hall, John Startzell, J. 
A. Scott, Frank Rankin, Jonathan Harp, Lafayette Schnell, Laurence Snyder. 
Class Leaders, William L. Sansom, Edward Blakeney, Dr. J. E. Hall, Frank 
Rankin, W. P. Steele, M. B. Lowry, Mrs. David Eason, Miss Amelia Clark. 

The membership of the church, including probationers, is three hundred 
and twelve. A large, well-conducted and flourishing Sunday-school is attached 
to this church ; S. H. Whitehill being the present superintendent. 

David Butler, Cyrus and Nathaniel Butler with their wives, John Long and 
wife, William Mendenhall and wife, William Steel, Christopher Fogle and wife, 
James C. Matson and wife, D. S. Johnson and wife, all pioneers of Methodism 
in Brookville, have left the church militant. 

The Brookville Church has been on three occasions honored by having the 
Erie Conference meet within its walls. The first session held in Brookville was 
in June, 1859, at which Bishop Mathew Simpson presided, and on Sunday, the 
people having gathered from " far and wide " to hear that most eminent expo- 
nent of Methodism, the church was far too small to hold the crowd in attend- 
ance, and the services were held in the grove on Church street, the papers of 
the day giving the number assembled as fully five thousand. The next con- 
ference held here was in September, 1872, Bishop Gilbert Haven presiding, and 
the last session was held in the new church September, 1886, Bishop E. G. 
Andrews presiding. 

The Brookville charge was first attached to the Shippenville Circuit, in the 
Erie District, Pittsburgh Conference,^ and in 1828 Rev. Wilder B. Mack was 
presiding elder and Nathaniel Callender, preacher in charge. Brookville is 
now the most prominent appointment in the Clarion District of the Erie Con- 
ference. Since 1828 the following ministers have been appointed by confer- 
ence to this church: 1829, John Johnson, John C. Ayers ; 1830-31, Job Wil- 
son; 1832, Abner Jackson, A. C. Barnes; 1833 (Brookville and Ridgeway 
Mission), Abner Jackson; 1834, A. Kellar ; 1835, John Scott, Charles C. Best; 
1836, J. A. Hallock, J. R. Locke; 1837, J. A. Hallock; 1838, L. Whipple ; 
1839, H. S. Hitchcock ; 1840, D. Pritchard ; 1844, T. Benn ; from 1844 to 1847 
there is no record of the ministers who supplied Brookville mission ; 1847, I- C. 
T. McClelland ; 1848-49, Dean C. Wright; 1850, George F. Reeser, J. J. Mc- 
Arthur; 185 i, George F. Reeser ; 1852, John R. Lyon ; 1853-54, J. T. Boyle ; 
1855, John Crum; 1856-57, Thomas Graham; 1858-59, E. H. Yingling ; 
1860-61, D. S. Steadman. In October, 1861, Mr. Steadman resigned as pas- 
tor to accept the appointment of chaplain of the One Hundred and Fifth Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, and David Eason filled the balance of the time until the 
next Conference. 1862, A. M. Coons; 1S63-65, J. C. Scofield ; 1866, W. 

1 The Erie Conference was formed in 1S56, and Brookville has since then been attached to it. 



266 History of Jefferson Cotnty. 

Hollister; 1867-68, J. A. Starrett ; 1869-71, David Latshaw ; 1872, B. F. 
Delo; 1S73-75, R. B. Boyd. Mr. Boyd died during the last year of his pas- 
torate, and J. M. Zeile filled the unexpired time. 1876, A. L. Kellogg; 
1877-79, John O'Neil; 1880-81, O. G. Mclntyre; 1882, R. S. Borland; 
1883-85, P. W. Scofield; 1886, John Lasher. 

The following ministers have occupied the position of presiding elder in 
this (now the Clarion District): 1828-31, Wilder B. Mack; 1832, Joseph S. 
Barris; 1833-4, Zerah P- Coston ; 1835, Joshua Monroe; 1836, Joseph S. Bar- 
ris ; 1837-39, William Carroll ; 1 840-2, John Bain; 1843-44, John Robinson ; 
1845-46, Horatio N. Stearns; 1847, William H. Hunter; 1848-49, E. J. L. 
Baker; 1850-5 i, William F. Wilson ; 1852-54, Moses Hill ; 1855-57, Joseph 
Flower; 1858-59, J. E. Chapin ; 1860-63, R- A. Carruthers; 1864-67, R. H. 
Hurlburt; 1868-71, O. L. Mead ; 1872-75, J. R. Lyon ; [876-79, B. F. Delo ; 
1880-83, P. P. Piney; 1884-87, David Latshaw. 

The local preachers of the Brookville Church have been Christopher Fogle, 
J. K. Mendenhall, William P. Steele, and David Eason. 

Quite a number of those who have ministered to the Brookville Church 
have been called hence by the Master they served ; Rev. Robert Boyd being 
the only one to fall while in the service here. He was an able and godly man, 
and his death was deeply mourned by his people and all who knew him. The 
next to obey the summons was that noble man of God, Rev. John O'Neil, 
who died just after he had gone from a successful pastorate of three years to a 
new charge at Fredonia, N. Y. No one who has filled this pulpit was ever 
more beloved by the citizens of Brookville. Closely following him was Rev. J. 
R. Lyon. Mr. Lyon had been closely identified with the church both as pas- 
tor and elder. An able minister, and an excellent man, he had won a deep 
place in the affections of the people. 

Rev. Thomas Graham, one of the oldest ministers in the Erie Conference, 
which he entered in 1834, and one of the ablest and strongest in argument 
within the bounds of the church, has also been called away. Mr. Graham 
helped to build up the church in Brookville, when it had just emerged from a 
baptism of fire, and he was endeared to the people both spiritually and socially. 

Of the local preachers, no one was so closely identified with the Brookville 
church as Rev. Christopher Fogle. He had passed through its most trying 
days with it, and proved a pillar of strength, both spiritually and financially. 
He died "full of years" in 18 — . Many of those who have ministered unto 
the Brookville Church have become prominent in this and other conferences. 

John R. Lyon and B. F. Delo, were presiding elders, and J. C. Scofield, R. 
S. Borland, and D. Latshaw, are now serving in the same capacity. When the 
Erie Conference was divided a few years ago a number of its members were 
transferred to the East Ohio Conference, among whom were E. H. Yingling, 
and J. A. Starrett. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 267 

Brockwayville Methodist Episcopal Church. 1 

The first Methodist preaching in the vicinity of Brockwayville, Pa., by con- 
ference direction, was during the latter half of 1833 at or near Mr. Brockway's 
home, two and a half miles east of the present town. Revs. Abner Jackson 
and Chester Morrison made this point one of their twenty-nine preaching 
places on the two hundred and fifty miles around Brookville and Ridgvvay cir- 
cuit, which they traveled in 1833-34. Though this neighborhood was regu- 
larly visited by the itinerant minister, it was not until the year 1845, under the 
pastorate of Revs. J. K. Coxen and H. M. Chamberlain, that a society was 
formed. This year Rev. Chamberlain formed a class of three members at what 
was then called the " Beman school-house." These three were a young man 
Mr. Ray Giles, and Messrs. McKenney and Crider. A Sunday prayer-meeting 
having been held upon the return of Mr. Chamberlain, their number was in- 
creased to sixteen. That locality became and continues a Methodist strong- 
hold. It has been known under the various names of Brockway's, Beman's, 
Balltown, Sibley's, and to-day as Clarion Mines or Crenshaw from the post- 
office lately established there. The appointment has belonged to the Pitts- 
burgh, Erie, Baltimore, and now again the Erie Conferences. 

In 1854 Revs. N. Shafter and N. W. Colburn, of the Baltimore Conference, 
established another preaching place at the Frost school-house, one and a half 
miles southwest of the town of to-day. A revival resulted in the formation of 
a class composed of Jerome Woodbury, leader, Abiel R. Frost and wife, J. W. 
Green and wife, John Johnson and wife, and Lewis Grant and wife. After vari- 
ous fortunes, the meeting place of this class was changed in the spring of i860 
to the old school-house formerly standing opposite the McLaughlin Brothers' 
wagon shop, Brockwayville. The ministers at that time were Rev. J. K. Men- 
denhall and R. W. Scott, of the Erie Conference. They were succeeded by 
Rev. O. G. McEntire, who served the class two years, the first year as a 
preacher in charge of the Ridgway circuit, the second year as pastor of the now 
first formed Brockwayville circuit. The membership of the society was rapidly 
increased by revival efforts and through newcomers to town, who brought 
church letters, so that at the end of Mr. McEntire's second year they were 
able to undertake the building of a church, having purchased a lot which was 
deeded to J. W. Green, A. Matson, J. Woodbury, James McMinn, and WiUiam 
Tolbard in trust for the Methodist Episcopal Church. The new pastor, Rev. , 
G. W. Moore, was the first minister to make his home in Brockwayville, and 
by his zeal and toil he was permitted to see the building about completed dur- 
ing his stay of two years. It was war time. A contract had been made with 
Captain A. H. Tracy to build this church, but feeling that his country needed 
his services, he asked and was granted a release from his contract, which, in 



1 Prepared by the pastor. 



268 History fo Jefferson County. 

connection with other circumstances, delayed the completion of the edifice. 
In July, 1864, Rev. D. Latshaw, in his army blouse, by appointment of the 
conference, preached in the new church, as yet seated only with planks laid 
upon blocks. In September the circuit purchased the present parsonage lot 
upon which was a little house, which made a home for the itinerant. The 
class had twenty-five members at this time; the circuit, including this class, 
one hundred and thirty members. At the end of his second year Mr. Latshaw 
was succeeded by Rev. P. W. Schofield, who remained with the people two 
years. His successor for two years was Rev. G. F. Reeser. Under the labors 
of these faithful pastors there was a healthy growth. The two years' pastorate 
of the Rev. J. L. Mechlin, who succeeded the above, was marked by the erec- 
tion of a new and commodious parsonage.' This was in 1 871. The Rev. L. 
G. Merrill, in some respects the most popular pastor this church has ever had, 
following Mr. Mechlin, remained three years. The membership of Brockway- 
ville class was at this time increased to seventy-five, and the church property 
much improved. Rev. C. C. Hunt satisfactorily entered into the labors of Mr. 
Merrill, remained two years and was compelled by feeble health to decline a 
third year as pastor. Rev. J. W. Martin succeeded him and remained three 
years, having what was considered a great revival, though the membership of 
the class was only increased by a dozen. Rev. L. Wick became pastor in 
1880 and remained two years, being succeeded by Rev. E. R. Knapp, during 
whose three years' stay our town obtained through railroads such communica- 
tion with the outside world as is proving helpful to every interest, secular and 
religious. Rev. Knapp was succeeded in September, 1885, by the present 
pastor, Rev. C. W. Darrow. The Brockwayville class now numbers ninety 
members. The pastor has also the care of two country classes — one at Cren- 
shaw post-office, numbering eighteen members, and one at Lane's Mill, fifteen 
in number. From an early day the society has maintained a Sunday-school, 
which numbers at the present time one hundred and thirty members, under 
the care of Prof J. G. Dailey, superintendent, assisted by thirteen teachers. 

During twenty-one years the pastors have married one hundred and two 
couples and baptized two hundred and forty-eight persons, while in the same 
time twenty members of the Brockwayville class have gone triumphantly home. 
During the same time the circuit has contributed $1,823.00 to the cause of 
missions, and one-fourth as much more to the other benevolences of the church. 

Rev. C. F. Green and wife, children of members of this church, are in the 
itinerant work of the church in Dakota. 

Belleview Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church.^ 

About fifty years ago, Salem church, on the Holt farm, in Beaver town- 
ship, was the only Methodist church in that section of the county, but from 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 269 



the influence of the work done there, much good has been effected, and the 
result has been the erection of four elegant church edifices, while the church in 
the county has been benefited and strengthened. During that early time the 
little church on the Beaver Run was the center toward which all the true 
Methodists in that section looked for the dispensation of the gospel. 

In the fall of 1869 a protracted meeting was held by Rev. O. M. Sackett, 
the pastor of Salem church, which resulted in adding not less than seventy per- 
sons to the church. About twenty of these converts were from Belleview. 
Previous to this time there were only five members of the Methodist church 
living north of Beaver Run. It was soon found necessary to have better ac- 
commodations for holding public worship, and in 1874 the members of the 
society decided to erect two churches, one at Belleview and the other in Beaver 
township. The former edifice was dedicated December 25, 1874, and the lat- 
ter in July, 1875. In 1876 a new church was built by the Mount Pleasant 
congregation. About this time a new appointment was made at Langville. 
These appointments were all connected with the Troy circuit ; but at the an- 
nual session of the Erie conference in 1876, Belleview, Mount Pleasant, Salem 
(or Beaver township), and the Langville societies were detached from Troy 
and formed the Belleview charge. In the fall of 1877 the Langville congrega- 
tion erected a church, and in the summer of 1883 the united societies erected 
a very fine parsonage at Belleview, which is an honor to the church and an 
ornament to the village in which it is located. 

Since the formation of Belleview charge it has been efficiently served by 
the following pastors : Reverends Laverty, Burns, Jones, Talbott, Hovis and 
Holt. The present incumbent is Rev. R. M. Felt, whose pastorate com- 
menced in the fall of 1886. 

The average membership on the charge is two hundred and a class of forty 
probationers, with four first class flourishing Sunday-schools. 

Emerickville Charge Methodist Episcopal Church. 1 

The " Moore " Methodist Episcopal Church is located in Pine Creek town- 
ship, one mile east of the Emerickville post office. The society was organized 
by Rev. J. T. Boyle in 1838. The names of the first members were Mary 
Zetler, James F. Moore, Sarah P. Moore, Laura Moore, Emeline Moore, 
George Zetler, and Elizabeth Zetler. In the year of our Lord 1870, the 
present house of worship, called the " Moore " church, was erected. The so- 
ciety has continued through prosperity and adversity to the present time. 
Since the organization of this church, in 1838, the pulpit has been filled by 
Reverends Boyle, Crum, Graham, Coxson, Crafts, Burton, Bashline, Baker, 
Groves, Hicks, Frampton, Peete, Felt, Wilkinson, Laverty, Wick, Jones, and 
the present pastor, W. B. Holt. 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 
31 



270 History of Jefferson County. 

Very large revivals were realized under the labors of Reverends Hicks and 
Baker. The membership now, in 1887, is about fifty. 

Paradise Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Pastors of the Brookville and Luthersburg circuit established a preaching 
place some time about the year 1835 in the Paradise settlement. The first 

members of the society were Joseph Syphert, Mary Syphert, John Strouse, 
Jane Strouse, and Jacob Shaffer. In after years it was attached to the Em- 
erickville circuit. The church at Paradise has been favored with gracious re- 
vivals during its history, and perhaps the greatest was under the pastorate of 
Rev. R. M. Felt. 

Mr. Joseph Syphert, one of the founders of the society, has, for over a half- 
century, been the main pillar of the church ; always true and faithful. He 
has given two daughters to the ministry, wives of Revs. A. H. Bashline and 
J. P. Hicks. His children, every one of them, are members of the church. 
Through his enterprise and liberality the chapel was mainly erected. Mr. 
Syphert, now over seventy years of age, is good and true, and has the esteem 
and love of all his neighbors. The society sustains the Sabbath-school, and 
all the affairs of the society are sustained by liberal hands. Paradise is one of 
the appointments of the Emerickville circuit. 

Mead Chapel. 

About the year 1847 pastors of the Paradise and Brookville circuit estab- 
lished a preaching place at Knoxdale village, and also one in a log house two 
miles from Knoxdale. Then the appointment was moved to the Davidson 
school-house in the same neighborhood. In the year 1872 the two societies 
were merged into one, and Mead Chapel was built. A great revival of religion 
followed the dedication of the chapel. The Cavenor family and S. R. Ander- 
son and wife coming into the church gave strength and encouragement to the 
society. Daniel Sylvis and wife, Elijah Chittester, Nelson Allen and wife were 
among the first members. The interior of the church has been greatly beau- 
tified, and is one of the prettiest audience rooms in that section of the county. 
The Sabbath-school is under the leadership of S. R. Anderson, who is ably 
sustained by Messrs. Swineford, Davis, C. Chittester, and others. The reli- 
gious services are conducted on the Sabbath by the pastor from Emerickville. 
Mead Chapel is a part of the Emerickville circuit. 

McAninch Congregation. 

In the year ot our Lord 1863 Rev. E. Coons came into the neighborhood of 
Mr. Rice's, in Knoxdale township, and organized a class according to the usages 
of the Methodist Episcopal^ Church, with Sylvester McAninch as leader. The 
first members were Sarah H. Hunter, Rose McAninch, Margery Rice, J. Don- 



The Churches in Jefferson Countv. 271 

nelly, William Thompson and wife. The regularly appointed pastors of the 
Brookville M. E. Church preached regularly for years — once in two weeks, 
Sabbath afternoons — until it was attached to the Emerickville circuit, under 
the pastorate of Rev. J. H. Laverty. The society has kept up Sabbath-schools 
during the summer seasons, and have been of helpful benefit to the community 
in which, for so many years, religious services have been held. 

About the year 1867 a gracious revival was realized, and some twenty-five 
accessions were made to the church. The appointment is now known as the 
McAninch school-house. The McAninch appointment is a part of the Emer- 
ickville circuit. 

Port Barnett Congregation. 

The Methodist Episcopal Class at Port Barnett was organized by Rev. 
Peete, about the year 1870. They have always worshiped in the school- 
house in that place. The society had great prosperity under the labors of Mr. 
Peete, the membership reaching as high as sixty-two. It has labored under 
great embarrassment since its organization, for want of a house of worship. 
The congregations are large, the Sabbath-school numbering over one hundred. 
A gracious revival of religion was realized during the year 1S87 — the mem- 
bership of the society brought up to nearly the highest number. It has been 
regularly supphed by the pastors from Emerickville. 

Among the honored names of faithful workers in the church were, and are, 
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pliler, Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Lyle, Miss Eva Andrews, and 
others. The society, in this year of grace, numbers about sixty persons. 

Ringgold Charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 1 

In 18 16 there were two brothers named Hancock, who were traveling as 
missionaries, passed through what is now Ringgold township, and preached at 
the house of David Milliron. There was, after this, preaching occasionally by 
local preachers until 1852, when regular services were conducted by Rev. G. 
F. Reeser, who organized a class. In 1853 a church was built by the Metho- 
dists and Evangelical Association. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Ring- 
gold has been marked with a good measure of success, and is at present in a 
fairly prosperous condition. 

Hopewell Church. 

Hopewell congregation on the Ringgold charge was organized in 1839 by 
Revs. R. Peck, and M. Heinebaugh. The class consisted of Daniel Swisher, 
Elijah Swisher, Lizzie Swisher, Adam Dehaven, C. Dehaven, Joseph Elder, 
Elizabeth Martin, Henry Palmer, and Barbara Palmer. Daniel Swisher was 
the first class-leader. The first church was built in 1840, and was a commodi- 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 



2/2 History of Jefferson County. 

ous log structure, 32 by 28, and in 1870 the present church was erected during 
the pastorate of Rev. McVey Troy, and while Rev. O. L. Mead was presid- 
ing elder. This church is now being remodeled with modern improvements. 
It has a seating capacity of about three hundred and fifty. The present out- 
look for this church is promising. 

Wesley, now Barton Chapel. 

This society, which is also on the Ringgold charge, was organized in 1839, 
by Rev. John Monks, and Wesley Chapel was built in 1854. In 1886 a new 
and beautiful structure took the place of the old church. It is now called Bar- 
ton Chapel, in recognition of the persistent efforts of the pastor to secure suc- 
cess in the enterprise. This church has been somewhat weak hitherto, but is 
now giving promise of considerable success. Rev. W. J. Barton is the preacher 
of Ringgold charge. 

SiGEL Charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ^ 

In the year 1S50 Rev. G. F. Reeser organized what is known as the Kahle- 
town class. Prior to that there were four Methodists, Jacob Kahle and Nathan 
Smith with their wives, who had no place to worship. In this year there had 
been three of the Kahles converted at a place called Hominy Ridge, some six 
miles distant. The first class was organized at the red school-house, near 
where the church now stands, with these seven members. About this time 
James Buzzard and his wife came to what is now Eldred township, and rein- 
forced the small congregation. Mr. Buzzard was an official member until his 
death a few years ago. Mother Buzzard is the only member of the first class 
now living. Jacob Kahle was the first leader appointed, and he was also a local 
preacher for many years. 

In 1853 the church was built, Nathan Smith, James Buzzard and the Kahles 
taking the greater part of the work upon themselves. The class now numbers 
sixty, and is prospering finely. This charge is located on the Strattanville 
road, about three miles from Sigel. 

Ebenezer Church. 

Near the place where the Ebenezer Church now stands, there stood in 1854 
what was known as the Wallace school-house, and in the spring of that year 
Rev. James Gilfillan began to hold service. He had two members, Washing- 
ton Kahle and his wife, who are still members of this church. Mr. Gilfillan 
held a meeting in the fall of that year, and organized a class of nine members, 
appointing Brother Kahle leader, which position he has held nearly all the 
time since'. This appointment belonged to what was then known as the Cor- 
sica charge ; but soon after it was transferred to the Washington charge. In 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 273 

1863 Rev. George Moore was pastor, and under his administration the Ebe- 
nezer Church was built. At that time there were twenty-eight members. 
Now the membership is fifty with a few of the first members still living. The 
church is too small for the growing congregation, but preparations are being 
made to build a more commodious edifice. 

What is known as the Zion class was organized in 1853, Moses Hill being 
the presiding elder, and John T. Boyle preacher in charge. There were 
twenty-five members, and they first worshiped in a log school-house where 
the Steele school-house now stands. This house was burned down, and the 
congregation then built a small house on David Steele's farm, which was used 
for their meetings until i860, when the Zion Church was built. David Steele 
was leader at the time the class was organized, and retained that position for 
seventeen years, when he entered the ministry, and was appointed to the Clar- 
ington charge. Rev. Steele is now a member of the United Brethren denom- 
ination, and has held the office of presiding elder. 

The Zion Church is situated on the Brookville and Clarington road, three 
miles north of Brookville. The class of this church is very small, only num- 
bering about twenty. Rev. D. A. Platte is the preacher of the Sigel charge. 

Corsica Methodist Episcopal Church. 

The Corsica M. E. Church was organized about the year 1854. Rev. 
James Gilfillin was the pastor. J. W. Monks was the first class leader. Rev. 
Gilfillin was followed by Revs. Edwin Hull, Thomas Benn, George I\Ioore 
and others. The society first met for worship in a private house (burned in 
1873), then in the "old Corsica school-house," then in a hall. For sometime 
they worshiped in the Presbyterian Church. The present church edifice was 
erected in 1871, during the pastorate of Rev. W. M. Taylor. Cost $3,500- 
The parsonage was built during Mr. Taylor's administration. 

Since 1864 the charge has been served by the following pastors: P. W. 
Scofield, E. C. McElhatten, F. Fair, W. M. Taylor, J. W. Martin, J. C. Rhodes, 
O. H. Sibley, J. H. Laverty, A. M. Lockwood, VV. S. Shepard, P. J. Slattery, 
C. H. Frampton, J. M. Edwards and Alvah Wilder. Present pastor, J. C. 
Wharton. The Corsica society at present numbers fifty-seven members and 
probationers. 

Pine Grove M. E. Church is situated about three miles north of Corsica 
and belongs to the Corsica charge. This society was organized in February, 
1876, during the pastorate of Rev. O. H. Sibley, pastor of Corsica charge. 
The church at Pine Grove was built during the autumn of 1876 at a cost of 
$700. It was connected with Corsica charge in November of the same year. 

Reynoldsville Methodist Episcopal Church. 1 
The Reynoldsville charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church has but one 

1 Prepared by the pastor. 



274 History of Jefferson County. 

regular appointment located in Reynoldsville. This charge, which was form- 
erly a part of the Emerickville circuit, was made a separate charge in 1875, 
and Rev. W. M. Martin appointed pastor. At the end of two years it was re- 
verted back to the Emerickville circuit and was continued in that relation until 
1878, when it was for the second time made a separate charge, with Rev. D. 
E. Planett, pastor, under whose supervision a good, substantial frame church 
and parsonage were erected, at a cost of about six thousand dollars, all of which 
was liquidated under the administration of Mr. Planett. At the expiration of 
his pastorate Rev. J. C. McDonald was appointed his successor, who after 
three years of successful labor, was in turn succeeded by Rev. C. Peters, under 
whose ministry there was conducted a revival of great interest in which three 
hundred souls were led to inquire the way of salvation, and two hundred and 
fifty-two united with the M. E. Church on probation. This large increase of 
membership necessitated the enlargement of the church building, which was 
speedily brought about at a cost of twenty-two hundred dollars, all of which 
was provided for on the day of reopening. The church and parsonage are 
conveniently located, and the church is in a prosperous condition. The Sun- 
day-school has an average attendance of more than two hundred persons. 

RiCHARDSVILLE Ch.\RGE. METHODIST EPISCOPAL ChURCH.1 

Richardsville charge is composed of three societies numbering two hundred 
members, and contains three church buildings valued at four thousand dollars. 
This charge was formerh' known as the Warsaw charge. It was organized in 
1857, when the services were held in private houses. In 1855 the first church 
was erected at Mayville, in East Warsaw. Rev. Josiah Flowers was then pre- 
siding elder ; Rev. Thomas Graham preached the dedication sermon. Among 
the first members of the church at Mayville were Philo Bowdish and wife, G. 
Frederick and wife, Eli Irwin and wife, P. Crossley and wife, Jacob Raught 
and wife, and Peter Chamberlain and wife. 

The parsonage of the charge is located at Mayville, and cost eight hundred 
dollars. The church was repaired in 1877. 

The second church built on this charge is the Zion church, erected at Shofif- 
ner's Corners in Polk township, in 1863, and repaired in 1886. When Zion 
congregation was first organized, in 1848 or 1849, there were only these seven 
members : Philip Hetrick, Jacob McFadden and John Dixon, with their wives, 
and Mother Black. The first sermon preached in Polk township was by Rev. 
Boyle, in what is now the kitchen of Mr. John Dixon's house, May, 1847. 

In those days the prayer meetings were held from house to house, until a 
log school-house was built. After the class was organized the next additions 
to the membership were Amos T. Reigle and wife, O. Davis and wife, and 
Fulton and John Schofiher. The first quarterly meeting was held on the 13th 

1 From facts furnished by Rev. O. Sibley and Mr. John Dixon. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 275 

of December, 1857, by Josiah Flowers, presiding elder, at the house of Phihp 
Hetrick, who was the first class leader. He was succeeded by A. T. Reigle, 
and then Fulton Schoffner was leader for a number of years, who was followed 
by John Schoffner, who has held the office for about seventeen years. Rev. I. 
C. T. McClelland was the first preacher. The church, which was built during 
the trying days of the war, is located on the farm of Shannon McFadden, then 
the property of his father Jacob McFadden. It was built by Thomas Craven, 
each member of the congregation paying all that his means would allow toward 
its erection. The Zion class now numbers fifty members. 

The church at Richardsville was built in West Warsaw in 1872, while J. 
M. Zeile was preacher in charge. Nelson Riggs, A. Bartlett, Isaac Carrier, 
Lyman J. Boyington with their wives, and Mrs. Corbin, were among the first 
members at Richardsville. 

Among the first preachers who have served this charge were Reverends 
McClelland, Reeser, Moore, Dunmire, Starrett, McElhatten, Bashline, followed 
by Clover, Taylor, Groves, Zeile, Peete, Jones, Neff, Barton and Sibley. 

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 

The Cumberland Presbyterians were among the first to locate in Jefferson, 
and their first society was organized in a log school-house February i, 1836, 
and called the Jefferson Congregation. At the time of the organization there 
were seventeen communicants and two elders — Alexander Jordan and Dr. 
John W. Jenks. Their first pastor was Rev. Charles Barclay. Among those 
of later years have been Rev. D. H. King and Rev. D. A. Cooper. The 
present pastor is Rev. J. S. Gibson, who has been located there for the past 
five years. The membership of the church is now one hundred and sev- 
enty, with a Sunday-school of one hundred and fifty scholars. The present 
superintendent of this school is George D. Jenks. The commodious brick 
church is valued at five thousand dollars. 

There are also four other congregations of this denomination in the county. 
The Mount Pleasant Society was organized in the Bowers school-house in Gas- 
kill township in 1848. They have a good house of worship, and about one 
hundred members. In 1878 Rev. J. I. Means was their pastor, but the church 
is now supplied by Rev. Howells, having no settled pastor. 

In the year 1852 about forty members of the Jefferson Congregation, resid- 
ing in the neighborhood of Whitesville, formed themselves into a separate or- 
ganization called the Sharon Church, and elected Edward Means and John 
McHenry, sn, elders, and called Rev. J. C. Wagaman to be their pastor. The 
church building is located in Perrysville. Rev. D. A. Cooper succeeded Mr. 
Wagaman. 

There is also a strong society in Oliver township, known as the Olive 
Church, which has now no settled pastor. 



2/6 History of Jefferson County. 

The Zion Church in McCalmont township was organized by Rev. Jacob 
F. Wall, who was their first pastor. Rev. J. S. Gibson, pastor of Jefferson 
Church, now supplies Zion. 

The Cumberland Presbyterians is one of the largest denominations in the 
south side of the county. They have no organizations north of Little Sandy. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

THE CHURCHES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY— Continued. 

The Baptist Churches — Dr. Nichols the Pioneer Baptist — The Evangehoal Association next 
Proclaim the Word of God in the County — The Lutheran Churches at Brookville — St. .Johns and 
St. Michaels — The Episcopal Church of the Intercessor — The United Brethren in Christ — M. 
E. Sterner the Founder of the Church in Jefferson County — The Early and Present Pastors of 
these Denominations — Struggles and Efforts to Establish the Different Churches — Membership 
— Statistics. 

The Regular Baptist Church of Jefferson County.i 

THE constant efforts put forth by the sturdy pioneer Baptist preachers of 
this region of country to plant the church, and the many prayers offered 
for the success of the preached word, have had their influence and are felt to- 
day by all the Baptist Churches in Jefferson county, as well as in the neigh- 
boring counties of Clearfield, Clarion and Indiana. The privations of pioneer 
life and the sparsely settled communities, together with the dangers from wild 
beasts, and the absence of good roads, and very frequently the fording of 
streams in winter, or swimming the currents in summer time, to say nothing of 
the non-receipt of pay for their labors, conspired to make the visits of these 
devoted men of God few and far between. Laying their all upon the altar of 
God, they were ready for either sacrifice or service, and went forth to do and 
to dare for the cause of truth, feeling " that all things shall work together for 
good to them that love God." Winters snows and summers rains never de- 
terred them from their regular visits, when at all possible to go to the scattered 
settlements of our region. 

In i8i8 Rev. Jonathan Nichols settled on the Brandy Camp. He was the 
first clergyman who settled in the county, and spent his life in the service 
of the people. He was also the first physician, and his visits extended over a 
large extent of country. His ministry was well received by the people of all 

1 The history of the Baptist Churches in Jefferson county was prepared by Rev. T. Henderson, 
with the exception of that portion relating to the Richardsvilie Church, which was collected by Mr. 
S. M. Humphrey. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 277 

religious beliefs, who all attended his meetings. His is the first record of any 
minister, who was a pioneer preacher, holding views at all approximating to 
those held by the regular Baptist Church. After him came Rev. Samuel 
Miles, who preached in Brookville in 1833, and again a half century later, at 
the dedication of the Baptist Church in 1S83. He is still living at Ansonville, 
Clearfield county, enjoying the " Indian summer " of his life, among, a people 
who love him for his past relation' to them. His memory is precious in the 
Baptist brotherhood of Jefferson county, and also of all the old settlers, who 
venerate the name of this man of God. 

Revs. Stoughton, Kiel, Thomas E. and B. H. Thomas — father and son — 
Harding, Todd, Dobbs, Telford, McFarland and Wilson were among those 
who worked early and late to call the people to a knowledge of God and his 
truth. The first Baptist organization was effected in June, 1834, with thirteen 
members in the Beechwoods now Washington township, Henry Keys and 
James McConnell were elected deacons. Rev. Samuel Miles in September, 
1834, their first pastor. Since that time he has been succeeded by Revs. 
Thomas Wilson, Jacob Kiel, John Sallade, James Johnston, H. B. Fish, J. A. 
Metz, S. P. Barr, and J. E. Dean. 

Mrs. Eliza Haney, of Clearfield county, was among the first Baptists to 
locate in the county. She, with Mrs. Wier, of Centre county, who also located 
in this county, Robert Mcintosh, sr., and Betty Keys started the first Sunday- 
school in the Beechwoods in 1828. This school was held from house to house 
until 1832, when the first school-house near the old Beechwoods graveyard 
was built, in which it then held its sessions. Robert Mcintosh was the first 
superintendent, Mathew Keys assistant superintendent, and James Smith treas- 
urer. Betty Keys and Fannie McConnell were among the teachers. The 
names McConnell and Keys are still to be found in the membership of the 
Gethsemane Baptist Church, which stands just back of the old church building. 
Near the present Beechwoods graveyard is the grave of Betty Keys. For 
some time prior to her death she was a confined invalid, and during this bed- 
ridden period of her existence she collected enough money from visitors and 
friends to put the church in good repair. She was a Christian woman of royai 
stamp. 

During the early history of the Baptist cause in this region, Henry Keys, 
Robert Mcintosh, and others would leave their homes in the Beechwoods be- 
fore daylight on Sunday morning, and go to church at old Zion meeting-house 
in Clarion county, making a distance of about thirty miles. These men would 
walk there and back the same day. Rev. Mr. Stoughton of Butler county 
preached occasionally for the Baptists of the Beechwoods in 1S33. In June, 
1834, the Baptist Church was organized by Rev. Mr. Brown, in Henry Keys's 
barn, with the following members : Mrs. Eliza Haney, Miss Betty Keys, Henry 
Keys and his wife, Mrs. Catharine Keys, Mary Ann McConnell, afterwards 
32 



278 History fo Jefferson County. 

Mrs. McClelland, Margaret McConnell, and Mrs. Nancy McGhee, Mrs. Mc- 
Clelland, and Miss Hall.' The society met in Keys's barn. 

The second organization was held in Brookville in 1836. The pastors 
since then have been Sanauel Miles, Thomas Wilson, Thomas E. Thomas, and 
John Hunt followed by Professor Lane, J. S. Wrightnour, and Theodore Hen- 
derson the present pastor. In 1883 under the pastorate of Rev. T. Henderson, 
the present handsome church edifice costing about six thousand dollars, was 
erected. The ground upon which it is built, valued at not less than one thou- 
sand dollars, was donated by Mrs. D. E. Taylor. The location is on the corner 
of Main and Mill streets. 

Third in the order of organization came that of the Punxsutawney Church 
in 1840, under the pastorate of of Rev. Thomas Wilson. They have now a 
good comfortable brick meeting-house. Rev. D. W. C. Hervey and S. L. Par- 
cell were the devoted pastors of later years. Rev. H. H. Leamy is the present 
pastor. 

About the same time, as the result of the labors of Rev. Thomas Wilson at 
Corsica, the Mount Pleasant Church was organized. Many of the members of 
this church live in Clarion county. The church fence at the front is the line 
between Jefferson and Clarion. Revs. S. P. Barr, D. W. Swigert, A. J. King, 
R. Dunlap, and W. B. Purdy have been among the successive pastors. 

Rev. R. Dunlap, one of the grandest and best friends of Jesus and his truth, 
was found dead in his buggy while entering Corsica, March 21, 1885. He was 
going to fill his appointment. Kind hearts and willing hands did everything 
that possibly could be done to show veneration for the memory of this beloved 
man of God. 

This church owns a good frame house which stands on the site of the one 
destroyed by fire some years ago. 

Next came the Warsaw Church at Richardsville, which was at first com- 
posed of members dismissed by letter from the Gethsemane and Brookville 
Churches. 

This church was constituted April 22, 1865, with six constituent members, 
viz.: William Humphreys, Peter Rickard, Margaret Rickard, Andrew Rickard, 
Galbraith Wilson, Nancy Wilson ; two of whom still survive. Since the organ- 
ization the church has been served by the following pastors : Thomas Wilson, 
John Sallade, R. S. Hunt, W. M. Thompson, Daniel Webster, D. W. Swigart, 
Howell Jeffries, H. W. Boyer, T. J. Collins, R. Dunlap, S. P. Barr, and W. B 
Purdy. William Humphreys was ordained deacon at the organization, Joshua 
Long the following September ; at a later date John Chamberlain and J. F. Sny- 
der ; E. A. Bartlett and Thomas Brownell, June 8, 1885. The four last named 
still serve the church in that capacity, the two former being dead. Three min- 
isters have been ordained : John Sallade, Thomas Evans, and T. P. Collins, 
(Thomas Evans being licensed by the church). Two of the pastors have died 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 279 

and are buried in tlie cemetery, viz.: W. M. Thompson and R. Dunlap. The 
present membersliip is one hundred and forty-four. 

Shortly after the organization the congregation made an eftbrt to build a 
meeting-house about one mile north of Hazen, using round logs; but they did 
not succeed in getting it under roof. They continued to worship in school- 
houses, private houses, and barns, when the weather would permit until 1859. 
About 1856 the congregation secured from Mr. N. Carrier, sr., for twenty-five 
dollars, the beautiful location near Richardsville which is now occupied by the 
church buildings and cemetery. Mr. Carrier donated seven dollars of the 
twenty-five. During the winter of 1857-58 they commenced preparations in 
earnest for the erection of a meeting-house. Messrs. A. S. Rhines, R. Bedell, 
and H. R. Moore, were the building committee. During 1858 the present 
church was completed and dedicated in May, 1859. The building will seat 
about four hundred, is well preserved, and will not suffer in comparison with 
many buildings of more recent construction. In 18S2, the congregation built 
a neat parsonage of eight rooms and cellar, on the lot near the church. The 
property at present is worth about $4,000. After the erection of the meeting- 
house a Sabbath-school was organized which for the last fifteen years has been 
an " evergreen " school. 

" Soldier Run " Church at Prescottville, near Reynoldsville. 

Rev. Samuel Miles, of Clearfield county, and Thomas Wilson of Punxsutaw- 
ney, had preached in the neighborhood occasionally previous to the year 1S53, 
when C. H. Prescott moved to Reynoldsville. He found there one Baptist in 
the town, and another individual holding a letter from a Baptist church who 
had intended to join the Methodists, but soon after changed his mind. Six 
other Baptists were in the country within three miles of where the church now 
stands. And very soon talk commenced about starting a church, but it was 
said Reynold^ille was too hard a place for a church. But the one who most 
urged forward the enterprise would insist that it was not harder than Jerusa- 
lem where God was able to convert thousands in a day. It was not long until 
Rev. Thomas Wilson was hired to preach one-fourth of his time. Opposition 
to religion was very strong and he labored but one year. After this two breth- 
ren failing in an attempt to sustain a union prayer-meeting made a covenant 
with each other to meet every Wednesday evening for prayer whether any 
others were present or not. And frequently in bad weather only the two 
would be present. But trusting in God they persevered. 

In the summer of 1858 the church was organized with eighteen constitu- 
ent members. Rev. James Johnston acted as pastor for several months after 
the organization. He was followed by Rev. A. B. Runyan, whose home was in 
Brush Valley, Indiana county. He was pastor when the first and only house 
of worship was raised, but not completed till about two years after. The frame 



28o History of Jefferson County. 

was a most substantial one put up by the lamented Captain Conser, and about 
the last work of the kind he did before he joined the army in 1861. The next 
pastor was Rev. B. H. Fish, who was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Miles. His pas- 
torate continued about nine years, and the church was generally very prosper- 
ous during his ministry. He was followed by Rev. W. A. Ridge, who supplied 
the church a few months before Rev. Z. E. Dean was chosen pastor. He la- 
bored quite successfully several years, and was followed by D. W. C. Hervey 
and Rev. W. Cattell, until the present pastor came, Rev. J. N. Williams. The 
most of the constituent members of the West Liberty and Sykesville Churches 
had been members of " Soldier Run " Church. For the last ten or twelve years 
they have had services part of the day at Centennial Hall in Reynoldsville, 
which was built by C. H. Prescott and John H. Corbett, and furnished free of 
rent. 

A contract has recently been made with parties to erect a good, commodi- 
ous house of worship — to be of brick, and completed in 1887. The location 
of the new house is on Main street between Centennial Hall and the Presby- 
terian Church. For many years the Soldier Run meeting-house was the only 
house of worship from Rrookville to Luthersburgh and from the Beechwoods 
to Punxsutawney. Though they never received fifty dollars from other de- 
nominations to help build the church when all the members were comparatively 
poor, their generosity has seldom been excelled towards others while they 
continued to hold most rigidly to that which they believed the Lord requires 
of all his followers. Methodists have held services in their church, and both 
the United and Old School Presbyterians had the use of it for years when not 
occupied by the Baptists. The Presbyterian Church was organized in that house. 
When the site was selected it was surrounded on all sides by woods. It was 
presented to the church by C. H. Prescott, who helped grub out the trees with 
his own hands, and bore about half the expense of erecting the whole house. 
This was so soon after the panic of 1857, ^-iid finished at the beginning of the 
war, that it required such sacrifices as are seldom made now for a place to 
worship God unmolested. The only man they ever licensed to preach was C. 
H. Prescott, in 1870. 

The Bethel Church at Sykesville in McCalmont township, was organized in 
June, 1886, with twenty or more members. Rev. J. N. Williams was the first 
pastor. Rev. H. H. Leamy, of Du Bois has Sykesville in pastoral charge now, 
in connection with the church at Du Bois in Clearfield county. The aggre- 
gate membership of all these churches when organized was about one hundred 
and forty. 

The Clarion Baptist Association composed of regular Baptist Churches of 
Clarion county, and portions of Jefferson, Armstrong and Butler counties, was 
organized in the old court-house in Brookville, about fifty years ago. Three 
generations of Baptist preachers have been given from one family — so highly 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 281 

honored in this region of country. These are Thomas E. Thomas, for many 
years pastor of old Zion Church in Clarion county, now deceased, and whose 
body lies in Zion Church cemetery, within a few feet of the pulpit, where he 
used to stand and proclaim the truth of God. He was succeeded by his son 
Rev. B. H. Thomas, D. D., who for a number of years has been pastor of Zion 
Church in connection with his two other churches in Clarion county. Rev. B. 
H., Thomas, jr., now pastor of a Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, is the third 
preacher in the family. Thus, have father, son, and grandson, been honored 
servants of God. 

Each church now worships in a good meeting-house of its own, and lite- 
rally sits under " its own vine and fig tree." The new church building, now 
under contract, in Reynoldsville, will be one more in the list of good meeting- 
houses owned by the Baptists. 

When we attend service in any one of those neat and comfortable modern 
houses, and find the bright glow of the sunlight mellowed by the stained glass 
or frosted windows, or even with windows protected by window shades ; or 
listen to the notes of the soft pealing organ, and watch the well-dressed con- 
gregation rise to sing, or unite in the devotions, and see the minister stand be- 
hind a modern pulpit, we find the surroundings totally different to what they 
were when the first Baptist Church in Jefierson county met to worship in Henry 
Keys's barn, in the Beechwoods. 

The singing may be more artistic now, and the sermons may be shorter, 
and the intermission altogether obsolete ; but the royal, hearty grasp of the 
hand, and good old-fashioned sermon, which went straight home to the hearts 
and consciences of the hearers, and the good old " Dundee " or " Dennis " or 
" Coronation " sung from full hearts, made the old-time worship a wonderful 
factor in the soul development of our fathers and mothers in Israel, whose wor- 
ship is now before the Saviour in the " Upper Glory." 

In the great fight for soul-liberty and loyalty to law, and a " thus saith the 
Lord" for each act of worship, or proclamation of the Divine message, and 
holding out the truth that " nothing is settled till it is settled right," and that 
that standard of " right " must be according to the Divine idea of equity and 
justice, and that individual responsibility must be felt and acted out, and that 
God deals with the intelligence and reason of man in the matter of soul's salva- 
tion, the Baptists have stood in the very front of the battle, and have struck 
sturdy and telling blows, which have left their influence upon this whole region 
of country in the victory achieved. 

Rev. Theodore Henderson, who prepared the data for the history of the 
Baptist Churches, deserves more than a passing notice in this connection. He 
was born at Saltsburg, Indiana county, December 14, 1841, and was the fifth 
of eleven children born to David and Abby Henderson 7ice Geer. His mother 
died in 1864, but his father is still living. Theodore's great-grandfather was 



282 History of Jefferson County. 

in one of the Irish rebelHons prior to 1798, and not long after migrated to 
America. 

His father was a blacksmith and young Theodore learned his father's trade. 
He attended the common schools and had two terms at the Saltsburg and In- 
diana Academies. He then entered the office of the Indiana Register as an 
apprentice, and had worked there nine months when the war broke out, and he 
entered the army in Company B, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserves, and served 
three years and three days. He participated in the Second Bull Run, First 
Fredericksburg, South Mountain, and all the subsequent engagements in which 
his regiment was engaged. He was so severely wounded at Fredericksburg 
that he was disabled, and for a time transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. 

In August, 1864, he entered the office of the Pittsburgh Post to complete 
his apprenticeship as a printer and remained three months, being obliged to 
quit on account of ill-health. He then resumed his old occupation as a black- 
smith, at his home in Saltsburg, until February, 1865, when he went to Wash- 
ington, D. C, and was engaged in the government shops there and at Alexan- 
dria, Va. 

While at Washington, he was at Ford's Theatre, on the memorable 13th of 
April, 1865, and witnessed the assassination of President Lincoln. In 1867 he 
was again at home working at his old trade, and in 1868 was engaged in the 
Pennsylvania Railroad shops at Blairsville. He then entered the preparatory 
department of the University at Lewisburg, and graduated in two years. He 
was then admitted to the college proper, and obtained his degree as a member 
of the class of 1876. On the 29th of November, 1876, he was married to Miss 
Ella S. Shurick, daughter of Adam and Margaret Shurick, of Blairsville. He 
received a call to the Baptist Church at Brookville, in October, 1876, and was 
ordained as its pastor November 23d, of the same year. 

During the years subsequent to the war he has been, more or less, a sufferer 
from a growing difficulty of locomotion, caused by an injury at the battle 
of South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862. During the fight, while his 
company was engaged with the enemy on the right of the Union line at the 
open field skirted by a stone wall, his gun became disabled by reason of the 
pivot being filled with some hard substance which prevented the use of the 
gun. Knowing that all the guns of his regiment were of the same calibre, he 
threw his gun aside, and drew to his side the gun of his rear-rank man. This 
man was unable to use his fire-arm because of illness. In the heat of the fight 
Henderson never thought of the gun being already loaded, and so proceeded to 
load with the regulation cartridge and one ounce ball and three buckshot, and 
then rose to fire over the stone-wall at the enemy in the field. The concus- 
sion of the gun owing to the double load, was so great as to hurl Henderson 
with violent force upon his back, and falling upon the stony ground he received 
such injury at the junction of the ischiatic nerves where they join the spine, in 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 283 

the lumbar region, as to seriously imperil his usefulness, and also to threaten 
a cessation of his active work in the ministry. During these years he has gone 
on duty in many ways even when better judgment would dictate a rest ; but 
his motto has ever been "forward," and "The Lord will provide." At present 
writing, 1887, he still has the flag up, and will be found at his post of duty as 
long as able. He still remains pastor of the church of his first settlement, 
where he was ordained in 1876. 

Enangelical Association.! 

The first efforts of the Evangelical Association in Jefferson county was 
in the year of 1832, by Revs. Elias Stoever and A. Frey, who were appointed 
to Indiana Circuit, then belonging to the Eastern Conference. Indiana 
Circuit embraced parts of Indiana, Armstrong, Clarion, Clearfield, and Jeffer- 
son counties. At this (1832) date, the church consisted of but two annual 
conferences — the Eastern and Western. The eastern embraced parts of the 
States of Pennsylvania and New York. The western included Ohio only. The 
conference that sent the above named missionaries to Indiana Circuit convened 
that year in the town of New Berlin, Union county, June 4, 1832. 

The following is a list of the ministers and also the time they served " Indi- 
ana Circuit," 1833, Revs. S. G. Miller and J. Boas; 1834, J. Lutz, and P. 
Gates; 1835, S. Altimos and J. Boas; 1836, Peter Wiest and D. N. Long; 
1837, Henry Heis and John Heis ; 1838, George Rishel and Joseph Truby; 
1839, Rev. Daniel Kerr. From 1840 to 1844 we have no report and therefore 
cannot say who served the work, but at the conference session of 1844 

At the Seventh General Conference held in Millheim, Centre county. Pa., 
beginning March 25, 1839, the Eastern Conference was divided into two, 
called the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Conferences, and Indiana Cir- 
cuit becoming a part of the Western Pennsylvania Conference. At the 
session of the Western Pennsylvania Conference held in Millheim, Centre 
county, convening on March 3, 1844, Indiana Circuit was divided, and that 
portion containing parts of Jefferson, Armstrong and Clarion counties was 
called Clarion circuit. And the following ministers were appointed to Clarion 
circuit : 1844, Revs. Jacob Rank and McLahn ; 1845, Jacob Rank and George 

Cupp; 1846, Daniel Sill and Charles Lindiman; 1847, Daniel Sill and 

Kelley ; 1848, George Dellinger. From 1849 to 1852 there is no report to be 
found stating who served as pastors for Clarion circuit. 

The Tenth General Conference held in 185 1 divided the Western Penn- 
sylvania Conference, and all of that part of Pennsylvania lying west of the 
Allegheny Mountains, and Western Virginia was constituted a new conference 
district, called Pittsburgh Conference, which held its first session in the Zion 
Church on Sixth street, Pittsburgh, convening March 3, 1852; and Clarion 

1 Prepared by Rev. I. A, Rholand. 



284 History of Jefferson County. 

circuit becoming a part of Pittsburgh Conference, and Revs. Jacob Rank and 
Jacob Weikel were appointed pastors for the conference year of 1852; 1853, 
Revs. H. H. Bucher and J. Rosenberger; 1854, H. H. Bucher and G. W. 
Risinger; 1855-56, J. M. Zerkel and W. H. Stull ; 1857, John Pfeifer and John 
Shaffer. At the annual conference session in 1858 all the appointments lying 
within the bounds of Jefferson county were taken from Clarion circuit and 
constituted a new circuit called Jefferson circuit, and the following ministers 
were appointed as pastors for the following years: 1858, A. R. Teats and A. 
Weaver; 1859, Henry Pfeifer and J. G. Pfeifer; i860, J. G. Pfeifer and G. S. 
Domer ; 1861, G. S. Domer; 1862, A. R. Teats; 1863, Jacob Weikel and 
Joseph Monismith ; 1864, J. Rank and L. L. Buchman ; 1865-66, W. H. Stull ; 
1867, Henry Rhodes and P. W. Plotts ; 1868-69, E. Beaty; 1870, S. Varner 
and A. J. Myers; 1871, J. Woodhull and Amos W. Piatt; 1872, J. Woodhull; 
1873, D. K. Lavan and L. I. Baumgardner ; 1874, Levi Ross; 1875-77, M. 
H. Shannon ; 1878-79, E. B. Arthur; 1880, J. Dick ; 1881-83, Samuel Mill- 
iron ; 1884, F. P. Hummull; 1885, J. H. Shimp ; 1886-87, George Focht. 

Brookville Mission. 

At the annual session of the Pittsburgh Conference March, 1872, Brook- 
ville, the county seat, was taken up as an appointment and called Brookville 
Mission, and supplied with the following ministers the ensuing years; 1872, 
J. J. Carmony; 1873, L. I. Baumgardner; 1874, Joseph Porch; 1875-77, J- 
A.Dunlap; 1878, J. W. Domer ; 1879, L. H. Hetrick ; 1 880-8 1, C. C. Poling; 
1882-83, I. A. Rohland; 1884, Amos W. Piatt, whose health failed at the ex- 
piration of three months and he was succeeded the remaining part of the con- 
ference year by Rev. L. Schobert, of Kossuth, Clarion county; 1885, J. B. 
Ward; 1886-87, F. P. Hummull. 



Ringgold Circuit. 

The appointments, Heathville, Zion, Ringgold, Ebenezer and St. Jacobs 
were taken from Jefferson circuit by annual conference, in its session of 1873, 
and constituted a new circuit called Ringgold circuit and the following minis- 
ters appointed as pastors for the ensuing years; 1873, J. S. Seip ; 1874-75, W. 
Houpt; 1876-77, Levi Ross; 1878-79, M. H.Shannon; 1880-82, George Focht; 
1883-84, L. H. Hetrick; 1885, J. G. Coleman; 1886-87, A. W. Brickley. 

WORTHVILLE CIRCUIT. 

At the conference session April, 1885, the appointments Worthville, Won- 
derlings, Chapel and^Bethesda Church, near Belleview, were taken from Jeffer- 
son circuit and constituted a new field of labor called Worthville circuit and 
Rev. F. P. Hummull appointed pastor for 1885 I and Rev. F. D. Ellenberger; 
for 1886-87. 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 285 

The above named four fields of labor occupy the southern portion of the 
county with a membership of five hundred and ninety-four communicants and 
seven hundred and fifty Sunday-school scholars, ninety-four officers and teach- 
ers, and twelve Sunday-schools, ten church buildings and three parsonages. 
The Annual Conference is divided into four presiding elder districts — Alle- 
gheney, Franklin, Pittsburgh, and Somerset. The interests of the church in 
Jefterson county belong to Allegheny District and the present presiding elder 
is Rev. I. A. Rohland, M. A. whose residence is in the town of Brookville, Pa. 

Names of the first families that were members of the Evangelical Church in 
Jefferson count}' : George Weise, George Milliron, Samuel Michel, Daniel En- 
terline, Samuel Lerch, John Motter, Isaac Motter, sr., Daniel Motter, Abra- 
ham Milliron, Abraham Funk. The first representatives of the church settled 
ilong Redbank Creek in Beaver township. Jacob Startzell and his wife, Chris- 
tina Startzell, are among the first members of the church in Ringgold town- 
ship. At the homes of the above-named persons the Evangelical preachers 
first preached, also in school-houses, one of which stood in Coon Valley one 
mile north of the town of Ringgold. 

Language. 

In the early history of the church the ministry preached in the German 
language exclusively in this county, but by western emigration, and removals 
by death, and the free schools being English, the preaching of the present 
(1887) is entirely English. 

Church Buildings. 

The first church building was erected on the land of Mr. Samuel Lerch, 
about the year 1848. The contract was given to Mr. Samuel Lerch, and when 
completed was dedicated as the Zion Church of the Evangelical Association, 
and in March, 1853, the Pittsburgh Conference held the second annual session in 
the above named church, Bishop Joseph Long presiding. The second church 
was built in Ringgold, Ringgold township. The church has a camp-ground at 
North Freedom, leased for twenty years from 1876, and have erected seventy- 
five cottages thereon, and hold an annual meeting attended by from five to 
eight thousand people. 

The Lutheran Church. 1 

Among the first settlers in the county were members of the Lutheran faith, 
but for many years they had no church or pastor. The first Lutheran minis- 
ter that penetrated into this county was Rev. George Young, who organized a 
congregation about three and a half miles south of Brookville, in Rose town- 
ship, in 1838, and erected a log church. This has ever since been known as 

1 By Rev. I. A. Rohland. 
33 



286 History of Jefferson County. 

St. John's. The next of whom we find any record is Rev. John Rengan, who 
was conducted in 1844 through the forests from Indiana, by Mr. John Boucher, 
or as he was familiarly known to the Lutherans throughout the county in later 
years as Father Boucher, to the place now known as Sprankle's Mills, and from 
which point he came on to Brookville, where he held service up stairs in the 
old jail. He remained but a short time, and effected no organization. Rev. 
John Nemer came next, but the length of the stay of these two first ministers 
is unknown. 

In 1846 Rev. J. B. Breckenridge was sent to Brookville, which in connec- 
tion with a few surrounding places, was made into a " mission, field." But ow- 
ing to ill-health, which disquahfied him for the arduous duties of the position, 
he was soon obliged to retire from the field, and was succeeded February i, 
1849, t)y Rev. P. Sheeder, who September 4, 1850, organized the congrega- 
tion, and held the first recorded communion service. The membership num- 
bered thirteen, viz.: John Boucher, Elizabeth Boucher, Jacob S. Steck, Chris- 
tiana Steck, Mrs. Caroline Shackleford, Jacob Burket, Catharine Burket, Mrs. 
Maria Clark, Mrs. Catharine Smith, Daniel Coder, Catharine Coder, Hannah 
McKinley and Mary A. Yeomans. Daniel Coder was elected elder, and John 
Boucher deacon. The first who received the ordinance of baptism were Nor- 
man and Griffith, sons of William F. and Mrs. Maria Clark. All of those who 
composed this little congregation with the exception of Mrs. Caroline Shack- 
leford (now of Kittanning), have gone to join the heavenly congregation, even 
those two young boys received into the church by baptism, have " passed over 
the river." 

At the first recorded communion at St. John's Church, there were present 
fifteen members and twelve catechumen. These first members were Thomas 
Holt, Peter Thrush, Elizabeth Thrush, Samuel Johns, Magdalena Johns, Mattie 
Chesley, Armenia Grove, Charles Merriman, Susannah Merriman, Hannah 
Himes, Mary Johnston, Jacob Wolfgong, Sarah Wolfgong, Mary Spiker, Joseph 
Kaylor. These, too, have all passed away, leaving their children to take their 
places in the church. 

In 1850 these two congregations united, and in the same year the contract 
for the building of the present church in Brookville was let for one thousand 
dollars, the builder to furnish the materials. The contractor failed and the 
contract was re-let at fourteen hundred and fifty dollars. The church was ded- 
icated in 1852, with a balance due the builder of seven hundred dollars unpro- 
vided for. Previous to the building of this church the Brookville congregation 
had worshiped in the court-house. Rev. Sheeder served the congregation for 
four years, in which the membership had increased to nineteen. 

Rev. J. Wright took charge of the two congregations, and also of a new 
organization which had been founded in the Grube settlement in Bell township, 
in 1854. He resigned the pastorate August 24, 1856, and during the next 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 287 

two years they were only occasionally supplied by Revs. J. B. Young and J. 
B. Lawson. October 3, 1S58, Rev. Jacob Singer became the pastor, but re- 
mained only one year. During the year 1861 the charge was vacant with only 
occasional supplies ; but in this time St. John's congregation built a commodi- 
ous frame church. 

In March, 1862, Rev. Joseph Welker accepted a call and labored in these 
churches for two years, when owing to the saddest affliction that could have 
befallen him — insanity — he was obliged to retire from the work of the ministry. 
This was a trying time for the mission, and again during three years it was 
without a pastor. The membership, which had been greatly augmented, was 
again reduced, the Brookville Church to eighteen. Then Rev. G. F. Ehren- 
feldt was pastor for one year, and then after another lapse of a year, in which 
the membership of the Brookville Church had been reduced to its original thir- 
teen. Rev. I. J. Delo took charge of the congregations October 27, 1869, and 
remained until March 3, 1872. He served very acceptably, but after he left a 
vacancy again occurred of fifteen months. There had up to this time been one 
hundred and twenty-one members enrolled in twenty-two years, and of these 
but twenty-four remained as members of the church. 

Rev. J. M. Wonders accepted a call as pastor of Zion Church, March 12, 
1873. When Mr. Wonders took charge of the church he found the building 
in a ruinous condition, but during his pastorate of five years the congregation 
was made self-sustaining, and removed from the care of Home Missions, the 
church was also remodeled, and refitted at a cost of over two thousand dollars, 
and was re-dedicated free of debt — a tribute to the zeal and benevolence of its 
few but faithful worshipers, and the kindness of its friends. One of the im- 
provements added was a bell to call the people together, and this bell, pur- 
chased for two hundred dollars from the commissioners of the county, when 
the new court-house was erected, has a history that links it to the past, it be- 
ing the first bell in the county, and which for so many years not only sum- 
moned the citizens to the temple of justice, but which, in turn, called the peo- 
ple of the different denominations to hear the gospel dispensed within the walls 
of the old court-house. 

The membership of the church and Sunday-school increased more than five 
fold, the church having a membership of one hundred and five. In February, 
1878, Mr. Wonders resigned to take charge of the Lutheran Church at Ship- 
penville. Clarion county, where he is yet actively engaged in the ministry. He 
was succeeded by Rev. S. S. Miller, May 12, 1878, who remained until May, 
1879. 

. Rev. Lewis Hay came as a supply to these churches in November, 1879, 
and January 7, 1880, was installed as pastor. He resigned in April, 1881. He 
was succeeded by Rev. W. Seiner, who remained just one year, and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. D. W. Leitzell, September 24, 1S82. . Mr. Leitzell remained 



288 History of Jefferson County. 

pastor until May i8, 1886, when he resigned, and Rev. J. E. Zerger succeeded 
to the pastorate September 16, 1886. There is also a Lutheran Church, Saint 
Matthew's, in Knox township, which since 1870 has been supplied by the 
Brookville pastor. 

The churches at Emerickville and Reynoldsville have no pastors, and are 
occasionally supplied by the Lutheran minister at Du Bois. Emerickville was 
supplied from Brookville from 1869 until 18 — . 

The Brookville and St. John's Churches are still united under the same pas- 
tor. The membership of Zion Church is now seventy-seven, and that of Saint 
John's forty- five. These churches maintain flourishing Sunday-schools. The 
Brookville school having first been started under the superintendency of Mr. 
John Boucher, who for over twenty years was identified with the school, and 
when he removed to a farm near Saint Matthew's Church, he became a worker 
in the Sunday-school of that church, and was found surrounded by the chil- 
dren of the school on each succeeding Sabbath day, until a few months before 
his death. Mr. Boucher was a member of the Lutheran Church for sixty-five 
years, and was identified with the church in Jefferson county for thirty-six 
years, having removed to Brookville in 1850. He was the last of the original 
members of Zion Church (except Mrs. Shackleford) when he died October 10, 
1886, in the eighty- fourth year of his age. His family, all of whom (except his 
second wife and youngest daughter, who died before him), were members of 
Zion Church, in which his daughter, Mrs. Parker P. Blood, is now a prominent 
member and zealous worker. 

The Lutheran Church (old school) at Punxsutawney was organized in 1S56, 
and has had services at intervals ever since. These services were at first held 
in the Lutheran Reformed Church on the hill. Rev. William Engelbach was 
the first pastor, and preached for about one year. Rev. Henneman succeeded 
him, and preached for some time in a school-house that stood in the center of 
the public square. In 1867 Rev. C. C. Brandt became the pastor, and that 
year, the church the congregation now occupies was erected. The pastors of 
the church since then have been Revs. Jacob Rasig, Peter Engers, Green- 
miller, F. W. Spindle, K. Waltz, Julius Bauch, John M. Meissner. Rev. C. 
Engelder has been the pastor for the past ten years. 

The parsonage owned by this congregation and by Mr. Engelder was de- 
stroyed in the fire of October 9, 1886, with a loss of $1,500, with an insurance 
of $650. Mr. Engelder lost about $500 in household goods. 

Among the prominent members of this church are Henry Ernst, John 
Long, William Zeitler, George Weiss. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church. 1 

Rise and progress of the First Protestant Episcopal Church in Jefferson 
county, now known as the Church of the Intercessor, Sugar Hill. 

1 By Rev. Joseph Barber, 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 289 

1850. Mr. John Robinson and his wife, Hannah Leigh, natives of Cheshire, 
England, residents of Philadelphia, with their family, settled in this, then, 
almost uninhabited part of Pennsylvania. Like a loyal son of the church, as 
he was, he gathered his family around and commenced lay services of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church and Sunday-school every Lord's day, one or two 
neighbors joining with them. 

1853. On invitation of Mr. John Robinson, Rev. B. B. Killeykelly, of Kit- 
tanning visited them, administered the holy communion and baptized four 
children. This was the first visit of an Episcopal clergyman and the first 
administration of the sacraments of the church in Jefferson county. A little 
over one month after the visit of this man of God, Mr. Robinson was called 
from the service of God on earth to his service in heaven. John Hubbs Robin- 
son, eldest son of Mr. John Robinson, had occasional lay services at his resi- 
dence until the death of Mrs. Robinson which occurred in the spring of 1857. 

August, 1863. On invitation of Mr. Thomas Brian, Rev. Mr. Hilton, of 
Kittanning, Pa., visited this place, preached, administered the sacraments of 
the church (twelve children baptized). Previous to this time I, the writer of 
this sketch, had public services in the school-house on Sundays during my 
visits to Mr. Robinson's family. 

June, 1865. With my family I settled in this place one and one-half miles 
from Sugar Hill. I found the people anxious to have the services of the church 
resumed, the love for the same had never died out but had lain smouldering, 
awaiting God's time, when he would fan it into a flame again. 

July 2d. Met for public service in my own house (having received before 
leaving Philadelphia authority to act as lay reader from the Rt. Rev. William 
Bacon Stevens, bishop of Pennsylvania, the whole State of Pennsylvania be- 
ing at that time under his jurisdiction). There were thirty persons present, 
who ^vith joy welcomed back the long absent services. 

July 9th. Organized Sunday-school in the same place, with five teachers, 
and twenty scholars. Again the woods of Jefferson echoed with the psalms 
and hymns of our beloved church. We were much encouraged in our work 
by letters and gifts of books, cards, papers, etc., from the Rev. Samuel Dur- 
borrow, of the Church of the Evangelists, Philadelphia. 

1866. Having obtained permission to use the school-house, we moved to 
that building and continued the services without interruption until the erec- 
tion of the church building. 

1867. Having heard of the division of the diocese, and of the consecration 
of the Rt. Rev. John Barrett Kerfoot, D. D., the first bishop of the diocese of 
Pittsburgh, I wrote to him making known how the work had begun and con- 
tinued. 

The following is a copy of his first letter : 



290 History of Jefferson County. 

"Pittsburgh, Pa., January 24, 1867. 
" Mr. Joseph Barber : 

"My Dear Sir — I found your letter here yesterday on my return from 
Clearfield. 

" I was in Ridgway early in November and would then have gladly made my 
way to you, had I known of your efforts and wants. Your letter brings me 
my first information of these, and it interests me deeply. I cannot, myself, 
possibly get to you now, nor until late on in the spring, or early in the summer. 

" But I have to-day written to the Rev. Mr. Parker, of Warren, asking him 
to correspond with you, and arrange to give you a Sunday as soon as he can. 

" Please write to him, and let him know just where and how to find you, 
and whether you would like to have his visit for services, baptism and the holy 
communion. 

" Mr. Parker goes every alternate Sunday to Ridgway, and I am sure that 
if he can, he will go to you soon ; he will then write to me and I will try to 
plan further for you. 

" If you and your fellow-churchmen can do it, it will be desirable and right 
that you should make a collection at such services to meet the expenses of any 
clergyman I can get to you. 

" If you cannot, I will get his expenses met from other sources. Services 
you shall have sometimes. 

" As soon as I can find more clergymen and the necessary means, you shall 
have stated visits, and God helping me, I will also come and see you at my 
earliest visitation anywhere near you. Go on, my dear brother, as you are do- 
ing, faithfully and diligently, in your Sunday-school, your services and your 
readings. You shall not be forgotten by your bishop and brethren. God will 
bless you and your efforts. 

" Please write to me again ; tell me all you know or can learn of church 
people anywhere in your region, and at Brookville. 

" How near to you does any railroad come ? And how shall any of us best 
get to you ? 

"What are the ages of your Sunday-school children ? 

" What Sunday-school books have you ? How many prayer-books ? and 
how many do you want ? 

" How can a package of books reach you ? 

" If Mr. Parker cannot soon get to you, I will find some other clergyman 
to visit you. 

" Let me hear from you, and of your school and congregation every two 
months. Give my love and blessing to all your congregation and school, and 
assure them that, now that I know of them, I will keep them well in mind. 

" Praying God to bless and prosper you — 

" I am my dear sir faithfully your friend and bishop, 

"J. B. Kerfoot." 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 291 

From this time to the organization of the church I received letters and visits 
from Rev. J. H. Spaulding (now bishop of Colorado), and Rev. C. C. Parker. 

"July loth. Organized the Church of the Intercessor, the first Protestant 
Episcopal Church in Jefferson county. Present the bishop and Rev. John H. 
Spaulding, who was elected rector. I to continue lay reader in charge. The 
following gentlemen were elected vestrymen : John Hubbs Robinson, Thomas 
Brian, J. Barber, John Brian, Henry Brian, Frederick Brown. 

" 1870, July iith. The corner-stone of the church was laid by the Rev. 
R. Caswell. 

" 1871, May 25th. The church was consecrated by the bishop, assisted by 
the Revs. Spaulding, Rafter, Getz, Dooris, Caswell. The Bible and prayer- 
book were presented to the church by the bishop, the gift of Miss Draper, of 
Hartford, Conn. The stone font, the gift of Mrs. Vincent's men's bible-class 
of St. Paul's, Erie. The altar linen was given by Mrs. Fisher's ladies' bible- 
class, of Emmanuel Church, Holmesburg, Pa. The communion set was the 
gift of Mr. J. E. Williams, of Xenia, O., through Rev. W. A. Snively, rector 
of Christ Church, Conn. 

" 1873. The lay reader in charge was ordained deacon in Trinity Church, 
Pittsburgh, June loth, the eighth anniversary of the diocese of Pittsburgh. 
During this and the previous years the services morning and evening, also the 
Sunday-school were regular, and this continued until September, 1883, at 
which time I resigned my charge. Since that time the church has been in 
charge of Rev. G. B. Van Waters, and Rev. J. H. Burton, with the occasional 
visits of the general missionary of the diocese, and the annual visit of Rt. Rev. 
Cortlandt Whitehead, bishop of the diocese of Pittsburgh. The first baptized 
in the church building, Carrie M. Robinson. The first married, Sarah E. Rob- 
inson. The first buried in the church grounds upon which the church stands, 
John Robinson. Number baptized since 1865, sixty-one; number confirmed, 
thirty-two ; number married, eight ; number of deaths, fourteen ; value of 
church and lot, $3,000." 

The church at Sugar Hill, in Warsaw township, was the only place of wor- 
ship for those holding the views and doctrines of the Episcopal Church until 
the spring of 1887, when missions were established at Brookville and Reynolds- 
ville. These congregations are ministered unto twice each month by the mis- 
sionary of the diocese of Pittsburgh, or other ministers of the diocese. The 
congregation at Brookville holds its services in the Lutheran Church on the 
second and fourth Sundays in each month. 

United Brethren in Christ. 

Learning of the simplicity, yet fervent piety attending the form of worship 
prevailing in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, M. E. Steiner, of 
Knoxdale, in the year 1 860, wrote to that body, asking that a missionary be 



292 History of Jefferson County. 

sent into Jefferson county. They complied by sending a young minister, Rev. 
J. W. Owens, who at once commenced a revival effort at Knoxdale, which 
resulted in fifty conversions, and an organization of seventy members. M. E. 
Steiner was chosen as leader of the new society, which position he held for 
many years. 

A house of worship was erected at Knoxdale in 1874, and Mr. Steiner 
was the chief contributor to the building fund. At present this society, which 
is in a very prosperous condition, is worshiping in the same church edifice^ 
Rev. J. P. Truxell, being the present pastor. From this appointment mission- 
ary efforts extended throughout the county, resulting in different organizations, 
and the building of three houses of worship, situated at Mount Tabor in Bell 
township, Eldred and Dowlingville, and also in the establishing of many 
churches and congregations of the United Brethren in the adjoining counties 
of Clarion, Forest, Armstrong, Indiana and Clearfield. 

It might be of interest to note that the United Brethren Church is not 
an offshoot of any one religious body, but traces its origin to a revival move- 
ment among the Germans of Pennsylvania and Maryland, during the last cent- 
ury. It was organized by men who had been members of different denomina- 
tions, or of none, and the church was formally organized in 1800, by Revs. 
Phillip William Otterbein and Martin Boehne as bishops. 

During the first half of the present century the church passed through a 
transition period in language, and is now almost entirely English, the German 
work composing only a small fraction of the whole. The names of the first 
society or class of this denomination, organized at Knoxville, were. Dr. J. G. 
Steiner and his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Steiner, M. E. Steiner and and his wife, Mrs. 
Susannah Steiner, three children of M. E. Steiner, Rebecca E., J. G. jr., and 
Sarah S. (the two daughters died in 1861), George Horner, Susannah Horner, 
Peter FriedUne, sr., Hannah Friedline, Daniel Friedline, Sevela Friedline, J. D. 
Rhoades, Christina Rhoades Daniel Bailey, Elizabeth Bailey, John Strawcutter, 
Regina Strawcutter, W. Eckman, Peter Bailey, |Mary Bailey, Hannah Straw- 
cutter, Jesse Cravener, Philip Rhoades, S. Swineford, Daniel Rhoades, Daniel 
Friedline, jr., J. W. Strawcutter, David Lemmon, J. Mohney, Peter Wolf, Chris- 
tina Wolf, Lydia Wolf, Miss Regina Strawcutter, Kate Eckman, Peter Fried- 
line, jr., A. Harp, S. S. Wolf, H. J. Wolf, William Bailey, E. Mercer, Regina 
Friedline, George Friedline, M. Mercer, Miss M. Rhoades, Solomon Yoder, J. 
D. Mercer, John Wolf, E. B. Cavenore, Mrs. Cavenore, Elizabeth Chitester, 
Phebe Eckman, J. G. Gearheart, Eliza Gearheart, Eliza Eckman, J. N. Stine, W. 
S. Yoder, Catharine Stahlman, Lucinda Milliron, M. E. Kitchen, Phebe Wise, 
Hannah Yount, Sarah Yoder, Mrs. E. Yoder, J. H. Wise, Clara Wise, Mrs. 
Hannah Rhoades, Miss Hannah Rhoades, Louisa Harp. ■ 

This congregation was much reduced in membership the following year, as 
twenty-three of those named above enlisted in the service of their country in 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 293 

1861, and of these but very few lived to return. Very few of the first mem- 
bers of this congregation are living. Mr. M. E. Steiner and wife were when 
the church was organized in the prime of life ; now they are the oldest mem- 
bers, but as the elders have passed away the younger people have taken their 
places, and the Knoxdale church is in a prosperous condition. 

Of the pastors who have served the church at Knoxdale those most gene- 
rally known are Revs. J. B. Empheil, J. W. Woodward, W. K. Shimp, J. G. 
Steiner, J. N. Munden, G. A. Noden, David Steel, and the present pastor Rev. 
J. P. Truxell. J. G. Steiner, a son of M. E. Steiner, and one of the original 
members of the church is now a minister of this denomination, and is at pres- 
ent pastor of the United Brethren Church at Marietta, Pa. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

THE CHURCHES— Continued. 

The Catholic Church — John Dougherty the Pioneer of the Catholic Faith in the County — 
The Coming of Belgian and German Families — The Early Priest — Building of the First Church 
in Brookville — The Fiscus Church — St. Ann's Academy — Building of the New Church at 
Brookville — Parochial School and Residence — The Reynoldsville Church — The New Church at 
Punxsutawney — Membership — Societies^Statistics. 

History of the Roman Catholic Church. 1 

THE first practical Catholic in Brookville, and likely in the county, was John 
Dougherty, who, June 14, 1830, bought a number of lots in the newly- 
laid out county-seat and moved there in the autumn of 1831, with his wife nee 
Grace Annette Kerr. His only daughter, Kate, born April 18, 1832 (since 
September 4, 1854, wife of Colonel S. J. Marlin), was three months old, when 
in Dougherty's popular hostelry " Peace and Poverty," she was baptized by the 
Rev. John O'Neil of Freeport, and she was no doubt the first Catholic baptized 
in the limits of the new county. The next Catholic was John Gallagher, after- 
wards justice of the peace, who came to Brookville either in 1832 or 1833. 
Soon after came George McLaughlin, afterwards high sheriff of the county ; 
Michael Woods, mail-carrier, later court-crier; October 4, 1842, Jacob Hoff- 
man ; in 1846, Edmund English (father of the Hon. Edmund, Daniel, William, 
and Morgan English). About 1850 came Dennis Grein (father of Mrs. Eph- 
raim Lyle and Mrs. Emanuel J. Zonger), and Andrew Bridge to Clover town- 
ship, John Montgomery to Rose township, Patrick McTaffe, John Coyle, Jacob 

1 By Rev. C. Wienker. 
31 



294 History of Jefferson County. 

Schriever, Bernard Klein, R. J. Baxter, Jacob Mineweaser, Andrew Loch, 
Ferdinand Wanner (later his brother John), Henry Heber, John (VVollen) 
Snyder, John Voinchet, Leonard Singer, Zitzelsperger, Beach, Arnold, Honadle 
and others. Some years previous had come a Belgian, Benedict Angels, 
who returned to Belgium in 1846 or 1847 and induced a number of his 
countrymen to seek a new home in and about Brookville. Among this num- 
ber were Peter D. Van Milders, Dominic De Smet, John Baptiste Levis, De 
Vilder and Sadler. Soon after came the greater part of a Belgian colony (be- 
tween 185 I and '59) who under an agent (of the Belgian government), De Ham, 
had tried to start in Elk county a Belgian colony. New Flanders. To these 
belonged Charles Van Overbeck, B. Verstine, Frederick Brooks, Charles Ver- 
beck, Jacob Osselaer, Doubles. Some time before this a few Catholics by 
name of Arons, Cypherts and Rentsels, besides Cuddy and Clark, had settled 
down in Union township ; old Mr. John Fiscus and his sons Paul and James, 
later William Bender, Andrew Rufner, Joseph and Abram' Greenwalt and John 
Zonger, and James Carroll in Eldred township. Almost all of these had 
moved up from the neighborhood of the so-called Redbank Church in Lime- 
stone township (at the present Crate P. O.), Clarion county. Besides the above 
a few men of Catholic parentage had settled in the remoter parts of this 
county. Such are the O'Haras on the Clarion River, a Feely above Rey- 
noldsville, James Murphy along the pike, Anthony McKinna and Cavanora in 
the Beechwoods, the Haney brothers near Punxsutawney, Jerry Topper, Smith 
(the father of Patrick Smith), Ouinton O'Kane, and others. Want of religious 
instruction, complete separation from Catholic society and Catholic clergy, 
besides other reasons which the last day shall reveal to the world, caused the 
faith to die out in almost all of these men or at least their children. Interest- 
ing is the fact that the father of the late Judge Taylor (Schneider) was of Cath- 
olic origin, as an old family heir-loom, an old German prayer-book most dis- 
tinctly Catholic, proves beyond doubt. The building up of Brookville and the 
county, and the construction of the Low Grade Railroad drew here quite a 
number of new Catholic families, so that at present there are belonging to the 
Brookville Catholic congregation a little over one hundred families, of whom at 
least three-fourths are practical Catholics. But after mentioning the pioneer 
Catholics of the county I must not forget the pioneer priests, who for the 
most part had left more comfortable homes and civilized countries to become 
the voice of "one crying in the wilderness." Brookville was for several j'ears 
only visited as a station by the priests of the older Catholic settlements in But- 
ler, Armstrong, and Clarion counties. The first priest who attended Brook- 
ville was Rev. John O'Neil, of Freeport, since 1832. The same, afterwards, 
when in trouble with his ecclesiastical superiors, bought a tract of land in Mill- 
stone Creek (on the Clarion River) and lumbered there, being still called 
" Priest O'Neil." Next came Rev. Father John Coady from Sugar Creek, But- 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 295 

ler county (four times a year) ; next Father Hoy, from Clarion, Father Andrew 
Skopez from Fryburg, Clarion county (looked particularly after the Germans 
at irregular visits from 1846), when he arrived at Fryburg till about i860; 
Father Slattery, from Clarion ; Father Dela Roque from Frenchtown, Crawford 
county ; and Father Berbigier, from Frenchville, Clearfield county (now both in 
Warren, Pa.). Ever since St. Mary's, Elk county, was started, the priests 
from there would occasionally come through Brookville and then minister to the 
spiritual wants of the Catholics. Particular mention deserves Father Alexander 
the Redemptionist, and the Benedictine Fathers: Rupert (Seidenbusch, now 
Bishop), Amandus, Celestine, Giles, also the Rt. Rev. Albot Wimmer, from 
St. Vincent's, mostly on their way between St. Vincent's and St. Mary's. In 
1841 Rt. Rev. Bishop Patrick Francis Kenrick, of Philadelphia, was in Brook- 
ville, accompanied by Dr. Michael O'Connor, afterwards Bishop of Pittsburgh. 
He delivered at that time in the old Brookville court-house a temperance lec- 
ture (most likely the first in the county), which was quite generally attended 
and admired. After that he walked all the way to the Redbank Church (four- 
teen miles), leaving the carriage to Dr. O'Connor and the Dougherty family. 
The first priest stationed here was Father Dean in 1847 ! ^^^ stayed but a short 
time, as he, coming from Boston, found people and town not congenial. After 
him Brookville was attended by Father Slattery, from Clarion county, till 
185 I. After that by Rev. Thomas Ledewith who resided in Corsica and partly 
in Redbank, Clarion county. He had gathered the above-named Catholics of 
Union and Clover townships into the nucleus of a small congregation at Cor- 
sica, and also commenced to organize a congregation in Brookville. In the 
summer of 1852 the corner-stone of the old church was laid on the lot given 
by John Dougherty (lot No. i, north of Water street); the same season the 
foundation walls were finished. The following year, 1853, the brick work was 
completed and the church and (unfinished) tower were put under roof The 
church was not dedicated until a raw, early summer day in 1854, and even 
then the church was unplastered, and boards and planks serving as temporary 
seats. But worse trouble was ahead ; the church was, for less than $300, sold 
September, 1855, on a mechanic's lien (of the bricklayer), and bought in by 
Dougherty and Gallagher, who held the deed till reimbursed by the congrega- 
tion. The church was plastered and seated about 1856. Up till 1853 serv- 
ices were always held in private houses, generally at the residence of John 
Dougherty, sometimes at the houses of Edmund English, of Andrew Loch, 
and Jacob Hoffman. 

In 185s and 1S56, the same Father Ledewith built at Corsica St. Ann's 
Academy, a good sized two- story brick building with basement, one room 
to serve as chapel for the Catholics around Corsica, the rest as boarding- 
school for young ladies. It was given in charge to the Sisters of St. Joseph 
from Erie, and under the careful management of Mother Agnes, for a while 



296 History fo Jefferson County. 

bid fairly to succeed ; but the distance from a sufficient number of well-to-do 
Catholic families, and from the highways of travel, besides the strong dis- 
like and opposition of the following pastor (Father MoUinger), to both the 
place and the sisters, compelled Bishop Young, of Erie, to allow the sisters to 
abandon the place early in the sixties, and the building, now nearly past 
repairing because of crumbling away of the foundation walls, has since only 
served as chapel for the neighboring Catholics. Father Ledewith had consid- 
erable trouble with the very mixed Catholic congregation of Brookville, con- 
sisting, as it did, of Irishmen, Americans, Germans, and Belgians. Likely in 
1858 Father Suibert G. Mollinger came here as Father Ledewith's assistant, 
and soon after succeeded him as pastor (at least as early as June, 1S59). He 
was very zealous, pushing and energetic, and on the whole quite well liked, and 
quite successful. He took up his home in Brookville in the present Farley 
house, then George McLaughlin's, northeast corner of Water and Barnett 
streets. He remained in Brookville, attending from there Corsica, Redbank, 
Sligo Furnace, and in general the southeastern part of Clarion, besides the 
whole of Jefferson county. A disagreement with his bishop (Rt. Rev. Joshua 
M. Young, of Erie), chiefly about St. Ann's Academy at Corsica, caused him 
to leave Brookville and the diocese of Erie. He was received into the Pitts- 
burgh diocese where he has for years been famous as Father Mollinger of Troy 
Hill. A sad time of confusion and misunderstanding between priests and peo- 
ple, not free from scandals above and below, followed for the Brookville Cath- 
olic congregation. The names of the priests who in rapid succession had 
charge of Brookville were : Father John (J. J. Zanitowsky, January and Feb- 
ruary 1866), Father Lemagie (till September, 1866), Fathers Snively, Schnei- 
der, Daley and Lamarque (186S — Aug. 1869). Of these Father Snively (a 
well-meaning priest and sincere convert to the church, but endowed with more 
knowledge of books than of the world), encouraged and partly completed the 
little (40 by 30) frame church of St. Dominic, called " Fiscus," a mile south of 
Sigel post-office, near the Olean road, for the Catholics of Eldred township. 
Father Snyder had a basement built to the old church, in the rooms of which 
he intended and for a while tried to live ; in his time also the gallery was put 
into the old church. Though Brookville had so many pastors at that period, 
yet there was several times an interregnum, when Father Koch, from Vogel- 
bachers (Lucinda P. O., Clarion county), attended to the spiritual wants of the 
Brookville Catholics. On the 3d of September, 1869, Father Wienker ^ (then 
only a little over twenty-three years of age), arrived in Brookville as assistant 
to Father Stumpe, who, however, came only six weeks later himself Said 
Father Wienker was then but a few daj-s over five months in the country, 
spoke hardly any English, and knew but little of the country, its ways and laws. 

iThis full baptismal name is Hermann Clement Wienker ; is found as such in official lists and doc- 
uments, though he generally simply signs himself C. Wienker. yi'j,, , , ,. „ 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 297 

When Father Stumpe came, about the middle of October, 1869, he soon be- 
came very popular among all classes. A house (the old Corley house, above 
Kirkman's brick house on the Corsica pike) was rented, and quite nicely fur- 
nished by the congregation. Everything seemed to move along very happily 
for a while until Father Stumpe, used to city life and ways, grew quite tired of 
the place ; then still thirty-two miles from the next railroad station, and in 
September, 1870, he left the congregation and the diocese of Erie, about a year 
later. Father Wienker who in the mean time had learnt considerable about 
the English language and the Brookville people was, though afraid of and 
averse to the charge, made to stay in Brookville as pastor of Jefferson county, 
(including besides Brookville, Corsica, and Fiscus), and of the Redbank (Clar- 
ion county) Church of St. Nicholas Tolentino. 

The building of the Low Grade Railroad in 1871 brought so many Catholic 
railroad men into his district and charge that the same had to be divided. 
Father McGivney taking in August, 1871, charge of Redbank, Corsica, and 
New Bethlehem (also until then attended from Brookville.) In 1871 the build- 
ing of a new church in Brookville was considered and fully determined upon. 
After some dispute whether to build on the Gallagher (McFarland) lots north- 
west corner of Water and Barnett streets, offered at $4,500, and one or two 
acres on the brow of the hill south of Redbank Creek, (where the church is 
now situated, offered them at $1,250 or $2,500 respectively), it was with a 
small majority — including however most of the oldest, most substantial mem- 
bers — decided to buy the first-named property, which accordingly was done, 
and the house on these lots served as pastoral residence from April 1, 1872, 
to April I, 1874. But when B. Verstine — who with C. Endres, late with S. S. 
Jackson, owned a number of acres of said land, south of the Creek — saw that 
the Catholics would not pay for a site for the church on his land, he offered an 
acre and two hundred and sixty dollars towards the new church, if it would be 
built on the south side, on any of the land he had the year previous laid out in 
town lots. The people then reconsidered their action of the previous year, 
and in the spring of 1872 after two meetings a (week apart, and each announced 
the Sunday previous from the altar, so as not to proceed too rashly), and voted 
anew on the church site. At this time forty-two voted for an acre on the 
south side, and seven for retaining the two lots (i 16 by 150) on Water street. 
Thus the decision of 187 1 was overruled and set aside by an overwhelming 
majority, to the great discomfiture and displeasure of several of the oldest, the 
most respectable and substantial members of the congregation. That very 
year, July the 21st, 1872, the corner-stone of the new church was laid by Rt. 
Rev. Tobias Mullen, who had succeeded Bishop Young as bishop of Erie in 
1868. The plan of the new church, then contemplated and fully approved of 
by the building committee, (R. J. Baxter, Bernard Klein, and Jacob Minne- 
weaser), was drawn by a Catholic man, then the most prominent builder and 



298 History of Jefferson County. 

contractor in Brookville, Coleman R. O'Loughlin, (died June, 1884.) The size 
was to be sixty feet wide, one hundred and twenty feet long, tower thirty feet 
square. Father Wienker, pretty much on his own responsibility, afterwards 
engaged plans to be drawn by P. C. Keely, of Brooklyn. N. Y., and ordered 
him to cut the size down to 100 by 50 inside, the present dimensions. The 
corner-stone was laid July 21, 1872. 

In 1872-73-74 a brickyard on John H. Crate's farm was run in the interest 
of the congregation (making over 1,000,000, selling about 500,000 bricks), 
and stone and other materials were prepared, money was gathered to pay the 
balance due on the above Gallagher property. Very happily, just at the very 
eve of the great panic of 1S73, said property was sold again at cost ($4,500) ; 
the same property has changed hands since at $1,650. Wliat at the time 
seemed a great drawback — so much money tied up in a property which was no 
longer wanted proved a great blessing — and likely saved pastor and people 
from financial ruin. For the money was unavailable during the years of infla- 
tion and exorbitant prices before the panic — it became again available and was 
used to best advantage during the low prices of a severe panic. Had the 
money not thus been tied up, the panic would most likely have found a more 
expensive church completed, but covered with a heavy debt, which, however 
apparently safe in Brookville's prosperous days, would have meant bankruptcy 
during the long and terrible panic commencing 1873. In January, 1874, a 
new priest's house was commenced on the hill (the cottage since September, 
1882, occupied by the sisters), and was ready to move into, though not quite 
completed, by April i, 1874. In the fall of 1884 the foundation was laid of 
the two-story brick school-house and in the summer of 1875 the same was 
completed. In September, 1873, the contract for the stone-work of the new 
church was let to NoUen and Schultze and they worked at it until the autumn 
of 1875, when it was completed. All the window and door-frames for the new 
church had been made in 1874, by Michael Kilroy, of Union City, Pa. In the 
spring of 1876, the contract of the brickwork was given to Patrick P. Donnelly, 
of Erie, and was finished (except nineteen feet of brickwork of tower, still un- 
finished 1887) in September, 1876. On the Centennial first of July, 1876, a 
terrible hurricane swept over Brookville, and blew down almost the whole west 
side wall of the main building, which had just been completed a few days pre- 
vious, involving an extra cost of at least $500. P. S. Crate had the contract 
of the carpenter work and finished his work that same autumn. In September, 
1877, the plastering was commenced (contract given to John G. Cougher, of 
Sligo, Pa.), and on the 8th of December, 1877, for the first time mass was said 
in the new church ; the main portion of the building being free of scaffolding 
and fully showing for the first time the handiwork of J. J. Hoffman, son of the 
above Jacob Hoffman, who had the contract of frescoing the church. Early 
the next year John W. Osborne, of Clarion county, had finished his contract of 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 299 

the pews, and February 24, 1878, saw the large and beautiful Gothic building 
solemnly dedicated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Tobias Mullen, assisted by twelve 
priests, among them the above Fathers Skopez and Koch. The old brick 
church on Water street, unsafe with its cracked and leaning walls, had been 
torn down in August, 1876, and part of its brick are still easily discernible in 
the upper part of the new tower. The school-house, with the rear recess closed 
by two large sliding blackboards, serving as sanctuary, was used as a place 
of worship from August, 1876, until December, 1877. When the church was 
completed a debt of fully $4,000 rested on the congregation for all these build- 
ings, costing as they did all of $15,000. To save the people all unnecessary 
expenses, and to lighten their burden, Father Wienker commenced in the fall 
of 1S77 to teach school himself without any extra charge to the congregation, 
and continued this severe, difficult, and trying task, besides his pastoral duties, 
for full five years. A Catholic school had been commenced toward the close 
of 1869, by Father Stumpe, Alphonse Roehner, from Buffalo, N. Y., teaching 
in the basement of the old church until July, 1870. After six months inter- 
mission it was reopened by Father Wienker in the spring of 1871, with Lucy 
Hoffman, daughter of Jacob Hoftman, as teacher. She was succeeded during 
the ne.xt scholastic year by Anna Gildea, from Pittsburgh; John Senger, from 
Erie ; and Sarah Gilfoyle (now Mrs. John Brennan, of Reynoldsville) ; the last 
from early summer of 1872, until June, 1874. Her successor from September, 
1874, until June, 1877, was Sylvester J. Burgoon, since then for two terms 
register and recorder of Clarion county. In the winter session of 1875-76 the 
school was graded. Father Wienker taking the higher classes. The school, in 
which particularly at the beginning and at most times ever since, some German 
was taught, was pretty generally attended by the Catholic children living 
within reasonable reach. They there received a fairer instruction in their 
religious belief and duties than most of their parents, and were thus better ena- 
bled to appreciate and practice the faith and morals of their church for their 
own good and that of society in general. Besides this they received a very 
fair secular education, as the number of young men now holding positions that 
require skill and scholarship, who were in no other common school, prove to 
the satisfaction of all unprejudiced people. 

In the mean time Corsica had been attended by the succeeding pastors of 
the Redbank Church (now Crate P. O.), ever since August, 1871, except from 
the spring of 1872 till the spring of 1874, when it again was attached to Brook- 
ville; at first by Rev. Bernard McGivney, up to October, 1875, when the new 
frame church of Reynoldsville, until then attended from Brookville, was dedi- 
cated, and besides the new Bethlehem Church given into his charge ; he resid- 
ing for about six months witli Father Wienker in Brookville, and then moving 
to New Bethlehem in the spring of 1876 where he has remained ever since. 
He was as pastor of Redbank and Corsica succeeded in 1875 by Father Patrick 



300 History of Jefferson County. 

Cosgrove, he by Father Michael Flood in October, 1877, and he by the zeal- 
ous, efficient, and well-liked Father J. P. McCloskey, October, 1S80, the pres- 
ent pastor of those churches. In Reynoldsville, where Father Wienkcr had 
said the first mass in the spring of 1871, Father McGivney was succeeded by 
his cousin. Rev. Father Terence Brady, (in 1880) who since then has built a 
very handsome 38 by 80 skeleton brick church on Main street, and in general 
has proven himself a very successful pastor. Right here we will mention Rev. 
Father James Brennan, who from early summer 1872, until the spring of 1874, 
as assistant relieved Father Wienker of a good part of the labors of his charge, 
which then included besides Fiscus, Corsica, and the growing congregation of 
Reynoldsville. Punxsutawney, a station on Pine Run (near Ringgold, since 
then abandoned) and the attendance of the very many Catholic railroad hands, 
working along the Low Grade Railroad, which was built in the years 1872-73. 
The same Father Brennan endeared himself to many Brookville people, par- 
ticularly the Irish element, who were sorry, when the stringency of the times, 
and the completion of the railroad no longer warranted his labor and support 
in Brookville, and he was transferred as pastor at first to Driftwood, and later 
to Du Bois, where he still resides as popular pastor of a large congregation. 
(He is, by the way, one of the very few Catholic priests that ever, without any 
solicitation or expectation on his part, was elected justice of the peace by his 
principally Protestant fellow-citizens while residing in Driftwood, Cameron 
county Pa.) 

About 1 88 1 the small number of Catholics at Punxsutawney commenced 
to grow by the building of the Rochester and Pittsburgh, now Buftalo, Roch- 
ester and Pittsburgh railroad. In this place, where the older inhabitants had 
the most absurd ideas of the Catholic Church, religion and priests, a prominent 
citizen of Clayville, Mr. J. U. Gillespie, (since then in 1876 elected a member 
of the Pennsylvania Legislature), had, principally by reading the oral discus- 
sion between Archbishop Hughes and Breckinridge, (of the Presbyterian de- 
nomination) become fully convinced of the truth of the Catholic Church. He 
then had himself by a Catholic bookseller — George Quigley — for the first 
time in his life — introduced to a priest — at the Pittsburgh Cathedral, and in 
that place after due instruction was received into the Catholic Church about 
the close of the inter-state war. When on his return home the fact became 
known to his family and the neighboring community, it not only surprised, it 
alarmed and even shocked many of them. But his religious convictions, 
though up till 1870 only at his occasional visits to Indiana or Pittsburgh, en- 
couraged by the sight of either a Catholic priest or church, remained unshaken, 
and were even strong enough to cause his brother and partner in business, 
William E. Gillespie, to join the same church but a few years later. In the 
house of the latter the first mass was said, by Father Wienker, accompanied 
by Father Stumpe, when in 1S70, the cherry trees were in blossom. Ever 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 301 

after that the same Father Wienker said mass once a month on a week-day in 
Punxsutawney. At first in the house of William E. Gillespie, then in a little 
building attached to an old store building, across from the Clayville foundrj' ; 
later in a room above Gillespie and Parsons' store, and since the spring of 1883 
in the hall above the store building of G. VV. Porter, (west of the Clayville 
foundry) until March 13, 1S87, when for the first time mass was said in the 
new Calliolic Church near the Clayville depot. 

An event of some importance was the funeral of William E. Gillespie, on a 
Sunday afternoon in the May of 1873, when a very large multitude of Protest- 
ants for the first time heard a Catholic priest, vested in the garments of his 
office, perform the Catholic funeral rites, and preach a funeral sermon. This 
congregation of Punxsutawney in 1882 had become so swelled by the influx 
of railroad men (principally Hungarians) and miners who commenced their 
operations at Walston, that Father Wienker had to give up the Catholic school 
at Brookville, giving it in charge of the Sisters of Mercy, (from Titusvillc, Pa.), 
and to devote much of his attention to the interests of the future Catholic con- 
gregation of that place. In order to do so he had to try to learn the Hunga- 
rian and Italian languages, and succeeded in this to such an extent as to par- 
tially make himself understood by them, and hear their confessions in their 
native tongue. May the i8th, 1885, the present church lots north of Main 
street, on the small rise northwest of B. R. and P. depot at Clayville, was 
bought, after a majority of the people in a meeting at their regular church, 
Sunday, May 10, 1885, had selected that place. The foundation was laid in 
the summer and autumn of 1885 by two Scotchmen, Stotthard and Hoggan, 
and soon after the general strikes of the spring of 1886 had been settled, the 
contract of the brickwork was given to C. C. Van Riper, of Punxsutawney ; that 
of the carpenter work to Hughes and Spencer, of Clayville. August 26, at six 
o'clock in the morning, Father Wienker blessed and laid the corner-stone. 
November, 1S86, saw the brickv.'ork, and December saw the outside carpenter 
work finished. The stained glass windows were put in before the close of the 
year, and in February, 1887, the church was plastered by John Winslow, of 
Punxsutawney. Immediately after P. S. Crate went to work on the pews, and 
J. J. Hoffman on the frescoing of the church. In April, 1887, the church will 
no doubt be completed — a solid, neat, complete building, erected in the Roman 
style, 40 by 724 feet in size, 29 feet high to the ceiling, spire 90 feet high — 
costing little, if any, over $4,000. Before the end of this year, 1S87, Punxsu- 
tawney will, no doubt, have her own resident pastor. 

Now let us return to Brookville. The intention in 1882 was to have the 
Sisters of Mercy then coming from Titusville to take charge of the schools, 
reside in the little cottage house east of tlie church lots. But just at that junc- 
ture J. R. Burgoon, offered and paid $800 for said property, though it had 
been offered at $600 for years without finding a purchaser. (Father Wienker 

35 



302 History of Jefferson County. 

had bought the so-called Proctor lots at (K. L. Blood's) Sherift"'s sale (in 1885) 
to secure a direct eastern connection with South Pickering street — had built 
the house referred to principally out of scaffolding and materials left over from 
the old and new church ; he sold the lower part to J. J. Nyland, the upper to 
J. R. Burgoon, turning the money realized — besides a sixteen foot alley at 
^450 — over to the church treasury). This sale compelled Father Wienker to 
turn the parochial residence, built in 1874, over to the Sisters, and to rent a 
couple of rooms — at Mrs. Thomas Gooder's — where he lived, boarding at the 
American House until such time as a new house could be built. The founda- 
tion for this house was built at once, during the autumn of 1882, on the acre 
of land situate in front of the church lots, bought of S. S. Jackson early in 
1 88 1, by M. Allgeier, B. Klein, and Mrs. Sarah Shannon, with the agreement 
that the congregation should have ten years time to buy the ground of them at 
cost and five per cent, interest. As hardly any brick were to be had and could 
not be manufactured till the following season, and the pastor was anxious to 
live again in his own house, a solid stone building was determined upon, and 
erected the following spring (1883) with such dispatch as to have it completed 
and ready to move into by the beginning of July, 1883. The corners and the 
segment arches over the windows and doors are built of brick, partly to create 
a pleasing contrast, a red trimming for the white main body of the pebble- 
dashed " or rough-cast walls," but principally to dispense with the too expen- 
sive cut-stone trimmings. The house 28 by 45 feet, two stories and basement, 
the upper story serving as a hall for exhibitions, society meetings, etc., cost 
about $2,600 — and was all built in days' work. Ever since July, 1883, Father 
Wienker has occupied this house, and from there attended the Fiscus and 
Punxsutawney congregations, besides Brookville. If he is not transferred to 
Punxsutawney (principally because of his acquaintance with the various lan- 
guages spoken in that very mixed congregation), he may for many years con- 
tinue to labor as pastor of Brookville, and may long before the close of this 
century see the spire of the new church completed, hear a beautiful chime of 
bells invite his people to their church, see not a cent of debt left on all the 
buildings and property, last, but not least, see a large and devout congrega- 
tion worshiping at the altar, and all their children raised up true Christians, 
true men and women in a regularly attended, effective Catholic school, taught 
by religious teachers. 

In conclusion a few words on the school, societies, and finances. The 
school has since the sisters took charge become more popular, has been more 
generally attended, and particularly since September, 1 886, more successful in 
teaching and training the children. At that time (Sept. 'S6), a more strict dis- 
cipline was adopted, also the plan of weekly school reports, which enabled and 
almost compelled parents to constantly watch the conduct and progress of 
their children. The schools were from 1S82 to 1884, in charge of Mother Ce- 



The Churches in Jefferson County. 303 

lestine ; since then in charge of Mother Austine, who besides superintending, 
assisted in teaching the schools. They were enabled to give in February and 
June, 1886, very interesting pubhc entertainments in the Parochial Hall, which 
were quite freely attended, and by the press as well as by the general public 
very highly appreciated. The Sister's salary ($400) is raised principally by a 
school-tax, levied by the pastor on all the people of the congregation accord- 
ing to their financial standing, regardless of the number of children they send. 
There are connected with the church three societies. The Married Ladies 
Rosary and Altar Society, who receive the sacraments (many monthly), and 
meet in the afternoon of the third Sunday ; the Young Ladies' Sodality of Im- 
maculate Conception, who approach (most of them monthly) the sacraments, 
and meet on the afternoon of the first Sunday of every month at a conference 
in the church ; while the St. Joseph's Beneficial Society, Branch 494, of the Irish 
Catholic Benevolent Union (I. C. B. U.) of the United States, approach the 
sacraments at least four times a year, many monthly, and meet in the Hall of 
the parochial residence on the fourth Sunday of each month. The St. Joseph's 
Society has a circulating library containing two hundred and four volumes for 
its own use and that of the congregation in general. It has at present a mem- 
bership of thirty-one men, partly married, partly single. Some of its members 
formed last year a St. Joseph's Dramatic Association, which performed several 
farces in a very creditable manner, together with the above mentioned children's 
entertainments. The whole of the buildings, church, school-house, sisters' house, 
and the new parochial residence with all equipments such as fourteen stations 
of the Cross, oil paintings just bought at $325, furnaces bought December, 
1878, at over $700, etc., cost by careful management less than $20,000. Ex- 
cept about $2,000 collected in the Brookville district, on the Low Grade during 
its construction, possibly $300 to $500, at two picnics in 1876 and at four fairs 
(in 1875-76-77-79) contributed by Protestants, about $100 collected in St. 
Mary's, the whole amount was raised by collections, pew-rents, and regular 
ordinary receipts within the congregation itself, which all that time supported 
a Catholic school, besides supporting, however aided by the outside stations, 
the residing pastor. No outside financial help was sought or received ; nor 
even has till now (March '87), the congregation received any testamentary be- 
quests. Brookville has at present over 100 Catholic families, Fiscus fully 20, 
Punxsutawney about 40 Irish, 10 German and American born Catholic fami- 
lies, besides fully 250 Hungarian, and 125 Itahan laborers, almost all of whom 
believe in the Catholic Church. 



304 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER XXin. 
BANKING INSTITUTIONS. 

The First National Bank of Brookville — The Brookvihe Bank — Banking House of WiUiam 

F. Clark & Son— The Jefferson County National Bank— Bank of I. C. Fuller— The National 
Bank of Brookville — Mahoning Bank at Punxsutawney — The First National Bank of Punxsu- 
tawney — Capital, Officers and Directors of the different Banking Institutions of the County. 

The First National Bank of Brookville. 

THE First National Bank of Brookville was organized February 14, 1865, 
with Philip Taylor president, and Richard Arthurs cashier, and the fol- 
lowing stockholders: C. B. Clark, C. Rodgers, John Yeaney, Ira C. Fuller, I. 

G. Gordon, A. L. Gordon, Joseph B. Henderson, H. R. Fullerton, Henry 
Keys. 

This bank had a large capital, and for nine years conducted a very large 
business, and realized very good dividends. 

When the bank went into voluntary liquidation March 26, 1874, J. E. Long 
was president, and Richard Arthurs cashier. 

The Brookville Bank. 

The Brookville Bank opened its books for business May 28, 1866, with a 
capital of $100,000. The ofificers were, president, William Bigler, of Clear- 
field ; cashier, John S. King, of Brookville. Directors, George R. Barrett, 
William Bigler, A. C. Finney, Clearfield ; Isaac G. Gordon, R. R. Means, H. 
R. Fullerton, J. M. Steck. C. D. Evans, John S. King, Brookville. Stockhold- 
ers, J. S. King, J. M. Steck, R. R. Means, I. G. Gordon, H. R. Fullerton, E- 
H. Darrah. In January, 1867, the stockholders were, J. S. King, J. M. Steck, 
H. R. Fullerton, S. H. Holliday, Bernard Verstine, G. R. Barrett, Hugh Dow- 
ling, David Keck, William Erdice, R. R. Means, H. Brown, 1 John Gatz. 1 
In 1867 Hon. G. R. Barrett was elected president, and was succeeded by John 
M. Steck. Captain Steck was president, and John S. King cashier, when the 
bank closed out its business in October, 1S74. During the eight years that 
this bank was open it done a very large business, and was a great accommo- 
dation to the people of the county. 

Banking House of William F. Clark & Son. 

In November, 1869, W'illiam F. Clark, one of the oldest and best known 
business men of Brookville, opened a private banking house in connection 
with his son, Norman F. Clark, under the firm name of William F. Clark & 
Son. Mr. Clark about this time built a fine commodious bank building adjoin- 

1 Dropped out in 1S72. 



Banking Institutions. 305 

ing his residence on Main street, which was elegantly fitted up with everything 
necessary to complete a well appointed banking house. This was one of the 
most popular financial institutions that Brookville has ever had, and carried 
large deposits ; and when it was discontinued in July, 1879, the depositors were 
paid in full. The closing of the bank was due to the failing health of the junior 
member of the firm, Mr. Norman F. Clark, who died the ensuing spring. 

Jefferson County National Bank, Brookville, Pa. 

Organized July 27, 1878. Original stockholders, T. K. Litch, Paul Dar- 
ling, J. B. Henderson, Harry C. Litch, Thomas W. Litch ; and these consti- 
tuted the board of directors: Thomas K. Litch, president; Paul Darling, vice- 
president ; J. B. Henderson, cashier. The bank of R. Arthurs suspended in the 
month of August following, and W. F. Clark and Son retired during the year. 
This bank was from that time until the opening of the private bank of I. C. 
Fuller, the only bank in Brookville. The same board of directors was re- 
elected annually until the death of Paul Darling, which occurred November 4, 
1 88 1. An extended biography of Paul Darling appears elsewhere in this 
work, and an account of his remarkable and charitable will. The minutes of 
the bank of which he was an officer, record a resolution by the surviving direc- 
tors, adopted November 8, 1881. 

"Whereas, Death has removed our late friend and vice-president, Paul 
Darling, Esq. 

"Resolved, 1st. That we give this official and collective evidence of the 
sorrow that we all individually feel, and of the great loss we have sustained in 
the sad event. 

" 2d. That as those who have known him long and well, and intimately, 
we testify, that he was a true, steadfast, sympathetic and sincere friend, a man 
of integrity, kind, upright, just, worthy and amiable, a trusty and efficient offi- 
cer, and in all relations wise in counsel, and excellent in judgment. 

" 3d. That the sympathy exhibited by this entire community with him in 
his sickness, and their sorrow in his death, he has well-merited, as they so 
kindly and feelingly have expressed. 

" 4th. That these resolutions be made known to his friends, and that they 
be published in the Brookville and Smethport (McKean Co.) papers, and be 
entered upon the minutes of the bank." 

The minutes of the bank also record the following statement of the fact of 
his death : 

" On Friday evening November i, 1881, Paul Darling reached the end of 
his earthly career, passing quietly away, closing his eyes peacefully, no more 
to look upon the friends and associates of this life." 

By his will Paul Darling bequeathed his stock in the bank to W. H. Gray 
and Mary Gray, this being first change in stock. Mary Gray assigned to W. 



3o6 History of Jefferson County. 

H. Gray, January 2, 1882. Edward A. Litch became a stockholder in the 
bank by purchase from his father. 

Mr. John Butler served as clerk in the bank during the illness of Paul Dar- 
ling, and after his death for a short time. On January 10, 1882, by resolution 
of the bank George T. Rodgers was chosen clerk, and entered upon his duties 
on February i, 1882. A life-sized picture of Darling was orderd by resolu- 
tion of January 10, 1S82. Same day E. A. Litch was elected a member of the 
board of directors. Thomas K. Litch, president, died August 14, 1882. 

The minutes of the bank record the following resolution : 

"Brookvii.le, Pa., August 17, 18S2. 

" At a meeting of the board of directors of this bank, held this day, the fol- 
lowing preamble and resolutions were adopted : 

" Whereas, Thomas K. Litch, Esq., our late president has been removed 
by death ; therefore be it 

" Resolved, That we give this testimony of the sorrow we all feel in the 
loss of so worthy and estimable a member of our board. 

" Resolved, That in all our business relations with him we have found him 
to be a man of integrity, honest and just, conservative in counsel, a kind and 
true friend, whose loss was sincerely deplored. 

"Resolved, That we tender our heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved fam- 
ily in their affliction. 

" Resolved, That this preamble and resolution be entered upon the min- 
utes of the bank, and published in the county papers. 

J. B. Henderson, ? r^- .. 
■" > Directors. 

W. H. Gray, ) 

August 25, 1882, Thomas W. Litch was elected a member of the board of 
directors to fill the vacancy occasioned by his father's death, and the same day 
W. H. Gray was elected vice-president, and George T. Rodgers, assistant- 
cashier. January 9, 1S83, Mrs. R. M. Litch was elected member of the board, 
vice T. W. Litch; J. B. Henderson was promoted to the presidency; W. H. 
Gray was re-elected vice-president ; Edward A. Litch was chosen cashier, vice 
J. B. Henderson, promoted; and George T. Rodgers was re-elected assistant- 
cashier. July 3, 1883, George T. Rodgers became a stockholder in the bank 
by purchase from W. H. Gray, and January, 1884, he was made a member of 
the board of directors, vice Mrs. R. M. Litch, and at a meeting of the board 
was chosen cashier. J. B. Henderson was re-elected president, and W. H. 
Gray vice-president. The office of assistant-cashier was not refilled, and the 
board of directors and officers has since that time been unchanged. 

In the summer of 1 881, three years after its organization, the bank had 
deposits amounting to $615,000, and two years later its deposits were over 
$660,000, being about four times as much as had ever been controlled by any 
bank in Brookville. The bank invested its entire capital in government 4's at 



Banking Institutions. 



30; 



par, and afterwards bought $46,950 of same bonds, most of them at par, all of 
which it now holds. It has held at times nearly $50,000 dollars in county and 
municipal bonds also. 

Banking House of Ira C. Fuller. 

January I, 1 88 1, Ira C. Fuller opened a bank in the bank building formerly 
occupied by the bank of William F. Clark & Son. He did business in this 
building for about two years, then moved into the room now occupied by the 
National Bank of Brookville, in the American House building. November i, 
18S3, the bank was made a national institution under the name of " National 
Bank of Brookville." 

National Bank of Brookville. 

The National Bank of Brookville was organized August 25, 1883, with cap- 
ital stock of $50,000, with the following officers: Ira C. Fuller, president; W. 
D. J. Marlin, vice-president; B. M. Marlin, cashier. Board of directors: Ira 
C. Fuller, W. D. J. Marlin, William F. Wanner, Joseph Darr, F. X. Kreitler, 
Brookville; John Yeaney, Shannondale; N. Taylor, Corsica. The books of the 
bank were opened for business November i, 1883, in the banking- room in the 
"American House" lately occupied by the "Ira C. Fuller Bank," where the 
bank still continues to hold forth. On November 3, 1885, E. H. Darrah was 
elected a director and also president to fill the vacancy caused by the res- 
ignation of Ira C. Fuller. At the regular meeting of the stockholders January 
12, 1886, Charles Corbet, esq., and C. Z. Gordon, esq., both of Brookville, 
were elected directors in place of W. F. Wanner and John Yeaney. The bank 
at present has a surplus fund of $4,200, and is doing a steadily increasing, and 
profitable business. 

Mahoning Bank of Funxsutawney. 

The Mahoning Bank opened its doors for business June 24, 1 870. The 
first meeting of the stockholders was held November 4, 1870, when the follow- 
ing officers were elected : President, Reuben C. Winslow, of Funxsutawney ; 
cashier, M. J. Dinsmore, of Funxsutawney ; directors, R. C. Winslow, W. A. 
Dunlap, W, E. Gillespie, Funxsutawney ; William M. Stewart, Harry White, 
Indiana; Dr. R. M. McChesney, Shelocta, Indiana county. The bnnk did a 
general banking business, passing through the panic of 1872-73 with credit to 
itself and satisfaction to its many patrons and customers, during that trying 
time. The bank continued doing business with some changes in officers, etc., 
until July 28, 1886, when negotiations were entered into by M. J. Dinsmore, 
with the balance of the original stockholders, for the purchase of the bank ; 
the arrangement for the purchase being consummated October 13, 1886, M. J. 
Dinsmore becoming owner of the entire stock, assets, fixtures, etc. On the 



3o8 History of Jefferson County. 

1 8th of December, Mr. Dinsmore disposed of the same to Dr. Joseph Shields, 
and retired from the business. The bank then passed into the hands of new 
parties, and was reorganized with the following officers : President, Dr. Joseph 
Shields ; vice-president, Dr. S. S. Hamilton ; cashier, Alonzo Pantall ; assist- 
ant-cashier, R. W. Dinsmore. Directors, Dr. Joseph Shields, T. Pantall, Dr. 
A. P. Cox, Dr. S. S. Hamilton, D. C. Mclntyre, S. T. North, William G. Lewis. 
The Mahoning Bank is one of the solid banking institutions of the countj', and 
is doing a good business. 

The First Nation.\l Bank of Punxsuta\vney 

Was organized August 7, 1883, with a capital stock of $50,000, with the fol- 
lowing officers : President, R. C. Winslow ; vice-president, T. Pantall ; cashier, 
James H. Maize. Board of directors, R. C. Winslow, Punxsutawney ; T. 
Pantall, Young township ; John R. Pantall, Oliveburg ; J. B. Henderson, 
Brookville ; Charles Corbet, Brookville. The books of the bank were opened 
for business on October 8, 18S3, in the east' room of Winslow and Calder- 
wood's law office on West Mahoning street, where it continued to do busi- 
ness until about the first of October, 18S4, when it was removed to a commo- 
dious building especially erected for its occupancy, near the centre of the town, 
by Jacob Zeitler, esq. The great conflagration that visited Punxsutawney on 
the morning of October 9, 1886, laid the handsome building of the First Na- 
tional Bank in ruins ; but with the exception of the loss of its counters and fur- 
niture, the bank lost comparatively nothing, everything in vault and safe being 
intact when opened, A few days later the bank resumed business in a build- 
ing adjoining their old location, and ten days after the fire Jacob Zeitler, the 
owner of the former bank building, had contracted for the erection of a new 
building, which will be completed about April i, 1888, and again occupied by 
the First National Bank. The new structure will be almost a fac simile of the 
old one. No change occurred in the officers from its organization until Janu- 
ary, 1887, when John R. Pantall, esq., succeeded T. Pantall, esq., as vice- 
president, and Robert Calderwood, esq., was chosen a director in place of T. 
Pantall. Since its organization this bank has sustained a loss of two of its 
valued shareholders, in the persons of the late A. L. Gordon, and Isaac C. Jor- 
don. The bank at present has a surplus fund of $3,000, and is doing a stead- 
ily increasing and profitable business. 



Secret Societies. 309 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

SECRET SOCIETIES. 

The Masonic Order in Jefferson County — Hobah Lodge — John W. Jenks Lodtye— Jefferson 

Chapter — The Independent Order of Odd Fellow."! — Different Lodges in the Countv The 

Knights of Pythias — Different Organizations of the Order — Patriotic Sons of America The 

Patrons of Husbandry — The Granges in Jefferson County — Membership — Finances etc. 

Masonry in Jefferson County. ^ 

HOBAH LODGE No. 276 F. and A. M., located at Brookville Pa., was 
chartered by the R. W. G. Lodge of Pennsylvania, on the Sth day of 
September, A. D. 1853, A. L. 5853. Constituted by brother Robert E. Brown, 
specially appointed for that purpose on the 2d day of November, A. D. 1853. 
The officers were : James L. Gillis, W. M.; David S. Deering, S. W.; Evans 
R. Brady, J. W.; I. G. Gordon, Sec'y. The lodge room was in the upper story 
of the first American House. This building was burned down on the 23d day 
of May, 1856. There was a special meeting of the lodge held in the court- 
house to make arrangements for the funeral of Brother William McCandless 
on the 28th of May, 1856, this being the first Masonic funeral of the lodge. 

The stated meeting in June, 1856, was held in the building owned and oc- 
cupied by Louis Theil, situated on lot No. 30 on the south side of Main street, 
as was all the meetings of the lodge up to and including March 3, 1857. 

The stated meeting of March 10, 1857, and all meetings of the lodge up 
to January 28, 1S69, were held in the Evans building, located on lot No. 65, 
on the north side of Main street. 

On the 28th of January, 1869, the lodge moved into the Nicholson build- 
ing, situated on the south side of Main street on lot No. 32, the third story of 
which was owned by the Masonic Hall Association. This building was de- 
stroyed in the fire of November 20, 1874. A special meeting of the lodge 
was called and held in the Matson building on the same evening. 

The next meeting of the lodge was held December 3, 1874, in the hall, in 
the third story of the building of McKnight and Brother, situated on the east- 
ern half of lot No. 35, then occupied by the Independent Order of Red Men, 
at which time they purchased of the I. O. of R. M. their furniture, carpets, etc., 
leased the hall, and still occupy said hall. The charter members were, James 
L. Gillis, David S. Deering, Evans R. Brady, Henry P. Sullivan, T. H. Van 
Valzah, O. P. Reynolds, G. R. Barrett and Henry Raught. There are but two 
of the charter members now living to- wit : David S. Deering, who resides in 
Independence, Iowa, and Hon. George R. Barrett, who resides in Clearfield, Pa. 



1 Prepared by W. D. J. Marlin. 
36 



3IO History of Jefferson County. 

The officers of Hobah Lodge for 1887 are: W. M., E. Clark Hall ; S. W., 
Cyrus H. Blood ; J. W., John M. Van Vliet ; Sec'y, W. D. J. Marlin ; Treas., 
George W. Means. The entire membership of the lodge since its organiza- 
tion, 273; deceased, 35 ; resigned, 103; suspended, 39; expelled, 3; present 
membership, 93. 

The following compose those who have filled the different chairs since the 
organization of the lodge : Past-masters, James L. Gillis, 1853-54 ; Evans R. 
Brady, 1855-56; Pearl Roundy, 1857; John Henderson, 1858-59; Alexis 
L. Gordon, 1860-61; John Henderson, 1862; Alexis L. Gordon, 1863-64; 
William C. Evans, 1865; Alexis L. Gordon, 1866; Lewis A. Grunder, 1867; 
Madison M. Meredeth, 1868; James P. George, 1869; Wilson R. Ramsey, 
1870; James L. Brown, 1871 ; Robert R. Means, 1872; John McMurray, 
1873; James K. Hamilton, 1874; William A. Frank, 1875; Philip H. Shan- 
non, 1876; Williamson D.J. Marlin, 1877; James H. Maize, 1878; Charles 
Corbet, 1879; John J. Patterson, 1880; Solomon Kaufman, 1881 ; George W. 
Means, 1882; William B. Cowen, 1883; Abraham F. Balmer, 1884; Benja- 
min M. Marlin, 1885. Senior wardens, David S. Deering, 1853-54; David 
Maclay, 1855; Oliver P. Reynolds, 1856; John Henderson, 1857; James P. 
George, 1858; John Henderson, 1859 ; Orlando Gray, i860; James P. George, 
1861 ; William C. Evans, 1862; Augustus R. Marlin, 1863 ; Isaac G. Gordon, 
1864; Madison M. Meredith, 1865; Lewis A. Grunder, 1866; Madison M. 
Meredith, 1867; James P. George, 1868; Irvin McFarland, 1869; James L. 
Brown, 1870; Robert R. Means, 1871 ; John McMurray, 1872; James K. 
Hamilton, 1873; William A. Frank, 1874; Philip H. Shannon, 1875; Will- 
iamson D.J. Marlin, 1876; James H. Maize, 1877; Charles Corbet, 1878; 
John J. Patterson, 1879; James P. George, 1880; George W. Means, 1881 ; 
William B. Cowan, 1882; Abraham F. Balmer, 1883; Benjamin M. Marlin, 
1884. Junior wardens, Evans R. Brady, 1853-54; Thomas H. Van Valzah, 
1855; Pearl Roundy, 1856; Hugh Brady, 1857; Orlando Gray, 1858; Au- 
gustus R. Marlin, 1859; James P. George, i860; Reed B. Brown, 1861 
James C. Rankin, 1862; Morrow B. Lowry, 1863; William P. Jenks, 1864 
Solomon Kaufman, 1865; Edward Scofield, 1866; William H. Gray, 1867 
George A. Jenks, 1868; Wilson R. Ramsey, 1869; Robert R. Means, 1870 
James H. Maize, 1871 ; James K. Hamilton, 1872; Philip H. Shannon, 1S73 
William A. Frank, 1S74; Williamson D. J. Marlin, 1875 ; James H. Maize 
1876; Solomon Kaufman, 1877; John J. Patterson, 1878; David Eason, 1879 
Thomas H. Means, 1880; William B. Cowan, 1881 ; John J. Patterson, 18S2 
Benjamin M. Marlin, 1883; F"rank X. Kreitler, 1884. Treasurers, Isaac G 
Gordon, 1853-55 ; William McCandlass, 1856; Louis Thiel, 1857; Robert R 
Means, 1858-59; Christopher Fogle, 1860-70; Madison M. Meredith, 1871- 
74; Robert R. Means, 1875-77; Thomas H. Means, 1878; Solomon Kauf- 
man, 1879; Frank X. Kreitler, 1880-83 ! George W. Means, 1884. Secreta- 



Secret Societies. 3 1 1 



ries, Isaac G. Gordon, 1853 ; Alexis L. Gordon, 1854; William McCandless, 
1855; James McCahon, 1856; Wakefield W. Corbet, 1857-58; Evans R. 
Brady, 1859-61; John T. Reed, 1862-63; Morrow B. Lowry, 1864; Lewis A. 
Grander, 1865; William C. Evans, 1866; Joseph B. Henderson. 1867; E. 
Heath Clark, 1868; John McMurray, 1869-70; Williamson D. J. Marlin, 
1871-74; Samuel A. Craig, 1875-77; Williamson D J. Marlin, 1878-84. 

Jcjferson Chapter R. A. M. No. 225. — On the 5th day of August, A. D. 
1869, A. I. 2399, a warrant was granted by the Grand Holy Royal Arch 
Chapter of Pennsylvania, to Jefferson Chapter, No. 225, R. A. Masons to be 
held at Brookviile, Pa., the following being the charter members or officers 
thereof to- wit: Companions, Madison M. Meredith, M. E. H.; Philip H. 
Shannon, king ; James L. Brown, scribe. 

The chapter was constituted on the 7th day of October, A. D. 1869, A. I. 
2399, by District Deputy High Priest Companion Miles W. Sage, assisted by 
a number of Royal Arch Masons, in Masonic Hall, in the Nicholson building, 
south side of Main street, Brookviile, where the meetings of the chapter 
were held till after said hall was burned down, when they removed with 
Hobah Lodge No. 276, F. and A. M. to McKnight and Brothers building, 
opposite the court-house where they still hold their meetings. The first offi- 
cers of the chapter were Madison M. Meredith, H. |P.; Philip H. Shannon, 
king ; James L. Brown, scribe ; and George W. Andrews, treasurer ; and Rob- 
ert R. Means, secretary. 

Madison M. Meredith served as high priest for 1869-70 and 1876; Philip 
H. Shannon, 1871 ; James L. Brown, 1872 and 1877 ; James S. George, 1873 ; 
Wilson R. Ramsey, 1874 and 1S82 ; James K. Hamilton, 1875 and 1880 ; John 
J. Thompson, 1878 ; Nathan Carrier, 1879 ; Thomas L. Templeton, 1881 ; John 
N. Garrison, 1883; Alexis L. Gordon, 1S84; George W. Means, 1885; John 
J. Patterson, 1886. The treasurers were, George W. Andrews, 1869 and '70; 
Madison M. Meredith, 1872 and '75; Williamson D. J. Marlin, 1871; Robert R. 
Means, 1876-77; William H. Gray, 1878 ; Isaac F. Steiner, 1879-81; James K. 
Hamilton, 1882-86. The secretaries were, Robert R. Means, 1869-71 ; Will- 
iamson D. J. Marlin, 1872-86. There have been admitted, 59; died, 7 ; sus- 
pended, 5 ; resigned, 7 ; leaving 40 members. 

John W. Jenks Lodge No. 534, F. and A. M., is located at Punxsutawney, 
and meets in the I. O. of O. F. Hall on the first Tuesday evening of each 
month. This lodge was instituted March 9, 1875, by William B. Meredith, R. 
W. D. D. G. M. The following members were its officers for the first year: 
W. M., Thomas K. Hasting; S. W., Jacob Zeitler; J. W., James C. Shields; 
Sec'y, James A. Minish ; S. D., John Crawford; J. D., William J. Smith; 
Pur., George W. Porter ; S. M. C, William Ahman ; J. M. C, Andrew P. Cox ; 
Chaplain, James E. Mitchell; Tiler, Adam B. Hoch ; Treas., Joseph Shields. 

The following are the present officers: W. M., James A. Minish; S. W., 



312 History of Jefferson County. 

John W. Parsons; J. W,, John Davis; Treas., David P. Frampton ; Sec'y, 
R. M. Swisher; S. D., George W. Porter; J. D., Theophilus Pantall ; Pur., 
John B. Bair; S. M. C, Robert C. Robinson; J. M. C, Henry A. Ham; 
Chaplain, James E. Mitchell ; Tiler, John Crawford. Number of members 42. 

Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

Brookville Lodge No. 217, /. 0. of 0. F. — This lodge was instituted March 
16, 1847, with the following officers: Pearl Roundy, N. G.; David S. Deering, 
V. G., John Hastings, Sec'y ; J. S. McCuUough, Ass't Sec'y ; William Mc- 
Candless, Treas. There is no means of ascertaining the names of the other 
charter members, the lodge being burned out and surrendering its charter 
September 12, 1856, to A. J. Johnstone, D. D. G. M. 

The lodge was reorganized December 14, 1869, by D. D. G. M., A. Ru- 
dolph, of Jefferson county. The lodge started with a membership of nineteen, 
as follows : A. Craig, B. T. Hastings, W. W. Corbett, K. L. Blood, G. W. Mc- 
Kinley, D. G. Gourley, S. J. Fryer, J. D. McKinley, Edwin Snyder, J. C. Sho- 
bert, R. M. Matson, L. Schnell, George H. Kennedy, O. H. Brown, John M. 
Espy, J. E. Long, A. B. McClain, Abram Snyder, and William Davie. The 
following officers were installed at the reorganization : A. Craig, N. G.; B. T. 
Hastings, V. G.; W. Corbett, Sec'y ; K. L. Blood, Treas. 

There were admitted at the time of reorganization by initiation eleven 
members. Since the reorganization there have been admitted by initiation one 
hundred and seventy-eight, and by card fifty-three members. Of these some 
have died, others have been suspended, and many have withdrawn by card to 
join other lodges. There are now in membership one hundred and fifteen. 
This lodge has furnished charter members for many of the sister lodges in this 
and adjoining counties. Since the reorganization it has paid out for the relief 
of brothers, their widows and orphans, the sum of $2,670. The present assets 
of the lodge are $4,679.62. The officers for the ensuing term were installed 
April 4, 1887, by D. D. G. M., Peter B. Cowan, as follows: N. G., J. R. Heas- 
ley ; V. G., E. V. Richards ; Sec'y, J. W. Walker ; Ass't Sec'y, J. C. Snyder ; 
Treas., John S. Moore ; R. S., to N. G., T. A. Hendricks ; L. S., E. Snyder ; W., 
J. W. Cox; C, L. S. Edwards ; R. S. S., O. T. Stewart; L. S. S., J. C. McMan- 
nigal; Chaplain, William P. Steele ; O. G., A. Snyder ; I. G., James Vasbinder ; 
R. S. to V. G., W. H. Hoover; L. S., K. R. Hindman. Besides administering 
to the relief of her own members, Brookville Lodge No. 217, has frequently cast 
her mite for the relief of those who had no claim upon her treasury. This lodge 
was among the first to respond to the call of distress at the time of the Chi- 
cago fire, and the response was so liberal, that a part of it was returned to the 
lodge. 

Laurel Lodge No. 672, /. 0. of 0. F., was instituted at Punxsutawney, on 
the 27th day of July, 1869, by D. D. G. M., A. L. McClusky, assisted by sev- 



Secret Societies. 313 



eral of the P. G. of Palladium Lodge, No. 346 of Indiana. Six of the charter 
members were present, viz., J. M. Brewer, D. S. Altman, J. C. Green, J. P. 
Drum, H. Fackner and A. Rudolph. After the institution and organization 
there were four applicants for membership ; H. C. Campbell, D. R. Donnelly, 
J. R. North and B. Zigler, all of whom were, by dispensation, initiated in all 
the five degrees. The first officers of Laurel Lodge were, J. M. Brewer, N. G.; 
D. S. Altman, V. G.; J. C. Green, Sec'y ; J. P. Dunn, Ass't Sec'y ; H. Fack- 
ner, Treas.; D. R. Donnelly, S. W.; H. C. Campbell, Conductor ; J. K. North, 
O. G.; B. Zigler, I. G,; H. Ernst, R. S. to N. G.; H. Iserman, L. S. to N. G.; 
C. Spindler, R. S. to V. G. Since the institution of the lodge one hundred and 
seventy-seven members have been admitted. The lodge in 1887 has a mem- 
bership of 88 ; funds in treasurer's hands, $90.57; amount invested, $5,909.76 ; 
regalia and furniture, $831.70. Total assets of lodge, $6,842.03. 

Cicerone Lodge No. 897, /. O. of 0. F., was instituted at Brockwayville, on 
the 6th day of January, 1875, by Andrew Craig, of Brookville, beginning with 
sixteen members. The first officers elected were N. G., A. Thrush ; V. G., J. 

C. Moorhead ; Sec'y, R. O. Moorhead ; Treas., William G. Quigley. Num- 
ber of members since admitted, one hundred and twenty-eight ; members now 
in good standing, ninety-four; amount of receipts, $6,775. 10 ; amount of dis- 
bursements, $4,077.43 ; invested in real estate, etc., $3,650; in hands of treas- 
urer, $250. Present officers: N. G., A. R. Chapin ; V. G., T. S. Kline ; Sec'y, 
W. D. Clark ; Treas., James H. Groves. 

Dr. W. C. Niver, a member of this lodge, is believed to be the oldest in 
Odd Fellowship of any one in the county. This lodge has furnished many of 
the charter members for the lodges instituted at Ridgeway, Du Bois and 
Centerville. 

Snmmerville Lodge No. 793, /. 0. of 0. F., was instituted March 25, 1887, 
by District Deputy Grand Master P. B. Cowan, of Brookville, assisted by Past 
Grands, J. S. Moore, of Lodge 217; J. H. Groves, of Lodge 897; W. P. 
Steele, of Lodge 217 ; J. H. Monks, of Lodge 813 ; F. W. Space, of Lodge 
963 ; R. A. Summerville, of Lodge 813 ; F. P. Hummell, of Lodge 918 ; D. 

D. G. P., A. Craig, of Encampment No. 202 ; P. C. P., S. Kaufman, of En- 
campment No. 202 ; P. C. P., J. VV. Walker, of Encampment No. 202, and 
others from neighboring lodges. The following officers were elected and in- 
stalled : N. G., W. F. Flick ; V. G., D. Davis ; Sec'y, R. B. Vermilyea ; Asst. 
Sec'y, J. Fenstermaker ; Treas., J. C. Smith. Noble Grand's appointments: 
W., J. A. Haven ; C, J. K. Brown ; O. G., G. A. Garvin ; I. G., D. K. Moore ; 
Chap., J. J. Guthrie; R. S., H. C. Anderson ; L. S., J. Horner; R. S. S., J. 
C. Simpson ; L. S. S., J. K. Myers. Vice Grand's appointments : R. S., H. W. 
Carrier ; L. S., D. W. Smith. 

The new lodge starts out with a membership of forty-five, has an excellent 
hall nicely furnished, and is out of debt ; conditions that indicate a prosperous 
career. 



314 History of Jefferson County. 

Amor Lodge No. 608. /. 0. of O. F., was instituted at Marchand, Indiana 
county, and the charter granted September 2, 1867. The charter members 
were Hugh J. Brady, James W. Shields, A. J. Hamilton, J. M. Rifenberick, 
John M. Brown, S. S. Shaffer, S. C. Brown, S. W. Brewer, D. B. Brewer and 
James S. Crawford. The officers consisted of Hugh J. Brady, N. G.; James 
S Shields, V. G.; A. J. Hamilton, Sec'y ; Samuel C. Brown, Treas. From 
September 2, 1867, to August 12, 1879, there were two hundred initiations. 
Amor Lodge was the nucleus from which the lodges at Cherry Tree, Plum- 
ville, Smicksburg, Marion, Ringgold and Punxsutawney were organized. 

The charter was called in by the Grand Lodge in the latter part of 1879, 
and was, on the petition of J. G. Mitchell, S. S. Shaffer, John C. Neale, Sharp 
Neale, W. H. Heckendorn, John Frampton and others, re-issued November 13, 
18S4, with authority to locate the lodge at Perrysville, Jefferson county. The 
first officers under the new organization were William Neale, N. G.; W. P. Pos- 
tlethwait, V. G.; G. A. Blose, Sec'y; R. H. L. Neale, Treas. The lodge is in 
a prosperous condition, with thirty-three members in good standing, and is out 
of debt with a surplus fund in its treasury of from $150 to $200. The pres- 
ent officers are Daniel Brewer, N. G.; W. H. Heckendorn, V. G.; T. D. Brewer, 
Sec'y ; W. L. Henry, Treas. 

Corsica Lodge No. 813, /. 0. of 0. F.,wa.s instituted at Corsica October 25, 
1872, with twenty-three charter members, by D. D. G. M., A. Craig, of Brook- 
ville ; burned out June 2, 1873, all furniture and regalia saved. Met during 
the summer in the public school building. November 7, 1873, moved in and 
dedicated new hall. Charter members: H. A. Smith, C. C. Baker,|M. D., J. E. 
Orcutt, R. A. Summerville, John H. Dehaven, E. B. Orcutt, William Cowan, 
W. F. Delp, T. A. Hamilton, J. H. Monks, J. W. Martin, P. A. Fleming, A. 
M. Slack, G. W. McKinley, G. H. Siar, T. D. Spence, George Shultz, W. H. 
Scott, H. D. Morrison, T. S. Elder, T. F. Richey, A. S. McPherson, G. W. 
Cummings. First elective officers: N. G., C. C. Baker, M. D.; V. G., WilHam 
Cowan; Sec'y, T. D. Spence; Ass't Sec'y, G. H. Siar; Treas., A. M. Slack. 
Present elective officers: N. G., J. H. Simpson ; V. G., John Knabb ; Sec'y, 
A. P. Simkins ; Asst. Sec'y, A. M. Slack ; Treas., J. H. Monks. Whole num- 
ber initiated, 157; admitted by card, 10; withdrawn by card, 35; deceased, 2; 
present membership, 7J. Total available assets, $1,467.57 ; invested in regalia 
and furniture, $900; total, $2,367.57; amount paid out for relief, $1,150.50. 

Knights of Pythias. 

This order was first instituted in the city of New York twenty-four years 
ago, and now has a membership of 200,000. The declaration of principles 
adopted by the order show the basis upon which it is founded : 

" Recognizing the universality of human brotherhood, its organization is 
designed to embrace the world within its jurisdiction — intended solely and only 



Secret Societies. 



31S 



to disseminate the great principles of friendship, charity, and benevolence, noth- 
ing of a sectarian or political character is permitted within its portals. Tolera- 
tion in religion, obedience to law, and loyalty to government are its cardinal 
principles. Misfortune, misery and death being written in fearful characters on 
the broad face of creation, our noble order was instituted to uplift the fallen ; 
to champion humanity; to be his guide and hope; his refuge, shelter, and 
defence ; to soften down the asperities of life ; to subdue party spirit ; and by 
sweet and powerful attractions of the glorious trinity of friendship, charity, and 
benevolence, to bind in one harmonious brotherhood men of all classes and all 
opinions. The brightest jewels which it garners are the tears of the widows 
and orphans ; and its imperative commands are to visit the homes where lace- 
rated hearts are bleeding ; to assuage the sufferings of a brother ; bury the 
dead ; care for the widow, and educate the orphan ; to exercise charity toward 
offenders ; to construe words and deeds in their least unfavorable light ; grant- 
ing honesty of purpose and good intentions to others ; and to protect the prin- 
ciples of knighthood unto death. Ifs laws are reason and equity ; its cardinal 
doctrines inspire purity of thought and life; its intention is 'peace on earth 
and good will toward man.' " 

District Deputy Grand Chancellor for Jefferson county, P. C, Thomas H. 
Scott, 1880-83 ; P- C., A. F. Balmer, 1883-84; H. C. Campbell, 1885 ; Thomas 
H. Scott, 1886. 

Valiant Lodge No. 461, Knights of Pythias, was instituted at Reynoldsville, 
on the 29th day of November, 1879, by the (then) Grand Chancellor, Thomas 
G. Sample, of Allegheny, Pa., assisted by P. C, Thomas H. Scott; P. C, \V. 
H. Van Lew ; P. C, David Hartman ; and Brothers Heemer and Riston, of East 
Brady. At that meeting there were four admitted by card, and ten new mem- 
bers initiated, after which the following officers were elected to serve until De- 
cember 30, 1880. P. C, Josiah Dent; C. C, W. H. Van Lew; V. C, W. W. 
Crissman ; prelate, John A. Ulrich ; M. of E., David Hartman; M. of F., 
James R. Johnston ; K. of R. and S., Solomon Shaffer; M. at A., J. W. Fink ; 
I. G., E. D. Hartman ; O. G., Joseph H. Watson; D. D. G. C, P. C, Thomas 
H. Scott, for Jefferson county. 

This lodge started out with fourteen members and an indebtedness of about 
two hundred dollars ; but with an increased membership, was almost out of 
debt when the fire of the 29th of October, 1880, destroyed the building in 
which their lodge room was situated, and the lodge lost nearly all its property, 
which was, however, partly covered by insurance. A new room was rented, 
and the membership went diligently to work to keep all expenses paid up, and 
soon cleared off all debts, and now find their order in a prosperous condition. 
The old hall having been rebuilt where the lodge was first organized, it was 
leased for a term of five years, and fitted up at a cost of about two hundred 
dollars. The finances of Valiant Lodge are now as follows : Invested in hall 



3i6 History of Jefferson County. 

furniture and fixtures, together with the working materials of the lodge, $6oo ; 
four U. S. bonds, $517.50; one Reynoldsville borough bond $100; balance 
on hand (clear of all indebteduess), $218.75 ; total, $1,436.25. 

Since its institution the lodge has paid out for sick benefits to date, May i, 
1887, $535 ; to other lodge members, $22. There have been no deaths in the 
active membership of this lodge ; the only death being one who had been sus- 
pended for non-payment of dues some two years previous to death. The pres- 
ent membership is seventy-seven, while seventy-five have been suspended for 
non-payment of dues, from the close of the December term 1881, to the close 
of the last term ending December 30, 1886. During the same period four 
have withdrawn from the lodge. The present officers of Valiant Lodge are : 
P. C, Lewis G. Sidler ; C. C, August Kleinhaus ; V. G., George B. Blanchard ; 
prelate, Alexander L. Best ; M. of E., George H. Allis ; M. of F., Wallace W. 
Ford; K. of R. and S., Thomas H. Scott; M. at A., William Copping; I. G., 
Joseph Shaffer; O. G., William Gibson; representative to Grand Lodge, 
Thomas H. Scott; trustees, Joseph Shaffer, M. S. Sterly, and A. J. Broadhead. 

Brookville Lodge No. 477, K. of P., was the second lodge of the order 
organized in Jefferson county; was instituted November 29, 1881, with thirty- 
six charter members, by D. D. G. C, Thomas H. Scott, esq., of Reynolds- 
ville, assisted by the following past chancellors : E. N. Geer, of Corry ; E. 
V. Marsh and J. L. Kribbs, of New Bethlehem ; T. J. Boyer, of Du Bois ; W. 
H. Van Lew, J. H. Gross, J. S. Watson, David Hartman, S. J. Broadhead, of 
Reynoldsville, and others. The first officers of the lodge to whom the charter 
was issued were as follows: P. C, J. W. Truesdell ; C. C, A. F. Balmer ; V. 
C, Andrew Craig ; prelate, Scott McClelland ; M. at A., Peter B. Cowan ; K. 
of R. and S., John McMurray ; M. of E., Thomas C. Lawson ; M. of F., E. L. 
Kimple ; I. G., John B. Means ; O. G., W. S. Weaver. There have been ini- 
tiated and received into membership in the lodge since its organization one 
hundred and thirty-one members, of whom two have died, three withdrawn, 
thirty-two were suspended for non-payment of dues, leaving the present mem- 
bership ninety-four. The lodge pays a weekly sick benefit of $3. 50, and in 
this behalf they have expended $913, also a funeral benefit of $50, and in ad- 
dition to having an elegantly furnished lodge-room, have over one thousand 
dollars in their treasury. The past officers of the lodge, according to their 
seniorty, are: J. W. Truesdell, A. F. Balmer, T. C. Lawson, E. L. Kimple, .W. 
S. Weaver, Andrew Craig, A. C. White, P. B. Cowan, 0. S. Snyder, J. R. Van 
Lear, W. A. Thompson, J. S. Linsinbigler, Samuel C. Ewing and Abram Sny- 
der. The Grand Lodge representatives were as follows: A. F. Balmer, 1881 
and 18S2 ; A. C. White, 1883 and 1884; W. S. Weaver, 1885 and 1886. The 
present officers are: P. C, Abram Snyder; C. C, James J. Webb; V. C, 
George W. Snyder; prelate, Theodore W. Chesnutt ; M. at A., Lawrence M. 
Snyder; K. of R. and S., W. S. Weaver; M. of E., Joseph R. Heasley ; M. 



Secret Societies. 



317 



of F., J. C. Snyder; I. G., John H. Buel ; O. G., J. S. Linsinbigler. Trustees: 
W. A. Thompson, Edwin Snyder and Wilham Glenn. Representative to 
Grand Lodge : W. S. Weaver. 

Keystone Division No. 10, Uniform Rank K. of P., was organized October 
10, 1882, the officers being sir knight commander, James E. Long ; sir knight- 
lieutenant commander, H. S. Deal ; sir knight recorder, P. B. Cowan ; sir 
knight treasurer, A. C. White; sir knight guard, J. R. Emery; sir knight sen- 
tinel, L. J. Boyer. This division has a membership of thirty-two — its mem- 
bership being made up from Brookville and Du Bois Lodges, with armory in 
the hall of Brookville Lodge. 

The beneficiary features in addition to weekly benefits consist of an En- 
dowment Rank, on the death of a member of which $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000 
are paid according to the class to which the member belongs. The assess- 
ments are paid monthl)-, and are graded according to age. This feature of the 
order is controlled by the Supreme Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylva- 
nia controls a funeral benefit organization known as the " Knights of Pennsyl- 
vania Relief Fund." Any Knight of Pythias in general good health is eligible 
to membership in this fund. The monthly dues are twenty-five cents, and the 
funeral benefit is $250. 

Cliarity Lodge No. 488, K. of P., was instituted at Brockwayville, 
March 26, 1883. First officers, P. C, Rev. H. M. Burns; C. C., R. O. Moor- 
head : V. C, T. M., Myers ; P., J. G. Dailey ; M. of E., J. B. Allen ; M. of F., 
C. F. Green; K. of R. and S., Anthony Groves; M. at A., M. S. Longwell ; 
L G., Arnold Groves; O. G., R. A. McElhaney. Present officers; P. C, W. 
T. McLaughHn ; C. C., Thomas Kearney; V. C., M. M. Rankin; P., G. A. 
Bowdish ; M. of E., G. S. Himes ; M. of F., R. O. Moorhead ; K. of R. and S., 
F. R. Knapp; M. at A., C. H. Yates; I. G., John Chilcott ; O. G., Thomas 
Chilcott. Number of members, seventy. No deaths. 

Mountain Cliff Lodge No. 393, I'fnights of Pythias, was instituted April 8, 
1873, at Barclay, Bradford county, by District Deputy Grand Chancellor H. 
S. Clark, of Towanda, Pa., with the following officers: W. C, Fred. Miner; V. 
C, William Johnston; R. S., John Noble; W. B., Henry Crawford; W. G., 
James Johnston; W. F. S., Thomas Dilchburn ; L S., Walter Hay; O. S., 
James Duncan; V. P., John Kellock. Barclay is situated on the top of a 
mountain, and is a small mining town. Owing to the mines becoming ex- 
hausted, the members had to seek employment elsewhere, and the lodge was 
transferred to Beechtree, Jefferson county, April 7, 1886. The lodge is in 
good condition, with a membership of one hundred and ten, and since it was 
first instituted has lost eight members by death. The paraphernalia and fix- 
tures of the lodge are valued at $700, and it has a fund of $1,041. The pres- 
ent officers for 1S87, are : P. C, John D. Cameron ; C. C, Frank Pride ; V. C, 
John McNeil ; prelate, William Archibald ; K. of R. and S., Andrew Beve- 



3i8 History of Jefferson County. 

ridge; M. of E., William Cheery; M. of F., Frank Yard; M. at A., Daniel 
Jones; I. G., David Ruddocks ; O. G., George Buntin. Andrew Beveridge has 
been K. of R. and S., of this lodge since 1875. 

Patriotic Sons of America. 

This order was first organized in the city of Philadelphia, in 1847; but 
prior to the Rebellion its- organization was very imperfect, and its progress con- 
sequently slow, the camps not extending much beyond the Middle States. 
When the war broke out a general enlistment of its members compelled its 
entire suspension. In 1866 the order was reorganized and placed upon a more 
substantial basis. The order has for its object the inculcation of pure Ameri- 
can principles, the cultivation of fraternal love ; the opposition to foreign inter- 
ference with State interests in the United States of America ; the preser- 
vation of the Constitution of the United States, and the propagation of free 
education. Its primary object is to build up an order based upon patriotism, 
education, charity, and fraternity, and aims most particularly to educate its 
members in the principles of our government, to use all honorable means to 
defend and perpetuate the institutions of our country. Its immediate benefits 
are home benevolence, the care of its sick, the burial of its dead, the protection 
of and assistance to all who may be in need. There are two camps of this 
order in Jefferson county. 

Washington Camp No. 268, Patriotic Sons of America, was instituted at 
Reynoldsville, May 9, 1883, by District President J. D. McClintock, of Lock 
Haven, Pa., with eighteen charter members, The camp now numbers forty- 
one members, and is in a prosperous condition. George Roller is president 
and A. L. Best, secretary. No deaths have occurred since the camp was insti- 
tuted. The amount of camp property and funds in the treasury is $275.25. 
Washington Camp meets every Thursday evening. Past president, W. H. 
Van Lew and A. L. Best of this camp having successively filled the office of 
district president for Jefferson, Clearfield and Cameron counties. 

Washington Camp No. 131, Patriotic Sons of America, was instituted at 
Brockwayville, on March 4, 1887, with thirty charter members, and is officered 
as follows : Senior past president, J. P. Keys ; president, A. R. Chapin ; vice- 
president, R. S. Welsh ; master of forms and ceremonies, J. A. Green ; chap- 
lain. Rev. I. M. Smith ; secretary, R, W. Hoey ; assistant secretary, R. S. 
Mith ; treasurer, S. C. Bond ; conductor, E. V. Coville ; inner guard, E. A. 
Green ; outer guard, F. L. Himes. The camp holds stated meetings on every 
Tuesday evening. J. P. Keys was appointed and commissioned district pres- 
ident of Jefferson, Elk and Clarion counties two weeks after the organization 
of the camp. 



Secret Societies. 



319 



Patrons of Husbandry 1 

The first organization of farmers in the association known as the Patrons 
of Husbandry was effected in Washington City, D. C, December 4, 1867, by 
a few men interested in agriculture, and at that time, connected witii the De- 
partment of Agriculture. The officers were: William M. Ireland, master ; An- 
son Bartlett, overseer; O. H. Kelley, secretary; J. _R. Thompson, lecturer; 
William Muir, steward ; and William Saunders, treasurer. The other offices 
were left vacant at the time of the organization simply because there were not 
members to fill them, but subsequently others were elected and Potomac 
Grange No. i, as it is known in history, had a complete corps of officers. 
From this small beginning has come the association of farmers with granges in 
every State and Territory and almost every count}' in the United States. The 
rapid increase of this association is without a parallel in history. The farmers 
saw in it a means by which they could improve their condition by education 
and social intercourse, knowing that these tend only to elevate and refine ; and 
they began to realize that they could not compete with other classes unless 
they did unite and work together for their common good. They sought relief 
from the grinding heel of monopolies and great moneyed corporations of our 
land, which had begun a series of oppressions well calculated to reduce the 
farmers to a condition but little better than the tenant farmers of Europe. At 
this critical time the grange was organized, and our farmers, believing it to be 
their only hope, united with it, hoping for relief. In this they were not disap- 
pointed, although relief came slower than was expected. 

When the order was incorporated in January, 1873, over twenty-three 
thousand dispensations had been granted to subordinate granges, mostly in the 
south and west, and during the years 1873 and 1874, there were eighteen 
thousand si.\ hundred and forty-one additional dispensations granted by the 
National Grange in Washington to subordinate granges, mostly in the Eastern 
States. Since no dispensation was granted to less than thirteen, nor more 
than forty persons, we can see how rapidly it grew. In fact when the first 
organization was effected in Jefferson county, there was an actual membership 
in the United States of more than eight hundred thousand. We give this 
brief sketch of the organization and success of the National Grange as a pre- 
lude to the order's history in Jefferson county. 

The first grange. Porter No. 252, was organized by Deputy at Large 
Asa Batdes, of Girard, Pa., in the commissioner's office, Brookville, May 12, 
1874. R. A. Travis was elected master, and J. P. George, secretary. There 
were twenty- six charter members. This grange, like Potomac Grange No. i, 
had but few persons in it who were eligible to membership, or who would be 
so considered to-day ; but at that time few understood the organization or its 



1 Prepared by M. A. Fitzsimmons, of Brookville. 



320 History of Jefferson County. 

purposes. Some of its members dropped out and it was moved to Porter 
township, where it increased in numbers and influence until we find it num- 
bered seventy-seven members in January, 1883 ; this is the latest correct date 
received. 

The second was Elder No. 503, organized by Deputy R. A. Travis, at the 
residence of J. i\I. Elder, in Oliver township, March 16, 1875, with thirty char- 
ter members, twenty men and ten women. S. B. Williams was their first 
choice for master, and C. N. Morris sec'y. They have since then initiated 
fifty-one members. Some of the best patrons of our county took the degrees 
in this grange. Among these we recall S. B. Williams, J. N. Jordon, C. A. 
Morris and others, the last named having served eleven successive terms as 
secretary, and is now occupying the master's chair. H. M. Means is the pres- 
ent secretary. They have a good hall of their own, nicely finished and furn- 
ished, in whicli they meet regularly twice a month. 

Ridge Grange No. 516, was organized by Deputy R. A. Travis, in Perry 
township, March 24, 1875, with thirty-one charter members, and J. N. Kelly, 
master ; W. A. Kelly, secretary, and have since initiated ninety-three, making 
a grand total of one hundred and twenty-five. They have a commodious hall 
in which they hold interesting and instructive meetings each alternate week. 
Ridge Grange has furnished more active, working members of Pomona Grange 
than any other in the county. This is explained by the statement that the 
Gourleys, Kellys, Lewises, McCrackens and others have taken an interest in 
the work, and have made their grange what in reality it should be — a neigh- 
borhood home; and the result is seen in the high standard of culture and 
refinement to be met with among the members. Their first master has been 
re-elected several times, and is now occupying that position. A worthy rec- 
ognition of a worthy man. 

Beaver Grange No. 521, was organized in Beaver township, March 29, 1875, 
by R. A. Travis. Master, Daniel Reitz ; secretary, J. C. Simney; nineteen 
charter members and sixty initiates. This grange has made education a spe- 
cialty, and well have they succeeded in their efforts, than which none have 
done better. The pleasant faces and fraternal grip of Brothers T. R. Holt, 
Daniel Reitz, Elias Jones and others will be held in kindly remembrance long 
after they have received from the Great Master the pass- word into the Grange 
above. 

Mahoning No. 587, was organized by R. A. Travis, with thirty-six charter 
members. William C. Gillespie was chosen master, and William Perry, secre- 
tary. They initiated thirty-four. Among those who by earnest work have 
won recognition are Brothers Porter, Minish, Perry and Gillespie. 

MeCalmont Grange No. 590, of McCalmont township was organized by R. 
A. Travis, August 25, 1875, with thirty-three charter members. A. J. Lim- 
erich, master, Peter Uplinger, secretary. This grange although started under 



Secret Societies. 321 

favorable auspices, through internal difficuhies lost their grip and fell by the 
way with no stone to mark their last resting-place. 

Union Grange No. 609, organized by R. A. Travis, in Pine Creek township, 
October 20, 1875. They had but thirty charter members, but with these as a 
nucleus, they soon became one of the wealthiest, most influential and prosper- 
ous granges in the county. D. B. McConnell was their first master, and C. A. 
Carrier secretary. Among those who have been active supporters not only of 
the grange, but of grange principles, and labored earnestly to carry them to a 
practical conclusion we can recall James Suftblk, Charles Shobert, Joseph Bull- 
ers, Charles Frost and their estimable ladies. The ladies of Union have enter- 
tained Pomona oftener than those of any other grange, and the tables they 
prepared were a sufficient guarantee that they were well skilled in the culinary 
department, and their hospitality was equalled only by the grace with which 
they dispensed it. 

Corsica Grange No. 640, comes ne.xt on the roll, being organized by R. A. 
Travis, January 6, 1S76, with twenty- two charter members. G. VV. iVIcKinley, 
master ; D. M. Hindman, secretary, and forty-two initiates. The members 
of this grange were not clothed in the proper regalia, or proper spirit, and 
failed to realize the benefits usually derived from this organization, and hav- 
ing erected a hall in the spring of 1884, they quietly expired, and the hall 
remains to this day as a memorial, not to what they are, but to what they 
might have been. We regret these things, but we are not making history, 
we are only writing it. 

Rose Grange No. 653, organized by R. A. Travis, January 27, 1876, is 
located on the f;irm of Joseph Thrush, in Rose township. This grange started 
out with twenty- nine charter members, and has kept the faith; new members 
uniting with it from time to time until forty-one have been initiated and in- 
structed in the lessons of the degrees. Abner Spyker was the first to fill the 
master's chair. Joseph Thrush was their secretary for many years. 

Pleasant Hill No. 656, with Miller Harding as master, and Mark H. Will- 
iams as secretary, and thirty-two charter members, began its interesting and 
prosperous, though checkered career, Februarys, 1876, and during their more 
than eleven years of active work, they rarely failed to hold their regular weekly 
meetings on Friday evening ; being the only grange in the county that meets 
once a week. Their accessions amounted to one hundred and three, and the 
good they have done cannot be estimated ; and they are more prosperous now 
than ever before. The citizens of Knox township who are prevented from 
uniting with it on account of its secrecy, regard it as second only to the church. 
Much of this success is due to the moral and religious influence of Mrs. S. A. 
Hunter, Mrs. M. A. Anderson, Mrs. Rosa McAninch, Mrs. Martha Chitester, 
Mrs. M. A. Cavanore and other ladies connected with it. There are many 
good men and true inside the gates, but they willingly yield the palm to the 



322 History of Jefferson County. 

ladies. Among the ever faithful, S. A. Hunter, I. S. Davis, S. McAninch, S. R. 
Anderson and others are well entitled to recognition. Brother Hunter has 
been treasurer during all these years, while the others have filled various offi- 
ces. C. C. Chitester is now master, and E. E. Hunter secretary. The record 
of the past is only excelled by their prospects for the future. 

Sigel No. 666, was organized February 24, 1876, with thirty-eight charter 
members: James Coon, master ; G. A. Carroll secretary. It existed but a short 
time and then surrendered its charter to be reorganized several years later 
under a new name and more favorable auspices. 

Sugar Hill No 713, organized by O. S. Gary, June 2, 1S76, had thirty-two 
members : W. C. Bond, master ; Miss Florence Marshall, secretary ; thirty- 
seven accessions, and are in good standing in the county and State granges. 

Troy No. 672, and Warsazu No. 691, existed but a short time and then 
surrendered their charters, many of their members connecting by demit with 
other granges. Fidelity No. 692, of Rockdale, and Prudence No. 707, have a 
similar record. 

0. S. Cary Gi'ange No. 6gTi, of Brock way ville, organized by O. S. Cary, 
April 8, 1876, with thirty charter members: A. R. Thrush, master; D. D. 
Groves, secretary. This grange has the largest membership and the finest hall 
in the county. The members are the most hospitable and generous, and their 
works are characteristic of the people composing it. Brothers Smith, Hutch- 
ison, Keys and others are familiar names in grange circles throughout the 
county. 

Jl/ill Grange No. 712, organized June I, 1876, started with a complete 
corps of members : J. G. Allen, master ; R. F. Morrison, secretary, and have 
since added forty-two. y\mong those whose names are on the roll of honor 
are E. Perrin and lady, J. G. Allen and wife, R. F. Morrison, T. F. Daugherty, 
G. W. Brenholts and others. 

Richardsville No. 729, A. J. Bartlett, master; G. W. Richards, secretary ; 
organized by O. S. Cary, January 9, 1877, with twenty-two charter members, 
and after initiating thirteen it yielded to the inevitable and remained dormant 
until May 5, 1884, when it was reorganized by C. A. Carrier; but lacking the 
true grange spirit it was but a question of time when it returned to its former 
condition, and if it is not dead it is because it has not energy enough left to 
die. 

Darling Grange No. 768, was organized by James McCracken and C. A. 
Carrier, February 3, 1883, with twenty members: Moses Johns, master; Miss 
P. R. Carrier, secretary. After its organization it promised to be the banner 
grange of the county ; not succeeding in that, it failed in everything else, and 
is no longer anything but a name. A few of its members, among them Moses 
Johns and family, were true to their principles and connected with Rose 
Grange. 



Secret Societies. 



323 



Green Valley A'o. 770, of Knox township, was organized by James Mc- 
Cracken, March 31, 1883, with seventeen members: S. P. Himes, master; H. 
D. Morrison, secretary; twenty-one additional members have since been 
added. They are live, earnest, active workers, and although young in years, 
have taken an advanced position among their fellows. 

Have No. y'j'j. organized by James McCracken, February 26, 1884, with 
sixteen charter members : W. J. Gayley, master ; G. M. Gayley, secretary ; has 
become a permanent organization with excellent opportunities, and the will 
and disposition to improve them. The recognized leaders are David White, 
W. J. Gayley, B. H. Whitehill and G. M. Gayley. 

Jefferson Grange A^o. 778, organized by Deputy James McCracken in Polk 
township, February 27, 1884, with sixteen members, is the youngest of the 
family. Lewis Evans was chosen first master, and Miss Maggie V. Smith, 
secretary. They have initiated twenty- four members, and are in a prosperous 
condition, holding their meetings regularly every two weeks in the house of 
Brother Perry Smith, one of their most active members. 

Since the first organization in the county there have been twenty-three dis- 
pensations granted, and a total of six hundred and thirty-three charter mem- 
bers, and eight hundred and fifty-six initiates. Of these, si.x granges are either 
dead or dormant, the others in good standing. In addition to these we have a 
count}' grange known as Pomona Grange No. 20, of Jefferson county, organ- 
ized December 4, 1875. The membership of Pomona consists of the masters 
of subordinate granges and their wives, and three delegates elected annually 
by each subordinate grange. It meets on the first Wednesday of January, 
April, July and October, at the different grange halls in the county. The offi- 
cers are elected for a term of two years. This grange has charge of the edu- 
cational work of the order, and also recommends the persons to be appointed 
deputy. The deputies have been appointed by the State Grange Master, and 
have been R. A. Travis from 1874 till 1876, when he was succeeded by O. S. 
Gary, who in turn was succeeded in 1878, by C. A. Carrier, whose successors 
were James McCracken, jr., and M. A. Fitzsimmons appointed in 1880. The 
latter being reappointed every year since. R. M. Morrison was appointed in 
1884, and S. W. Temple in 1886, and James McCracken re-appointed in 1887, 
completing the list up to the present time. 

Space will permit me but a few words more of this brief history of the ori- 
gin and progress of the order in Jefferson county. It has proven to be "one 
of the most beneficent and useful secular institutions in the land." We have 
endeavored to show how and by whom it was inducted into our midst, by 
whom it was supported and upheld when its growth was slow and feeble, and 
when it was but little understood and less appreciated, but through all, its ad- 
vocates labored earnestly and diligently, and it is now to them a source of un- 
wonted satisfaction to know that those earlier years of toil and sacrifice for the 



324 History of Jefferson County. 

cause have already contributed many happy hours to hundreds of farmers' 
families, besides otherwise securing to them innumerable benefits. The unprec- 
edented success of this order is one of the most prominent incentives on record 
to perseverance under trying and almost insurmountable difficulties. Let 
those engaged in the good work take courage and bear in mind that he " who 
causes two blades of grass to grow where but one grew before, is greater than 
he who taketh a city." 

The foregoing history of the different lodges and societies of Jefferson 
county is full and correct, with the e.xception of one or two organizations of 
Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, the secretaries of which would not fur- 
nish the necessary data. 

There have been other orders represented in the county from time to time, 
but their record has died with them : notably among these was a lodge of the 
Sons of Malta, and one of the Improved Order of Red Men, both organized 
at Brookville. The former was short-lived, but the latter was kept up for 
several years, surrendering its charter some time during the 3'ear 1877. It 
was at one time strong in membership. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 

The First Fair in the Count}' — Mountain Park — Organization of the Jefferson County Agri- 
■cuUural Society — Officers — Buildings and Grounds — Receipts and Expenditures. 

THE first agricultural fair in Jefferson county was held on the grounds 
of the Mountain Park Association, October 5, 6 and 7, 1870. These 
grounds, now owned by the estate of Nathan Carrier, jr., were then the prop- 
erty of Jacob Emery and son, who advertised the fair as " Jacob Emery & 
Son, proprietors." The fair was quite successful, and the exhibits, though not 
numerous, were of an excellent character. The exhibit of stock was very 
good, the papers of that day speaking of this feature of the fair as a " credit to 
the county, and showing the interest taken by our people in improving the 
stock." The horses of Judge St. Clair, of Bell township, and Thomas Holt, of 
Beaver, received special mention. 

For some reason this was the last exhibition held at Mountain Park, but 
the race course, which was a very good one, was used for that purpose for 
several years. There is no record of any premiums being paid by this associa- 
tion. 



Agricultural Societies. 325 

Organization of the Jefferson County Agricultural Society. 

On the 10th of February, 1879, a meeting- was held at the office of James 
T. Carroll, esq., in Brookville, for the purpose of organizing a society to be 
known as the " Jefterson County Agricultural Society." On motion Thomas 
R. Holt was elected president of the meeting, and James T. Carroll secretary; 
the object of the meeting being announced in a brief address by Dr. W. J. 
McKnight, after which the society was organized by the election of the follow- 
ing officers : President, Thomas K. Litch, of Brookville ; vice-presidents, Jo- 
seph Grube, of Henderson township ; James E. Mitchell, Punxsutawney ; Stacy 
B. Williams, Oliver ; James U. Gillespie, Clayville ; Robert A. Travis and 
George Gourley, Perry; Henry Lewis, Porter; E. W. Jones, Beaver; Joseph 
Thrush and U. Matson, Rose ; A. Carrier, Clover ; Robert A. Summerville, 
Union ; Allen Gathers, Winslow ; James McCurdy and A. L. Smith, Wash- 
ington ; Stephen Oaks, Eldred ; Oran Butterfield, Barnett; Thomas Craven, 
Polk ; Dr. John Thompson, Corsica ; John Smathers, Ringgold ; Wilham 
Aharah, Heath; Daniel North, McCalmont; John B. Pantall, Young; Henry 
Brown, Bell ; L. P. Seeley, Reynoldsville ; George K. Tyson, Big Run ; Paul 
Darling, Brookville ; Samuel A. Hunter, Knox ; David B. McConnell and 
Levi Shuckers, Pine Creek ; John Ostrander and John Fox, Warsaw ; Samuel 
Geist, Worthville ; secretary, Thomas L. Templeton, Brookville ; executive 
committee, Thomas R. Holt, Beaver ; Oliver Brady, Pine Creek ; David Eason, 
John Garrison, Nathan G. Edelblute, Brookville. 

The association was incorporated May 2, 1879, under the name of the 
" Jefferson County Agricultural Society and Driving Park Association," and 
the following officers elected for the year: Thomas K. Litch, president; 
Thomas L. Templeton, secretary ; J. E. Long, assistant secretary ; M. V. 
Shaffer, treasurer, with the same executive committee given above. A fair 
was held on the grounds, which had been secured by lease, within the bor- 
ough limits, from the John Dougherty estate, the fall of that year, which 
proved a success both financially and otherwise, and the association assumed a 
permanent, footing. 

Exhibitions, in every way creditable to the county, have been held each suc- 
ceeding year, and premiums amounting to an average of $2,000 have been paid. 
In 1880 N. G. Edelblute was elected president of the association, with Messrs. 
Templeton and Shaffer re-elected, continued the officers of the association un- 
til 1886, when the present management was elected : W. H. Gray, president ; 
S. H. Whitehill, secretary; J. B. Henderson, treasurer. Directors, W. H. 
Gray, H. C. Litch, S, A. Hunter, G. B. Carrier, Joseph Bullers. There were 
originally one hundred and twenty-four stockholders holding two hundred and 
forty-seven shares. 

In 1884 the association bought of Colonel Silas J. and .Mrs. Kate D. Marlin, 

38 



326 History of Jefferson County. 

two and one-half acres of land on the south side, upon which the main buildings 
of the association are erected, at a cost of $2,250, which was conveyed by deed 
February 7, 1887. They also rent other ground adjoining, from Bishop Broth- 
ers, Means's heirs, A. Beach, George A. Jenks et al., making the enclosure oc- 
cupied by the grounds cover about ten acres. These grounds are on level 
crround, lying in the bend of Sandy Lick Creek near where it unites with the 
North Fork and forms Red Bank. They are well adapted for the purpose, and 
are within easy access of all parts of the town. Two main buildings, machin- 
ery hall, grand and band stands, with good stabling for over five hundred 
horses and stock, and abundant accommodations for poultry, compose the 
buildings. The half-mile track is an excellent one. The ground, buildings, 
etc., owned by the society, are worth about $10,000. 

During the eight years that exhibitions have been held by the association 
the receipts and expenditures each year have been as follows : 

Expenditures. Fair Receipts. 

1S79 $2,002.93 $2,315.13 

1S80 3.76513 3.563-84 

1S81 4.65915 5.I5I-84 

ISS2 5,098.99 5,001.65 

IS83 5-250.37 5.250-39 

IS84 5.7S3.00 6,162.03 

1SS5 5,801.47 4-558-65 

1886 3.680.94 3.6S0.94 

This society has done much to improve the mechanical, industrial, agri- 
cultural and stock raising business of the county, as it has brought the farmers 
together, and by competition and comparison has added a new incenti\'e to all 
that which was needed to bring Jefferson county up to the place she should 
occupy in the agricultural column of the State. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE TE.MPERANCE WORK. 

The Eariv Temperance Work in Jefferson County — The Fir.<;t Workers for the Cause — The 
Good Templars — Prohibition — The Temperance AlUance — The Mm-phy ilovement — Tiie Work 
of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 

THE first record of temperance work that we find is a call for a temperance 
meeting to be held in the court-house, on the evening of the 4th of De- 
cember, 1837, to be addressed by Rev. Mr. Hill. The call for this meeting, 
which appears in the Brookville Republican of November 29, 1837, is signed by 
J. P. McGinity, recording secretary of the Jefferson County Temperance Society. 



The Temperance Work. 



327 



Then, in 1841, Rt. Rev. Bishop Patrick Francis Kenrick, on his way from St. 
Mary's to Red Bank, delivered a temperance address to a large audience in 
the court-house in Brookville. From that time there appears to have been all 
over the county, at different times, societies organized for the purpose of put- 
ting down intemperance. In 1S43 the Washingtoiiian Society of Brookville 
organized temperance societies throughout the county, one of which, at Beech- 
woods, was organized by Colonel Hugh Brady and S. B. Bishop, esq. In 
1849 the Temperance League of Brookville put forth strong efforts to crush 
the liquor traffic. One of their public meetings, held in the court-house, IVIay 
19, 1849, was addressed by Captain W. W. Wise, and on the i8th of Febru- 
ary, following, Dr. C. P. Cummins delivered a lecture in the same place under 
the same auspices, on physiology, anatomy and temperance, with especial ref- 
erence to show the effects of alcohol on the human system. 

July I, 1854, a temperance convention was held in the court house, and 
an address published to the people of the county which was signed by R. 
Arthurs, chairman, and W. W. Wise, G. W. Andrews and D. S. Johnson, com- 
mittee. The result of this movement was the following official vote at the 
October election, 1854: For prohibition, 1,385 ; against prohibition, 1.015. 
Majority in favor of prohibition, 370. At the February term of court, 1854, no 
licenses were granted in the county, and at the May term, following, there were 
no Commonwealth cases. A great many temperance societies have been organ- 
ized, accomplished their work and sunk into oblivion, while others, with new 
life infused into their veins, would fill the gap caused by their death. Among 
the most prominent and longest-lived of these was the Independent Order of 
Good Templars, which was organized in Brookville, February 12, 1857, by 
Philip Clover, of Strattanville, D. D., G. W. C. T. L. A. Dodd was elected and 
installedworthy chief templar ; Frank Crandall, worthy vice-templar ; J. P. Mil- 
ler, worthy secretary; Charles Matson, worthy treasurer; Thomas J. Heckendorn, 
worthy inside guard, and Myron Pearsall, worthy outside guard. This order pros- 
pered and did good work for the cause of temperance until the war broke out, and 
so many of its members enlisting it was for a time broken up, but in February, 
1866, with the following officers: worthy chief templar, Daniel Fogle ; worthy 
vice templar, Ellen Guffey ; worthy secretary, John Scott ; worthy treasurer, 
Sarah Truby ; worthy inside guard, Carrie A. Scott; worthy outside guard, 
James B. McLain ; worthy chaplain, James E. Long; worthy assistant secre- 
tary, John W. Walker; worthy financial secretary, John McMurray; worthy 
marshal, Myron M. Pearsall ; worthy deputy marshal. Kate M. Scott ; worthy 
right hand supporter, Mrs. L. Pearsall ; worthy left hand supporter, Mary J. 
Matson, the order was revived and started out with fifty members, and for a 
number of years did a good temperance work in Brookville and its vicinity, be- 
sides exercising a great moral and social influence. It finally succumbed to 
circumstances and its place was filled by some other society. A temperance 



328 History of Jefferson County. 

convention, called by the Good Templars, was held in the Methodist church. 
May 14, 1868. There have been numerous other temperance societies and 
organizations working for the cause of temperance, at various times, in the 
county, notably, the Sons of Temperance, Washingtonians and Temperance 
Alliance. The latter, of which Dr. G. C. Vincent, then pastor of the United 
Presbyterian church of Brookville, was a prominent mover, did much to agi- 
tate the question in the county and prepare the way for the Woman's Christian 
Temperance Union, which is now becoming a "power in the land." 

The local option law for the State of Pennsylvania, allowing counties to 
vote on the question, was passed March 27, 1872, and repealed April 12, 1875. 
At the election held in Jefiferson county, March 3, 1873, there was almost nine 
hundred majority for local option. April 16, 1877, the great Murphy move- 
ment was inaugurated in Brookville, in a largely attended meeting at the 
Presbyterian church. This meeting was conducted by Mr. Joseph Dilworth, 
of Pittsburgh, and was addressed by J. D. Brooks, esq., of Pittsburgh, and Dr. 
J. M. Davies, of Parker City, Pa. Two hundred and twenty-five persons 
signed the pledge. This meeting was followed by others, conducted by T- 
Benton Dalley, esq., of Blairsville, and so much enthusiasm was infused into 
the meetings that over one thousand signed the Murphy pledge in Brookville, 
while the work spread all over the county, until over three thousand were en- 
rolled under the "blue ribbon " banner of temperance. Of these, some were 
totally reclaimed, while a great many yielded again to temptation; but the 
impress of this movement has never been effaced, and its effects are still felt. 
Later, Francis Murphy, the great apostle of temperance, visited Brookville, 
and held rousing meetings in the court-house. In answer to a call made by 
the ministers of the different denominations, a convention was held in the 
Presbyterian church, July 14, 1885, to take into consideration the purpose of 
organizing a Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Mrs. Eva Thompson, of 
Indiana county, gave an explanation of the plan of the union and read the con- 
stitution, which had been adopted. It was then decided to form a county 
union, and the following officers were elected : President, Mrs. D. E. Taylor, 
of Brookville ; vice-president, Mrs. V. S. Blood, of Brookville ; treasurer, Mrs. 
Georgiana Wray, of Brockwayville ; recording secretary, Mrs. Louie Gates, of 
Brookville; corresponding secretary. Miss Agnes Thompson, of Punxsutawney. 

This union at once went to work, commencing an aggressive warfare upon 
the liquor traffic. Local unions were organized in different parts of the county 
of which there are now sixteen, viz. : Corsica, Pun.xsutawney, Frostburg, 
Brookville, Reynoldsville, Troy, Warsaw, Belleview, Richardsville, Cool Spring, 
Pleasant Hill, Baxter, Brockwayville, Sandy Valley, Beechtree and Mount 
Pleasant. The first license court held in the county after the Woman's Chris- 
tian Union was organized, was the February term, 18S6. It was a well- 
known fact that every one engaged in selling liquor was violating the license 



The Temperance Work. 329 

law, and evidence enough was found by the union to close the nine bars in the 
town of Brookville, and out of thirty petitions presented at this court from the 
county, fifteen were refused on evidence. 

After this victory the W. C. T. U. turned its attention to the Legislature, 
and in order to find out the temperance status of the difterent candidates for 
that position, addressed the following open letter to them : 

An open letter to Dr. William Altman, nominee of the Republican party, 
and C. Miller, nominee of the Democratic party, for State Legislature : 

Gentlemen : — We, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, assembled 
in county convention at Reynoldsville, this the i6th day of July, 1886, re- 
spectfully submit to each of you the following questions: 

Will you, if elected, give your vote and use your influence to procure the 
passage of a bill, submitting to the vote of the people, at the earliest day prac- 
ticable, an amendment to the State constitution, prohibiting the manufacture 
and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage ? 

Please give us your answer through the Brookville Republican and the 
Brookville Democrat. By order of convention. 

Mrs. D. E, Taylor, President. 

To this Dr. Altman returned the following reply : 

To the Editor of the Brookville Republican : — In response to an open let- 
ter published in your issue of July 21, from the Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance Union, assembled in county convention at Reynoldsville, on the i6th 
day of July, inst., asking me to define my position, I would most respectfully 
say that, believing in democratic principles, free government, and the freedom 
of speech, with the right to exercise conscientious convictions on all subjects, 
especially of a legislative character, I feel it is the inherent right of all or any 
part of the citizens of the State to ask the privilege to be heard through the 
ballot box. Should I be elected as representative of Jefferson county, I will 
vote for and aid in securing a constitutional amendment, giving the citizens a 
right to vote on prohibition, maintaining and believing in an old established 
question, that the majority should rule. Respectfully submitted, 

William Altman. 

PUNXSUTAWNEV, Pa., July 27, 1886. 

Mr. Miller, the candidate of the Democratic party, did not make any reply 
to the letter of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The result of the 
election for Legislature, in Jefterson county, was the election of Dr. Altman by 
a majority of three hundred and thirteen. 

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is gaining in strength steadily, 
and is well organized. The officers of the county union are the same as when 
first organized with the exception that Mrs. Emma J. Arnold, of Reynoldsville, 
has taken the place of Mrs. Louie Gates as recording secretary, the latter hav- 
ing removed from the county. 



History of Jefferson County. 



The work to be done by the union has been systematized and each depart- 
ment placed under a superintendent. Those having charge of these depart- 
ments are : Scientific instruction, Mrs. E. D. Bovard, Reynolds\-ille ; Hygiene 
heredity, Mrs. V. S. Blood, Brookville ; Sabbath observance, Miss Marj' J. 
Stewart, Brookville ; Mothers' work, Mrs. M. J. Campbell, Baxter ; Evange- 
listic work, Mrs. Joseph McFarland, Belleview ; Fair work, Mrs. Sarah H. 
Hunter, Pleasant Hill ; Press and Literature, Miss Agnes Thompson, Punxsu- 
tawney ; Prison and Jail work, Mrs. Martha Hall, Brookville ; Lumbermen 
and Miners' work, Mrs. Mary Grafifins, Punxsutawney ; Foreigners' work, 
Mrs. Georgiana Wray, Brockwayville ; Sunday-school work, Mrs. Torrence, 
Punxsutawney ; Unfermented Wine for Sacramental purposes, Mrs. Ellen 
Allsehouse, Belleview ; Legislative work, Mrs. C. C. Benscoter, Brookville ; 
Young Women's work, Mrs. Ada Green, Brockwayville. 

The Younc; Women's Christian Temperance Union. 

The Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, which is designed to 
work among the \'oung people of the community, was organized in Brookville, 
in February, 1S87, by Miss M. L Reno, of Rochester, Pa., State organizer. 
The officers are taken from the different cliurches and areas follows: Presi- 
dent, Miss Ella Van Vliet ; vice-presidents, Misses Essie Calvin, Margery 
Thompson, Carrie B. Jenks and Mrs. Ada Di\'eler ; recording secretary, Miss 
Nannie McKinney ; corresponding secretary. Miss Phcebe Keck ; treasurer, 
Miss Mary Kimball ; librarian, Miss Maud Bishop. This societ\' is in a pros- 
perous condition; has about thirty two members, with over forty dollars in 
the treasury. It meets on the first and third Monday evenings of each month. 
The work done thus far has been principally in furnishing and distributing 
temperance literature. The Y. W. C. T. L^. will prove a valuable auxiliary to 
the parent society, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, as it infuses 
young blood into the temperance work. 



CHAPTER XXVn. 

LAND WARRANTS AND TITLES. 

The Last Turcha.se from the Indians — Acts of ihe Logislature of 178."i iin<l 1792, regulating 
the Sale of Lands in Penii.^-ylvania — Original AVan-ants in the Several Townships of Jefferson 
County — Leniency Shown to Early Settlers. 

THE Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in October, 1784, purchased, at the 
treaty with the Indians at Fort Stanwix, the domain embracing in whole 
or in part the present counties of Tioga, Potter, McKean, Jefferson, Warren, 
Venango, Armstrong, Allegheny, Butler, Crawford, Mercer, and Beaver. 



Land Warrants and Titles. 



331 



By an act of the Legislature, passed April i, 1784, the sale of these lands 
was authorized. The second section of this law provides that all lands west of 
the Allegheny Mountains shall not be more than three pounds ten shillings for 
every one hundred acres. 

Section four provides that the quantity of land granted to one person shall 
not exceed four hundred acres ; section six provides for the survey and laying 
out of these lands, by the survej^or-general or his deputies, into tracts of not 
more than five hundred acres and not less than two hundred acres, to be sold 
at public auction nt such times as the " Supreme Executive Council may di- 
rect." 

When all claims had been paid, "in specie, or money of the State," for 
patenting, surveying, etc., a title was granted to the purchaser. In case he 
was not ready or able to make full payment at the time of purchase, by pay- 
ing all the fees appertaining thereto, he was allowed two years to complete the 
paj'ment, by pa_\-ing lawful interest, and when the last payment was made, a 
completed title was given. 

By the act of April 8, 17S5, the lands were sold b\' lottery, in portions not 
to exceed one thousand acres to each applicant. Tickets, commencing with 
number one, were put in a wheel, and the warrants, which were called " Lot- 
tery Warrants," issued on the said applications, were severally numbered ac- 
cording to the decision of the said lottery, and bore date from the day on 
which the drawing was finished. 

Section seven of this act allowed persons holding these warrants to locate 
them upon any piece or portion of unappropriated lands. The land upon each 
warrant to be embraced in one tract, if possible. 

On the 3d of April, 1792, the Legislature passed an act for the sale of 
these lands, which, in some respects, diftered from the laws of 1784 and 1785. 
It offers land only to such persons as shall settle on them, and designates the 
kind and duration of settlement. 

By section two of this act all lands lying north and west of the Ohio and 
Allegheny Rivers and Conewango Creek, except such portions as had been or 
should be appropriated to public or charitable uses, were oftered to such as 
would " cultivate, improve, and settle upon them, or cause it to be done, for 
the price of seven pounds ten shillings for every hundred acres, with an allow- 
ance of six per centum for roads and highways, to be located, surveyed and 
secured to such purchasers, in the manner hereinafter mentioned." 

Section three provided for the surveying and granting of warrants, by the 
surveyor-general, for any quantity of land within the said limits, to not exceed 
four hundred acres, to any person who had settled upon and improved said 
land. 

The act provided for the surveying and division of these lands. The war- 
rants were, if possible, to contain all in one entire tract, and the form of the 



332 History of Jefferson County. 

tract was to be as near, as circumstances would admit, to an oblong, whose 
length should not be greater than twice the breadth thereof. No warrants 
were to be issued in pursuance of this act, until the purchase money should 
have been paid to the receiver-general of the land-office. 

The surveyor-general was obliged to make clear and fair entries of all war- 
rants, in a book to be provided for the purpose, and any applicant should 
be furnished with a certified copy of any warrant upon the payment of one- 
quarter of a dollar. 

In this law the rights of the citizen were so well fenced about, and so equit- 
ably defined, that risk and hazard came only at his own. But owing to 
controversies arising, concerning this law, between the judges of the State 
Courts and those of the United States, which the Legislature, for a long time, 
tried in vain to settle, impeded for a time the settlement of the district. These 
controversies were not settled until 1S05, by a decision of Chief Justice Mar- 
shall, of the Supreme Court of the United States. 

At the close of the Revolutionary War several wealthy Hollanders — Wil- 
helm Willink, Jan Linklaen, and others, to whom the United States was in- 
debted for money loaned to assist in carrying on the war, preferring to invest 
the money in this country, they purchased of Robert Morris, the great finan- 
cier of the country at that time, an immense tract of land in the State of New 
York, and at the same time took up, by warrant (under the law above cited), 
large tracts in the State of Pennsylvania, east of the Allegheny River. Judge 
Yeates, on one occasion, said : " The Holland Land Company have paid to the 
State the consideration money of 1,162 warrants, and the surveying fees on 
1,048 tracts of land (generally 400 acres each), besides making very considera- 
ble expenditures by their exertions, honorable to themselves and useful to the 
community, in order to effect settlements. Computing the sums advanced, 
the lost tracts, by prior improvements and interferences, and the quantit)^ of 
one hundred acres granted to each individual for making an actual settlement 
on their lands, it is said that, averaging the whole, between $230 and $240 
have been expended by the company on each tract." 

An act was passed by the Legislature, March 31, 1823, authorizing Wil- 
helm Willink, and others, residents of Holland, to " sell and convey any lands 
belonging to them in the Commonwealth." ^ 

Large tracts of lands in Jefferson county were owned by the Holland Com- 
pany, and'^Charles C. Gaskill, of Punxsutawney, was the agent of the company 
for their sale. He was appointed by John J. Vandercamp, the general agent. 
He finally sold to^AIexander Caldwell, and Lee, and Gilpin. Mr. Gaskill con- 
veyed much of these^lands to actual settlers in this county. 

The Timothy Pickering lands were sold by Hon. Thomas White, of Indiana, 
who also controlled the Samuel Hodgdon and other lands. Both Mr. Gaskill 

I Smith's Laws, Vol. 8, page 107-8. 



Land Warrants and Titles. 333 

and Judge White were very lenient to purchasers. A day was generally set 
for those parties who had payments to make to meet the owners or their agents, 
from whom they had purchased lands, at a certain place; but money was 
scarce, and it was hard for the early settlers to meet their obligations, small as 
was the price paid in those days. In order to stir his delinquent debtors up to 
a sense of their indebtedness, Mr. Gaskill published the following notice in a 
paper published at Kittanning: 

" Notice. — Having been very indulgent towards those persons indebted 
for ' HOLLAND LAND,' in Indiana, Jefferson and Armstrong counties, for 
some time past, I am now under the necessity of informing them, that it will 
be necessary for them to exert themselves and make as considerable payments, 
and as soon as possible, on their respective bonds, etc. 

" Charles C. Gaskill. 

" Punxsutawney, November 20, 18 rg." 

To show the leniency of Judge White it is only necessary to state that, at 
the February term of court, 1887, held at Brookville, a rule was asked for to 
sell at Orphan's Court a certain farm in Jeft'erson county, when it was found 
that the party who had settled upon it, some twenty-five or thirty years before, 
had bought the land from Judge White, but had never paid one dollar of the 
purchase money. He had raised his family upon it, and died there, living all 
these years unmolested. It was no wonder that, in those early days. Judge 
White was called the "settler's friend." 

The following is a list of the different warrants surveyed in the county un- 
der the acts of 1785 and 1792, and 1794, with the number of warrant, number 
of acres, and names of warrantees, in each township : 

Pine Creek. 

Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 389, 1052 acres; 292, 403 acres; 422, 432 
acres; 428, 514 acres; 390, 645 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. Survey 
of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3948, 3946, 3945, 3941, 394°, 1094 acres 
each; 3947, 3944, 3943, 3942, 3957, 1000 acres each; 3964, 971 acres, to 
Jeremiah Parker. 3741, 534 acres, to Robert Morris. Survey of later date : 
400 acres to Samuel Findlay. 

Perry. 

Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 421, 417 acre.s, to Jonathan B. Smith. 458, 
371 acres, to Dr. James Hutchison. 3S8, 1012 acres, to Timothy Pickering 

& Co. to Mason. 29, 636 acres, to William Bradford. Survey of 

1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 5406, iiooacres; 5461, 1093 acres; 5462, 1060 
acres, to Joseph Webb. 3014, 3013, 3012, 3272, 3280, 990 acres each ; 3019, 
750 acres; 3002, 3011, 3269, 3270, 905 acres each; 3007, 921 acres; 3059, 
1088 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. Surveys of later date: 212 acres to John 

on 

Hedderson. 164 acres to W. Clawson. 



334 History of Jefferson County. 



Young. 

Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 538, 338 acres, to Samuel Findlay. 513, 
383 acres, to Dr. J. Hutchison. 296, 663 acres; 307, 605 acres, to T. Picker- 
ing- 27^' 200 acres ; — , 300 acres, to Henry Geddis. 302, 362, 503 acres 
each, to William Brown. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3859, 3861, 
3856, 3 1 1 acres each ; 3865, 604 acres ; 3866, 502 acres, to Dr. William Cath- 
cart. 3876, 500 acres; 3881, 302 acres, to Henry Geddis. 3855, 898 acres 5 
3054. 930 acres ; 3025, 985 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3955, i lOO acres, to 
Jeremiah Parker. Surveys of later date : 225 acres to Jas. Johnson ; 200 acres 
to William States; 207 acres to John Nicholson ; 113 acres to J. Brady ; 220 
acres to J. Findley; 87 acres to E. Heath ; 396 acres to Robert Means. 

Rose. 

Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 394, 700 acres ; 349, 1030 acres ; 371, 383 
acres; 351, 428 acres; 286, 436 acres; 342, 607 acres, to Timothy Pickering 
& Co. 3206, 3196, 3157, 3156, 3155, 990 acres each; 3083, 600 acres, to 
Leroy & Linklaen. 3741, 500 acres, to Robert Morris. — , 250 acres, to 
James Stewart. 

Barnett. 

Warrant No. , 600 acres; 5698, 5693, 838 acres each; 5694, 5697, 

5696, 5695, HOG acres each; 5701, 141 2 acres, to George F. Alberti. 5870, 
990 acres; 5872, 945 acres, to J. B. Smith. 5100, 5095, iioo acres each, to 
Jonathan Mifflin. 

Snyder. 

Survey of 17S5 : Warrant No. 183, 1075 acres; 254, 641 acres, to T. 
Pickering & Co. 335, 348 acres; 186, 335 acres; 440, 679 acres, to Richard 
Summers. 251, 552 acres; 464, 276 acres, to George Lattimore. 150, 507 
acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 398, 406 acres, to James McCarty. 494, 458 acres, 
to Richard McCarty. 104, 324 acres, to B. Harvey. 35, 536 acres, to D. 
Kennedy. 459, 529 acres, to G. & A. Cory. 84, 640 acres, to Henry Syph- 

ert. 81, 324 acres, to E. Bradley. 70, 500 acres, to F. Sivart. , 500 

acres, to Henry Syphert. 299, 1005 acres, to Ed. Bird. 130, 389 acres, to 
John Hutchison. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 1554, lOOO acres; 
4242, IIOO acres; 4470, 740 acres; 4400, 4459, 500 acres each, to James 
Wilson. 4277, 950 acres; 4278, 1046 acres ; 4279, 600 acres, to John Bryan. 
5793, 1000 acres; 5801, 200 acres, to Robert Morris. 2918, 2742, 900 acres 
each ; 2963, 2965, 400 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3935, 1024 
acres; 3937, lOOO acres, to Francis NichoUs. 5804, 394 acres, to Matthew 
Leffborough. 



Land Warrants and Titles. 335 

Eldred. 

Warrant No. 3071, 3070, 3057, 3031, 900 acres eacli, to Leroy & Linklaen. 
3356, 3352, 3351, 3350, 3349, 3348, 3383, 3379, 3362, 3361, 3357, iioo acres 
each ; 3346, 600 acres; 3387, 500 acres ; 3398, 450 acres, to Robert Gilmore. 
3545. 3548. 3547- 3546, 1100 acres each, to William Bingham. 5092, 5991, 
550 acres each, to Jonathan Mifflin. ^ 3407, 550 acres; 3400, 600 acres, to 

Thomas M. Willing. 4019, 336 acres, to John Nicholson. , 300 acres, 

to William Douglass. 3723, 3701, 1025 acres each, to Robert Morris. 

Washington. 

Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 510, 407, 650 acres each; 504, 636 acres; 
122, 169, 1026 acres each ; 425, 603 acres; 159, 1018 acres; 413, 565 acres; 
8j, 1045 acres; 187, 613 acres, to T. Pickering & Co. 124, 237, 333 acres 
each; 199, 557 acres; 186, 330 acres, to Richard Summers. 102, 415 acres, 
to J. B. Smith. 157, 305 acres, to J. D. Sargent. 329, 300 acres, to James 
Reed. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 2957, 850 acres; 2987,927 
acres; 2760, 913 acres ; 2989, 864 acres; 2889, 900 acres; 2888, 928 acres; 
2968,914 acres; 2884,981 acres; 2969, 759 acres ; 2955,620 acres; 2975, 
908 acres; 2944, 870 acres; 2943, 869 acres; 2881, 215 acres; 2890,410 
acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3932, 1020 acres; 3933, 1008 acres; 3934, 
1009 acres, to Nicholls & McPherson. 5813, 1092 acres, to Thos. Grant and 
D. Smith. 4399, 4398, 4397, 990 acres each ; 4376, 360 acres, to James Wil- 
son. , nil acres, to T. J. Maltrem. Surveys of later date: 478 acres to 

William McCuUough ; 440 acres to White & Shaw ; 220 acres to D. Denniston. 

Porter. 

Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3104, 600 acres ; 3105,3016,3106, 
3015, 3112, 3113, 990 acres each ; 3110, 3114, 3274, 500 acres each; 3276, 
250 acres ; 3273, 483 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 

Clover. 

Survey of 1785. Warrant No. 681, 1 106 acres; 678, 250 acres, to Samuel 
Bryan. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3075, 3081, 800 acres each; 
3205, 390 acres; 3202, 300 acres; 3203, 3204, 3200, 3079, 990 acres each; 
3078, 750 acres ; 30S0, 900 acres ; 3082, 600 acres ; 3083, 200 acres, to Le- 
roy & Linklaen. 

Gaskill. 

Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. — , — . 900 acres each; 3 11 6, 872 
acres ; 3219, 982 acres; 3294, 990 acres ; 3292, 864 acres ; 3289, 950 acres; 



1 One-half of these warrants were in Jefferson and the balance in Clarion county. 



336 History of Jefferson County. 

3297, 915 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2909, 889 acres; 2484, 450 acres; 
2895, 440 acres ; 2949, 488 acres; 2937, 977 acres; 2746, 734 acres; 2947, 
754 acres ; 2945, 979 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 

Warsaw. 

Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 331, 1089 acres; 322, 1040 acres; 312, 
I047acres; 341, 640 acres ; 327, 1044 acres ; 302, 400 acres ; 64,423 acres; 
495, 424 acres; 41, 588 acres; 98, 407 acres; 567, 1058 acres; 547, 500 
acres, to T. Pickering & Co. 172, 504 acres, to John Bayard. 742, 260 
acres, to Jacob Weaver. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3974, 1050 
acres; 3972, 1093 acres, to Jeremiah Parker. 3039, 3037, 3098, 900 acres 
each, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3778, 1047 acres; 3796, 1030 acres; 3797, 600 
acres, to Samuel Hodgdon. 403 1, 999 acres ; 4018, 1026 acres, to James Nich- 
olson. 3902, 986 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3931, 3930, 3927, looo 
acres each ; 3929, 956 acres, to Nicholson & McPherson. Surveys of later 
date: 440 acres to J. Moorhead ; 400 acres to R. P. Barr ; 437 acres to E. 
Heath ; 300 acres to John McLaughlin ; 438 acres to J. B. Evans ; 440 acres 
to T. Gordon. 

WiNSLOW. 

Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 101,433 acres; 211, 223, 219, 125,471, 
430 acres each; 534, 556, 506, 660 acres each; 460, 450 acres; 120, looi 
acres; 193, 201, 607 acres each ; 509,437 acres; 512, 640 acres; 481, 438 
acres ; 491, 650 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. Survey of 1792 to 1794: 
Warrant No. 2961, 500 acres ; 2953, 926 acres ; 2936, 927 acres ; 295 1,911 
acres; 2967, 944 acres ; 2972, 840 acres ; 2976,928 acres; 2984,913 acres, 
to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3853, 1082 acres; 3852, 1041 acres; 3894, 1007 
acres; 3854, 31 1 acres ; 3860, 815 acres ; 3850, 1002 acres ; 385 i, lOOl acres, 
to Dr. William Cathcart. 3875, 531 acres; 3871, 1002 acres, to Henry Ged- 
des. 5827, 1003 acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 4032, 811 acres, to John Nich- 
olson. 

Heath. 

Warrant No. 2768, S50 acres; 2770, 2777, 924 acres each; 2749, 2649, 
900 acres each ; 2454,2364, 989 acres each; 2369, 962 acres; 2617, 1002 
acres; 2370, 2625,984 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink. 4021, 4020, 1026 
acres each ; 4019, 600 acres, to John Nicholson. 400 acres to Job Packer; 
300 acres to Smith Brown ; 300 acres to James O'Harra ; 300 acres to John 
Pierce ; 100 acres to Samuel Wilson. 

Ringgold. 
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 686, 715 acres ; 683, 588 acres, to Arthur 



Land Warrants and Titles. 337 

Bryan. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3276, 250 acres ; 3274, 150 
acres ; 3286, 500 acres ; 3282, 910 acres ; 3281, 820 acres, to Leroy & Link- 
laen. 2930, 2941, 2944, 500 acres each ; 2939, 2947, 2933, 2950, 2966, 2632, 
990 acres each, to Wilhelm WiUink. 

Union. 

Survey of 17S5 : Warrant No. 678, 377 acres, to Samuel Brjan. 677^ 
1 100 acres, to Dr. WiUiam Smith. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 
3394, 1050 acres ; 3391, 700 acres; 3390, 800 acres ; 3395, 860 acres ; 3388, 
900 acres; 3396, 3397, 1 100 acres each ; 3387, 550 acres ; 3398, 600 acres, to 
Robert Gilmore. 2401, iioo acres; 3400, 500 acres; 3403, 150 acres, to 
Thomas M. Willing. 

Beaver. 

Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3244, 3065, 3072, 3274, 500 acres 
each ; 3043, 3042, 3028, 3014, 2998, 3004, 3207, 990 acres each ; 3205, 3202, 
600 acres each, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2936, 990 acres, to Wilhelm Willink. 

Polk. 

Warrant No. 2765, 600 acres; 2748, 2956, 800 acres each; 2733, 2860, 
2750, 2744, 281 1, 900 acres each; 2901, 931 acres, to Wilhelm Willink. 
3926, 1039 acres; 3925, 1023 acres; 3928, 1098 acres, to Nicholson & Mc- 
Pherson. 3939, 1024 acres ; 3938, 1023 acres, to Francis Nicholls. 4022, 
1028 acres ; 4023, 4017, 1026 acres each ; 4016, 383 acres, to John Nicholson. 
547, 600 acres ; 325, 679 acres, to T. Pickering. 631, 265 acres, to I. Gor- 
don. 315, 309 acres, to Samuel Bole. 571, 406 acres, to Rev. R. McMurdy. 
287, 287 acres, to H. R. Stry. 105, 105 acres to E. Heath. 500, 500 acres, 
to Samuel Hodgdon. 

Oliver. 

Survey of 17S5 : Warrant No. 247,307 acres; 527, 301 acres, to J. D. 
Sargeant. 108, 331 acres, to James Gilchrist. Survey of 1792 to 1794 : War- 
rant No. 3271, 905 acres ; 3041, 3029, 3208, 2997, 990 acres each ; 3030, 959 
acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3298, 998 acres; 2935, 2930, 990 acres each ; 
2964, 2908, 2938, 905 acres each ; 2807, 1065 acres ; 3006, 816 acres ; 2830, 
795 acres; 2646, 871 acres; 2400, 978 acres; 2401, 1006 acres; 2622, 999 
acres; 2615, 711 acres, to Wilhelm Willink. 

Knox. 

Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3971, 3969, 3967, 3966, 3965, 3953, 
103s acres each ; 3963, 3961, 3951, 3949, 3960, 3959, 3958, lOOO acres each ; 
3968, 1065 acres; 3952, 3950, 1094 acres each, to Jeremiah Parker. 



338 History of Jefferson County. 



Bell. 

Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 318, 442, 311 acres each, to George Latti- 
more. 520, 200 acres to T. Pickering & Co. Survey of 1792 to 1794: War- 
rant No. 3288, 900 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2618, 440 acres; 2372, 940 
acres ; 2904, 2765, 918 acres each ; 2761, 910 acres ; 2762, 892 acres ; 2745, 
942 acres, to Wilhelm WiUink. 4036, lOOO acres, to John Nicholson. 

McCalmont. ' 

Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 2764, 2917, 2957, 1002 acres each; 
2961, 462 acres ; 2990, 916 acres ; 2763,975 acres; 2806,918 acres; 2849, 
921 acres; 2626, 1009 acres; 2621, 1051 acres; 2620, 994 acres ; 2919,2616, 
593 acres each, to Wilhelm WiUink & Co. 2973, 2975, 3956, lOOO acres each ; 
3954, 1094 acres to Jeremiah Parker. 

Henderson. 

Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 520, 241 acres; 525,416 acres; 249,456 
acres ; 144, 540, 433 acres each, to Timothy Pickering & Co. 135, 332 acres; 
271, 438 acres; 60, 437 acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 544, 435 acres, to James 
Gilchrist. 461, 717 acres, to James Hutchinson. Survey of 1792 to 1794: 
Warrant No. 5736, 234 acres ; 3870, 410 acres ; 5735, 986 acres ; 3862, 614 
3863, 610 acres to Dr. William Cathcart, 3794, lOOO acres, to Rev. Robert 
Cathcart. 3874, 620 acres ; 3883, 617 acres, to Henry Geddis. 5826, 459 
acres, to H. Luftborough. Surve\' of later date : 248 acres to W. Campbell ; 
60 acres to J. Brad}'. 

The different towns and \-illages of the county are situated on the following 
original warrants i; Brookville, on warrant 394, T. Pickering, original owner; 
Reynoldsville, on warrant 3875, Henry Geddis, original owner ; Brockwayville, 
on warrants 84, 81, and 35, H. Syphert, D. Kennedy, and E. Bradley, original 
owners; Corsica, on warrant 681, Dr. William Smith, original owner; Sum- 
merville, on warrant 378, Leroy & Linklaen, original owners; Port Barnett, 
on warrant 390, T. Pickering & Co., original owners; Big Run, on warrant 

525, T. Pickering & Co., original owners ; Punxsutawney, on warrant , 

Samuel Findley, original owner ; Perrysville, Mason warrant ; Sprankles Mills, 
on line of warrants No. 3298 and 3925 ; Cool Spring, where James Gray lived. 
No. 2964 ; Walston (Coal Mines), warrant 3054, Leroy & Linklaen, original 

owners ; Adrian (Coal Mines), warrant 3955, Jeremiah Parker ; Clayville , 

warrant 3055 ; Emerickville, on warrant No. 3947, Jeremiah Parker, original 
owner ; Fuller's Station, on warrant No. 3959, Jeremiah Parker ; Richards- 

ville, on warrant ; Mayville, on warrant 341, Timothy Pickering, original 

owner; Sigel, on warrant 3356, Robert Gilmore, original owner; Knoxdale, 

iThe list of original warrants were furnished by Mr. Eli Coulter. 



The Bench and Bar. 339 



on warrant 3961, Jeremiah Parker, original owner ; Ringgold, on warrant 2939, 
Wilhelm Willink & Co., original owners ; Sandy Valley, on warrant 187, Tim- 
othy Pickering, original owner; Rockdale Mills, on warrant 2955, Wilhelm 
Willink & Co., original owners; Belleview, on warrant 3196, Leroy & Link- 
laen. 

A List of Survey d Lands of Dr. Smith's Estate 1 — Lands in Partnership 
with John Nicholson. — Warrants dated December 21, 1792, No. 3549 to 3566 
inclusive. 

Quantities of land warrants, 3549 to 3560 inclusive, 500 acres each. (Smith). 

Quantities of land warrants, 3561 to 3566 inclusive, looo acres each. (Nich- 
olson). 

The first lot in name of Warrantee William Smith — 6000 acres. 

The last lot in name of Warrantee John Nicholson — 5000 acres. 

Nearly all the land on east side Big Toby's Creek. 
"February, 18 13. 

" Plot I of 334,950 I Acres of Land, | purchased by | Benjamin B. Cooper 
and Oliver Wayne Ogden, | of the Holland Land Co., | situate in the counties 
of M'Kean and Jefferson 

" In the printed draught I find these lands are located to the right and left 
of Toby's Creek, on Cooper Creek, Mill Creek, Iron Creek, Furnace Creek, 
and others not named, in Jefferson county. Cooper's Port situated at the con- 
fluence of Furnace and Cooper Creeks. 

" Each settler shall receive fifty acres as a bounty, to be selected by him- 
self in a square form, out of any land not sold or settled — additional land, $2 
per acre, payable in five and seven years, free of interest for two years." 



CHAPTER XXVUI. 

THE BENCH AXD BAR. 

The First Court held in Jefferson County— The Early Lawyers— The Pioneers, whose Fame 
yet Survives — The Patriotism of the Bar — Memliers who have Risen to Eminence — The Bar 
Represented in the Councils of the State, in the Halls of Congress and on the Supreme Bench — ■ 
The Eminent Dead — Resident Members. 

THE bench and bar of Jefferson county, since its organization in 1830, has 
admitted many members who have since risen to eminence in their profes- 
sion, and in other walks of life. Many of the older members have passed away — 
have been summoned to appear before a higher tribunal, some of whom, hav- 

1 Furnished by J. W. Jordon, of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 



340 History of Jefferson County. 

ing exchanged the brief for the sword, died gloriously on the field of battle ; 
while others have lived to a good old age, and have seen the students, whom 
they trained for the forum, occupying prominent places at this bar and in the 
higher courts, in the halls of the national Congress and councils of the nation ; 
while others have died just at the outset of their career, which gave promise of 
success and usefulness. 

The Bench. 

The first term of court was held in the upper rooms of the old jail, in De- 
cember, 1830, and was presided over by Hon. Thomas Burnside, of Bellefonte, 
who resigned in 1835, Hon. Nathaniel Eldred being appointed to fill his place. 
He, too, resigned and was succeeded by Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of 
Frankhn, and on the expiration of his term of office Hon. Joseph Bufiington, of 
Kittanning, was appointed. The office was then, under the new constitution, 
made elective, and Hon. John C. Knox, of Tioga county, was elected in 1851, 
but resigned in 1853, on account of his appointment to the Supreme bench of 
the State. Judge Knox was succeeded by Hon. John S. McCalmont, of 
Franklin, who was appointed to fill the vacancy, but in 1861 Judge McCal- 
mont resigned to accept the colonelcy of the Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania 
Reserves, and made a brilliant war record. Judge McCalmont is now com- 
missioner of customs in the treasury department of the United States at Wash- 
ington City. 

Hon. Glenni W. Scofield, of Warren, was appointed by Governor Curtin to 
fill Judge McCalmont's unexpired term, and no one has been closer identified 
with the political history of Jefferson county since that time, than Mr. Scofield. 
In 1S62 he was elected to Congress from the nineteenth district, of which Jef- 
ferson county then formed a part, and served in that body for five consecutive 
terms. During the trying days of the war Mr. Scofield proved an able and 
patriotic legislator, upholding the hands of the president, and proving faithful 
to the interests of his constituents. Judge Scofield was appointed registrar of 
the treasury by President Grant, which position he held until President Hayes 
appointed him a member of the Court of Claims of the United States. His 
home is still in Warren, Pa. 

Hon. James Campbell, who next donned the ermine, was born in Mifflin 
county on the 13th of July, 1813. He was educated in the academy at Ger- 
mantown, and Lafayette and Jefferson colleges, graduating at the latter institu- 
tion in-the class of 1837. After he had thus obtained a thorough and classi- 
cal education he read law in Lewistown, Pa., and was admitted to the bar 
there. Mr. Campbell removed to the then new town of Clarion in 1840, and 
was admitted to the bar at the first court held in that county on the first Mon- 
day of November, 1 840, and soon acquired a good practice and became the 
leader of the early bar of Clarion. In 1847 he was married to a daughter of 



The Bench and Bar. 



341 



Rev. J. R. Hallock, and has since that time made Clarion his home. In the 
fall of 1S61 he was elected president judge of the district composed of the coun- 
ties of Mercer, Venango, Clarion, Jefterson and Forest. This was a large and 
laborious district, but in 1866 the two western counties were cut off and 
erected into a new judicial district. At the end of the term, in 1871, Judge 
Campbell returned to the practice of law, and continued until the sprino- of 
1886, when he retired to private life. During his term of office he adminis- 
tered justice in a capable and satisfactory manner. He is now president of the 
Clarion State Normal Association. 

Hon. William Parsons Jenks was born in Punxsutawney. His father, Dr. 
John W. Jenks, whose history is given elsewhere in this volume, was one of 
the pioneers of the county, and William P. was raised amid the privations and 
toils that beset the early settlers. In September, 1843, he removed to Brook- 
ville and entered the law office of his brother, D. B. Jenks, esq., as a student, 
and was admitted to the bar in September, 1845. In December, of the same 
year, he was married to Miss Sarah Catharine Corbet,. daughter of James and 
Rebecca Corbet, and has since that time resided in Brookville. He was elected a 
member of the Legislature in 1866 and 1867, and in 1871 was elected president 
judge of the eighteenth judicial district, composed of the counties of Jefferson 
and Clarion, being the only citizen of the county who, from its formation to 
the present time, has been elected to preside over its courts. Judge Jenks re- 
tired from the bench January i, 1882, and resumed the practice of law in 
Brookville, but upon the appointment of his brother, Hon. George A. Jenks 
to be solicitor- general of the United States, he assumed the place of the latter 
as attorney for Mr. John E. Du Bois ; and as the oversight of this immense busi- 
ness demands nearly all his attention, he is obliged to spend most of his time 
at Du Bois. There are few abler attorneys or jurists in the State than Judge 
Jenks. 

Hon. James B. Knox, the next to assume the judicial robe in this district, 
was born in Knoxville, Tioga county, November 4, 1831, his parents dying when 
he was four years of age. He removed with his brother, John C. Knox, to 
the western part of the State, and was educated at Jefferson college. He stud- 
ied law with Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, and afterwards at Kit- 
tanning, under his brother, Hon. John C. Knox, and was admitted to the bar 
in 1S52. In the following year he settled at Clarion, and was married in 1855. 
He went into the army as captain of Co. E. Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania 
Reserves, and was successively promoted to major and lieutenant colonel of 
his regiment. He participated in all the hard-fought battles in which the re- 
serves took part. The exposure and hardships endured during these cam- 
paigns brought on asthma and weakness of the lungs, which finally caused his 
death. Colonel Knox resigned from the army November 23, 1863. In 1873 
he entered into partnership with J. T. Maffet, esq., and was very successful in 

40 



342 History of Jefferson County. 

practice. He was elected on tlie Democratic ticket president judge of the Jef- 
ferson-Clarion district in i8Si, taking his seat on the bench in January, 1882. 
Judge Knox died after a very brief illness, at the American House, in Brook- 
ville, December 22, 1884, just after he had finished the term of court. He 
was an able lawyer, a brave soldier and a good citizen. 

Hon. William L. Corbet was born on his father's farm, near Clarion, in 
February, 1826. He was educated in the common schools and Clarion acad- 
emy, and studied law with D. W. Foster, esq., of Clarion, and was admitted te 
the bar of Clarion county in 1847. He was deputy attorney-general of the 
State from 1848 to 1850, and a delegate to the constitutional convention in 
1873, and was elected to the State Senate from the twenty-eighth district in 
1876. Mr. Corbet was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of 
Judge Knox, by Governor Pattison, and served as president judge until Janu- 
ary, 1886. Judge Corbet was admitted to this bar at the February term, 1847, 
and has practiced a great deal in the courts of the county, being interested in 
many of the most important cases brought before them. He is a prominent 
and well-known Democratic politician, and is recognized as one of the leading 
Jawyers of western Pennsylvania, being particularly strong in argument. 

Hon. Theophilus S. Wilson is now president judge of the eighteenth judi- 
cial district. He is forty-eight years of age, and is a native of Clarion count)-, 
where his grandfather, Robert Wilson, settled in 1801. After leaving the pub- 
lic schools and private instruction, he attended the Brookville academy in 1852, 
and then took a course at Allegheny college, at Meadville, Pa. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar at a special term of court held at Clarion, by Judge Scofield, 
in 1 86 1, and to the bar of Jefferson county at the May term, 1866. His pre- 
ceptor was G. W. Lathey, the oldest member of the Clarion bar. In 1870 he 
formed a partnership with Hon. George A. Jenks, of Brookville, under the 
name of Wilson & Jenks, which firm was very successful, controlling a major- 
ity of the legal business transacted. Later John W. Reed, of Clarion, was ad- 
mitted to the firm. When Judge Wilson retired from the firm, on account of 
his election to the bench, his place in it was taken by his son, Harry Wilson, a 
graduate of Lafayette college, who was admitted to the bar in 1866, and the 
firm is now Reed & Wilson. The legal training of Judge Wilson, through the 
extensive practice of the firm, was of the kind that eminently fitted him, in the 
most direct way, to the promotion as judge. A close student, methodical 
thorough in every detail, and of remarkable industry, he brought to the posi- 
tion a far more than ordinary share of sagacity and high legal ability. When, 
four years ago. Clarion county was made by the State Legislature a separate 
judicial district, with 40,000 population, Mr. Wilson was the only attorney 
presented by the Clarion county bar for appointment, but Governor Hoyt ve- 
toed the bill. When the late Judge Knox was a candidate forjudge, Wilson re- 
ceived the unanimous vote of the Clarion county convention of his party, but 




-/. 



-^ Ci CL<i_ 




The BExMch and Bar. 343 



declined the district nomination and refused to be a candidate against Judge 
Knox, whose majority was over 1,700 in Clarion county. Judge Wilson was 
elected president judge in 1885. 

Supreme Benxh. 

Jefferson county is honored in having one of her oldest citizens occupj^ing 
a place as one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the State. Isaac Gran- 
tham Gordon was born in Lewisburg, Union county, Pa., December 22, 18 19. 
His father, Zacheus Gordon, was a native of Northumberland county ; the 
family being originally from Scotland, but his grandfather having removed to 
Ireland, they were known as Scotch-Irish. When a boy he learned the trade 
of a moulder, with the intention of becoming an iron founder, but having one 
of his feet accidentally injured by molten iron, he relinquished that idea, and 
being of a very studious disposition, and with a taste for classical and scientific 
pursuits, he applied himself to his books, and with the aid he received in the 
common schools and one term at the Lewisburg Academy, he acquired by dint 
of strong perseverance, a liberal classical and scientific education. 

In 1 841 he entered the law office of James F, Linn, of Lewisburg, and con- 
tinued his legal studies for two years, when he was admitted in April, 1843, to 
practice in the courts of Union county. In July of that year, he removed to 
Curwensville, Clearfield county, where he opened an office, and shortly after 
entered into partnership with Hon. George R. Barrett. In 1846 he located in 
Brookville, and entered into partnership in the practice of law with Elijah 
Heath, which was continued until Judge Heath's removal to Pittsburgh, in 
1850. 

In 1847 Mr. Gordon was married to Miss Mary C. Jenks, daughter of Dr. 
John W. Jenks, of Punxsutavvney. In 1S60 and 1861 he represented the dis- 
trict composed of Jefferson, Clearfield, Elk and McKean in the State Legisla- 
ture, being made chairman of the General Judiciary Committee during the lat- 
ter session. In 1866 he was appointed by Governor Hartranft president judge 
of the new judicial district formed from the counties of Mercer and Venango, 
taken from the eighteenth district, to serve until the next election. 

Judge Gordon continued to practice at this bar from the time of his admis- 
sion until he was elected at the October election in 1873, to the Supreme 
Bench. His term of office will expire January I, 1889. Owing to the death 
of Chief Justice Mercur, on the 4th day of June, 1887, Mr. Gordon is now chief 
justice. Justice Gordon is still a resident of Brookville, and his only son, 
Cadmus Z. Gordon, is a member of this bar. 

The Bar. 

We give the names of the members of the Jefferson county bar, as they 
have been recorded on the annals of the court, in the order in which they were 



344 History of Jefferson County. 

admitted to practice. Many of these attorneys were not residents of this county, 
but were regularly admitted to this bar, and practiced in our courts, and the 
history of the bar would not be complete without them. 
Admitted at December Term, 1830. 

Thomas Blair, of Kittanning, came here occasionally ; now dead. 

Thomas White, of Indiana, practiced in this court for many years, and was 
identified with the early history of the county, having acted as agent for the 
sale of the Pickering and other lands. He was president judge of the district 
composed of the counties of Indiana, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Cambria, 
for a number of years prior to his death which occurred in 1866. 

George W. Smith, of Butler, practiced in the courts of Jefferson county for 
ten or fifteen years, was afterward president judge of his district. 

Joseph W. Smith, of Clearfield, was here occasionally. 

John Johnston, of Clearfield, was here occasionally. 

William Banks, of Indiana, practiced in this court for many years. 

Hugh Brady. 

Robert E. Brown, of Kittanning, came here occasionally. 

February Term, 183 1. 

Joseph Martin. 

William Watson, of Kittanning, Pa., came here occasionally. 

Joseph Bufiington, of Bellefonte, practiced at this bar for many years ; was 
appointed president judge of this district, and afterward served as member of 
Congress from his district, and president judge of the Armstrong district. 

September Term, 1831. 

Cephas J. Dunham, of Brookville. 

Ephraim Carpenter, of Indiana, came here for many years. 

Lewis W. Smith, of Clearfield, came here occasionally. 

Benjamin Bartholomew resided in Brookville a number of years, and rep- 
resented the district in the Legislature in 1846. He removed from Brookville 
to Warren, and then to Schuylkill county, where he was afterwards district 
attorney. Hon. Linn Bartholomew, his son, was born in Brookville. 

Decetnber Term, 1833. 

Michael Gallagher of Kittanning, was a prominent attorney of Armstrong 
county, but only occasionally practiced at this bar. 

James McManus, of Bellefonte, came here occasionally. 
February Teri)i, 1834. 

William F. Johnston, of Kittanning, practiced regularly at this bar for many 
years ; was afterwards governor of Pennsylvania. 

May Term, 1834. 
C. A. Alexander. 
James Burnside, of Bellefonte, only practiced at this bar occasionally ; was 



The Bench and Bar. 345 



afterwards appointed president judge of tlie Centre district. Judge Burnside 
married a daugliter of Hon. Simon Cameron. 

February Term, 1835. 

Michael Dan McGeehan, of Ebensburg, a prominent citizen, and one of the 
oldest and best known members of the bar of Cambria county ; came here oc- 
casionally. 

General William R. Smith, from the eastern part of the State, was only here 
once ; removed to Du Buque, la. 

May Term 1835. 
Hiram Payne, of McKean county, practiced at this bar, regularly for a num- 
ber of years. He was engaged in the sale of lands, and was a member of the 
State Constitutional Convention of 1837. 

September Term, 1835. 

Lewis B. Dunham, of Brookville, was the first man admitted on examina- 
tion to the Jefferson county bar, and the first law student in the county. He 
practiced here for a number of years, and then removed to the West, and is 
now engaged in the banking business in Maquoketa, la. Mr. Dunham did not 
practice his profession after he left Brookville. He has represented Iowa in 
the State Senate. 

Stewart Steele, of Blairsville. 

September Term, 1836. 

Richard Arthurs, of Brookville, has continued to practice at this bar ever 
since his admission, and is the oldest member of the bar now living. He was 
elected district attorney in 1850. He has seen nearly all the present members 
of the bar grow up from childhood. 

About this time's. A. Purviance, of Butler, Henry Souther, of Ridgway 
and Benjamin F. Lucas, of Brookville, were admitted, but there is no record 
of their admission. Mr. Lucas resided in Brookville for many years, remov- 
ing to Pittsburgh about the time the war broke out. Mr. Souther now 
resides in Erie. 

December Term, 1835. 

Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, practiced for many years at this bar, 
and was president judge of the district. 

James Ross Snowden, of Franklin, a prominent attorney and politician, 
came here occasionally. 

Elijah Heath, of Brookville. 

David Barclay Jenks, of Brookville. 

December Term, 1839. 

William M. Stewart, of Indiana, attended court here frequently for many 
years, and was a very prominent attorney. Mr. Stewart has been for a num- 
ber of years engaged in the banking business in Philadelphia. 



346 History of Jefferson County. 

September Term, 1839. 
John W. Howe, of Franklin, came here regularly for many years. He 
was a prominent attorney and was elected member of Congress from his dis- 
trict. 

Thomas Struthers, of Warren, also came here regularly for many years. 

December Term, 1840. 
Thomas Lucas, of Brookville. 

September Term, 1842. 
J. W. McCabe, of Kittanning, came here a few times. 

February Term, 1843. 
Carlton B. Curtis, of Warren, came here frequently ; elected to the Legisla- 
ture and Congress twice from the districts of which Jefiferson county formed a 
part. Mr. Curtis served as colonel of the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers. He removed after the war from Warren to Erie, where he died a few 
years ago. He was prominent as an attorney, a soldier, and a politician. 
Andrew Mosgrave, of Kittanning, came here occasionally. 

May Term, 1843. 
David S. Deering, of Brookville, read law, was admitted, and practiced at 
this bar for several years. He now resides in Iowa, and has quit the profession. 

February Term, 1844. 
C. W. Leffingwell. 

May Term, 1844. 
Ephraim Buffington, of Kittanning, came here occasionally; still resides in 

Kittanning. 

September Term, 1 844. 
Edward Shippen, of Meadville, Pa., only attended court here a few times. 
John S. McCalmont. 

December Term, 1844. 
C. W. Carskadden, of Mercer, or Franklin, came here once or twice. 
Edwin C. Wilson, of Mercer, or Franklin, came here once or twice. 

May Term, 1845. 
John Potter, jr. 

September Term, 1845. 
W. P. Jenks, of Brookville. 

December Term, 1845. 
Isaac G. Gordon, of Brookville. 

February Term, 1847. 
William L. Corbet, of Clarion. 

May Term, 1847. 
John W. Mish, of Pittsburgh, came here but once. 

George W. Zeigler, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until 1869, when he 
removed to Selin's Grove, Snyder county, and subsequently to Sunbury, where 



The Bench and Bar. 



347 



he resides and practices his profession. Mr. Zeigler was a prominent attorney 
and poHtician, being twice elected on the Democratic ticket to the Legislature 
from this district. 

Edward Hutchison, of Brookville, read law and was admitted here, but 
never practiced at this bar ; removed to Indiana, and from there to Ebensburg 
where he died. 

February Term, 1849. 

George W. Smith, of Butler, came here regularly for a number of years. 
He was a good lawyer and a prominent Wiiig politician. 

Guthire P. Reed. 

John K. Coxson, of Brookville. 

Titian J. Coffey, of Indiana, a prominent attorney, practiced here for a 
number of years; was afterwards State Senator, and appointed attorney-gen- 
eral of the United States from 1861 to 1865. Mr. Coffey resides in Washing- 
ton, D. C. 

May Term, 1849. 

James S. Myers, of Franklin, Pa., came here regularly to attend court for 
several years. 

September Term, 1847. 

George W. Andrews, a native of Fryburg, Me., in 1844, removed to Penn- 
sylvania, and resided in Lebanon and Lancaster counties until June i, 1847, 
when he located in Brookville, and practiced at this bar until he removed to 
Denver, Col, in November, 1873, where he still resides, and is engaged in 
practicing his profession. Mr. Andrews was a prominent lawyer, and a good 
citizen. In 1873 he was a member of the constitutional convention. 

December Term, 1849. 

David Barclay, of Brookville, was for many years, until his removal to Pitts- 
burg in i860, one of the most prominent attorneys at the Brookville bar, an 
influential citizen and a strong politician, being elected on the Whig ticket to 
Congress from this district in 1854. Mr. Barclay now resides in Kittanning 
where he is practicing law. 

May Term, 185 i. 

Samuel Sherwell, of Kittanning, did not practice here. 

S. Newton Pettis, of Meadvillle, did not practice here. 

September Term, 1 8 5 i . 

L. D. Rodgers, of Brookville, practiced here for a number of years ; 
removed to Franklin, and subsequently to Tacoma, Oregon, where he now 
resides. 

Charles L. Lamberton, a resident of Clarion when admitted, afterwards 
removed to Brookville, where he resided for a few years, then returned to Clar- 
ion, and was elected to the State Senate from this district. After his term of 
office expired he located in the eastern part of the State. 



348 History of Jefferson County. 

September Term, 1852. 
Larry S. Cantwell, of Kittanning, practiced occasionally at this bar. He 
was a prominent attorney and soldier of the late war ; now dead. 
Glenni W. Scofield, of Warren. 

J. Alexander Fulton, of Kittanning, came here occasionally. 
James Boggs, of Clarion, came here occasionally. 

December Term, 1.852. 
William W. Wise, of Brookville. 

A I ay Term, 1853. 
James McCahon, of Brookville, read, was admitted, and practiced here for 
a number of years ; then removed to Kansas, where he died recently. 

Martin R. Cooley, of Brookville, read and was admitted here, and then re- 
moved to Michigan, where he soon afterwards died. 

September Term, 1853. 
W. W. Barr, of Clarion, practices here occasionally. Mr. Barr is a promi- 
nent Democratic politician, and represented the district composed of Jefferson 
and Clarion counties in the State Legislature in 1864 and 1865. 

Charles R. Barclay, of Punxsatawny, read law and was admitted here, but 
did not practice ; soon after removed to Iowa, where he is now practicing med- 
icine. Dr. Barclay is a brother of Hon. David Barclay. 

Decetnber Term, 1853. 
Michael K. Boyer, of Brookville, was elected to the Legislature the same 
year he was admitted to the bar, and never returned to the county to practice. 

February Term, 1854. 
James K. Kerr, of Franklin, practiced here occasionally. He was a good 
lawyer, and a strong Democratic politician, being the candidate for Congress 
in i860, in his district. Mr. Kerr died in Pittsburgh. 
P. W. Jenks, of Punxsutawny. 

Andrew J. Boggs, of Kittanning, came here occasionally. He was elected 
president judge of the Armstrong district, and a few years ago died. 

May Term, 1854. 
Albert Willis, of Ridgway, came here but seldom. 

September Term, 1854. 
Reuben Mickel. 

Samuel J. Fryer, of Brookville, resided here for a number of years ; now 
lives at Parker City, Pa. 

February Term, 1855. 
A. L. Gordan. 
A. A. McKnight. 

May Term, 1855. 
Hon. Gaylord Church, of Meadville ; was here but once. 
Bernard J. Reid, of Clarion, practiced regularly at this bar for many years> 
and is still engaged occasionally in suits in the courts here. 



The Bench and Bar. 



349 



George Rodgers, of Brookville, never practiced ; died soon after admission. 

Mr. Rodgers was a brother of the late Dr. Mark Rodgers. 

September Term, 1855. 

William K. McKee, of Punxsutawney. 

February Term, 1859. 

John Hastings, of Punxsutawney. 

George A. Jenks, of Brookville. 

May Term, 1859. 

John Conrad read law with Hon. A. W. Taylor, in Indiana, Pa., and T. L. 

Heyer, Johnston, Pa. ; was examined and admitted to the bar in Ebensburg, 

Cambria county, in 1856, and subsequently in Indiana and other counties; 

Avent to Marienville, Forest county, in the fall of 1857, and in the spring of 

1859 located in Brookville, Pa. 

Silas M. Clark, of Indiana, practiced here occasionally. He is now one of 

the Justices of the Supreme Court. 

William A. Todd, of Indiana, came here occasionally. 

September Term, 1859. 

Charles Horton, of Ridgway, practiced here but seldom. 

J. C. Chapin, of Ridgway, practiced here but seldom. 

Samuel Dodd, of Franklin, practiced at this bar occasionally. He is a very 

prominent lawyer, and now resides in New York, where he is attorney for the 

Standard Oil Company. Mr. Dodd is a brother of Colonel Levi A. Dodd. 

February Term, i860. 

Reuben C. Winslow, of Punxsutawney. 

September Term, i860. 

James Craig, of Clarion, came here occasionally. 

February Term, 1861. 

E. A. Brooks came to Brookville and was admitted, and then removed to 

Forest county. 

September Term, 1861. 

Charles E. Taylor, of Franklin, Pa., practiced here occasionally ; now pres- 
ident judge of the Franklin district. 

Harry White, of Indiana, now president judge of his district. Judge White 
served as State senator for three terms, and was elected twice to Congress from 
the districts of which Jefferson formed a part. 

Deeembtr Tenn, 1862. 

Alexander C. White, of Brookville; elected district attorney in 1867 and 
1870, and member of Congress in 1884. 

Lewis A. Grunder, of Brookville. 

February Term, 1864. 

Albert C. Thompson, of Brookville, read law in Brookville and admitted to 

41 



3SO History of Jefferson County. 

this bar, but removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1865, where he was in 1872 
elected probate judge of Sciota county, and subsequently president judge of 
his district, which office he resigned to accept the nomination for Congress in 
1884, to which he was elected and re-elected in 1886. 

May Term, 1865. 

Charles S. Andrews, of Brookville, read law here, but after being admitted 
removed to Pithole, Pa., where he opened an office, but soon afterwards re- 
moved to Brazil, Ind., where he is engaged in the banking business. 

J. B. Finlay, of Kittanning, was here but once. 

May Term, 1 866. 

J. W. Patrick, of Clarion, practiced at this bar occasionally. 

W. E. Lathy, of Clarion, practiced at this bar occasionally, now of Tiones- 
ta. Pa. 

T. S. Wilson, of Clarion, now president judge of this district. 

September Term, 1 866. 

R. M. Matson, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until within a few years. 
He still has his library in Brookville, but is now engaged in the lumber busi- 
ness in Forest county. 

V. O. Smith, of Brookville, removed to State of New York in 1868, opened 
law office at Dalton, N. Y., where, in his absence, his office, library and all his 
papers were destroyed by fire. After practicing two years left the bar to be- 
come a farmer in the Genesee valley. 

Decetnber Term, 1 866. 

E. H. Clark, of Brookville. 

John McMurray, of Brookville, was elected a member of the Constitutional 
Convention in 1873, from this district, and in 1875 was appointed a clerk in 
the auditor-general's office, of Pennsylvania, where he remained four years. 
Since 1878 he has been editor of the Brookville Democrat. In July, 1885, 
Major McMurray was appointed chief of the division of lands and railroads, in 
the office of the secretary of the interior of the United States, which position 
he yet retains. 

September Term, 1867. 

William F. Stewart, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until December, 
1S84, when he went to Atlanta, Ga., where he was admitted to the bar. He 
returned to Brookville and resumed his practice in April, 1885. 

February Term, 1868. 
H. Clay Campbell, of Punxsutawney, practiced in Punxsutawney until the 
fall of 1870, when he removed to Indiana, and from there went to Pittsburgh, 
where he practiced until 1879, when he returned to Punxsutawney and pur- 
chased the interest of John Hastings in the firm of Hastings & Brewer. He 
removed to Brookville in July, 1885. 



The Bench and Bar. 



351 



May Term, 1868. 
W. D. J. Marlin. of BrookviUe. 

February Tenn, 1869. 
John H. Fulford. 

February Term, 1871. 
Benton P. Arthurs, of BrookviUe, Pa. 

May Term, 1871. 

William M. Fariman, of Punxsutawney, elected district attorney in 1876. 

Charles M. Brewer, of Punxsutawney. 

John St. Clair, of Punxsutawney. 

December Term, 187 1. 

Camden Mitchell, of Reynoldsville. 

Marion M. Davis read law with A. W. Taylor, esq., of Indiana, and was 
admitted to practice in the courts of Indiana county in 1866. In 1867 he re- 
moved to Osage Mission, Kansas, where he practiced for about a year, when, 
on account of ill health, he was obliged to return to Pennsylvania. In 187 1 
he located in Rejmoldsville, where he served as justice of the peace for a term 
of five years. 

May Term, 1872. 

Charles Corbet, of BrookviUe, elected district attorney in 1873. 

Joseph L. Covin, of Philadelphia, was here but once. 

September Term, 1S73. 
James T. Maffett, of BrookviUe, practiced here for a short time after ad- 
mission, then removed to Clarion, where he has since practiced. Mr. Mafifett 
was elected on the Republican ticket to the present Congress, from this dis- 
trict. 

May Term, 1873. 
John F. Craig, of New Bethlehem, has never practiced at this bar since ad- 
mission. 

February Term, 1874. 
H. W. Walkinshaw, of Greensburg, located here after being admitted, but 
removed in a short time to Saltsburg, Pa. 

Adjourned Term, Jiiite, 1874. 
Thomas T. Ritchey, admitted, and removed to New Bethlehem, then to 
Tionesta, where he is now practicing. 

December TertJi, 1874. 
George W. Hood, of Indiana, now State senator from this district. 

May Term , 1875. 
John T. Dilts, of Punxsutawney, removed to the West after he was ad- 
mitted. 

Henry W. Mundorff, of Punxsutawney, was for some time a member of the 
firm of Conrad & Mundorff, and now clerk to the prothonotary. 
A. J. Monks, of Punxsutawney. 



352 History of Jefferson County. 



September Term, 1875. 
C. C. Benscoter, of Reynoldsville, studied in Williamsport, and was first 
admitted to the bar of Lycoming county, elected district attorney in 1882 and 
removed to Brookville ; re-elected in 1885. 

Decent ber Term , 1875. 
Samuel A. Craig, of Brookville, elected district attorney in 1879. 

Adjourned Term, January, 1876. 
Madison M. Meredith, of Brookville, removed to Edenburg, Clarion county, 
in 1877, ^nd from there to Clarion. He was appointed corporation clerk in 
the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth, during the administration of 
Governor Pattison. 

Adjourned Term, August, 1876. 

C. H. McCauley, of Ridgway, practices occasionally at this bar. 

September Term, 1876. 

D. E. Brenneman, of Brookville. 
George W. Means, of Brookville. 
J. A. Scott, of Brookville. 

C. Bartles, jr., was here but once. 

December Term, 1876. 
Burke Corbet, of Brookville, removed to Grand Forks, Dakota, in May, 
1878, where he is now practicing his profession. 

Frank R. Hindman, of Clarion, seldom attends the courts of this county. 
William A. Hindman, of Clarion, seldom attends the courts of this county. 

February Term, 1877. 
M. F. Leason, of Brookville, removed to Kittanning after admission, where 
he is now practicing his profession. 

John W. Walker, of Brookville, elected justice of the peace for Brookville 
borough in 1885. 

John C. Whitehill, of Brookville. 

May Term, 1877. 
J. M. Hunter, of Kittanning, was here but once. 

September Term, 1877. 
Joseph A. McDonald, of Reynoldsville, has left the county. 
J. J. Frazier, of Clarion, was here but once. 

December Term, 1877. 
A. C. McCombs, of Clarion, was here but once. 

February Term, 1878. 
John E. Calderwood, of Punxsutawney. 

September Term, 1878. 
S. H. Whitehill, of Brookville. 



The Bench and Bar. 355 



February Term, 1879. 
William M. Gillespie, of Punxsutawney, is entirely blind. 
Thomas Sutton, of Indiana, was here but once. 

Septe7nbcr Term, 1879. 
Calvin Rayburn read law in Brookville, but after being admitted located in 
Kittanning, where he is now practicing. 

George T. Rodgers, of Brookville, now cashier of the Jefferson County Na- 
tional Bank, not practicing. 

February Term, 1880. 
A. A. Graham was here but once. 

W. S. Thomas practiced at this bar and resided in Brookville for a year or 
two after being admitted, and then removed to Clearfield. 
Hiram H. Brosius, of Brookville. 

September Term, 1880. 
Cadmus Z. Gordon, of Brookville. 
J. W. Lee, of Franklin. 

February Term, 1881. 
John T. Shannafelt, of Clarion. 

May Term, 1882. 
James M. Corbet, of Brookville, removed to Grand Forks, Dakota, in April, 
1882, where he is now associated with his brother Burke, as Corbet Brothers. 

September Term, 1882. 
John M. Van Vleit, of Brookville. 

Denny C. Ogden, of Brookville, removed to Greensburg after being ad- 
mitted, and is now district attorney of Westmoreland county. 

February Term, 1883. 
Cyrus H. Blood, of Brookville. 

May Term, 1883. 
J. Davis Broadhead, of Bethlehem, comes here occasionally, is interested in 

the sale of coal lands. 

September Term, 1883. 

G. A. Rathburn, of Ridgway, practices occasionally at this bar. 
Alexander J. Truitt, of Punxsutawney. 
J. F. McKenrick was here but once. 

February Term, 1884. 
A. L. Cole, of Du Bois, practices occasionally in these courts. 
Charles B. Earley, of Ridgway, practices occasionally in these courts. 

September Term, 1884. 
Edward A. Carmalt, of Brookville. 

G. S. Crosby, of Kittanning, a prominent attorney of Armstrong county, 
who died in 1886. He was here but once. 

T C. Hippie, of Lock Haven, was here but once. 



354 History of Jefferson County. 

December Term, 1 884. 
John T. Gathers, of Kittanning, was here but once. 
Harry Hall, of St. Marys, was here but once. 

February Term, 1885. 
W. H. Ross, of Clarion. 
George W. Biddle, of Philadelphia. 
George Biddle, of Philadelphia. 
Silas M. Pettit, of Philadelphia. 
John G. Hall, of Ridgway. 

Robert Snodgrass, of Harrisburg, deputy attorney-general of Pennsyl- 
vania. 

May Term, 1885. 

F. J. Maffett, of Clarion. 

September Term, 1885. 
E. L. Davis, of Tionesta. 

December Term, 1885. 
Francis B. Guthrie, of Titusville. 
David I. Ball. 

September Term, 1886. 

G. Ament Blose, of Hay, Jefferson county. 
Charles B. Craig, of New Bethlehem. 

May Term, 1887. 
T. H. Murry, of Clearfield. 
William L. McCracken, of Perry township. 
John W. Bell. 

The Eminent Dead. 

Of those who were admitted to practice in the courts of Jefferson county 
quite a number have been summoned, from time to time, to appear before the 
bar of the court presided over by the Omnipotent Judge. We have taken 
these up in the order in which they were admitted to the bar, and only notice 
at length those who were residents of the county. 

Hugh Brad}' was born at Northumberland, January 29, 1798. He studied 
law with the late Daniel Stanard, of Indiana. On the 6th of September, 1S21, 
he was married at Huntingdon, Pa., to Miss Sarah S. Evans, and removed to 
Brookville May 5, 1832. He was admitted to the bar of Jefferson county at 
the December term (the first court), 1830, and his name is the seventh on the 
records of the court. He attended all the subsequent terms of court until he 
removed to Brookville. His father, William P. Brady, who resided in Indiana 
county, was connected with the Nicholson Land Company, and owned, or had 
in charge, much of the land surrounding the borough in Rose township. He 
was a surveyor, and was frequenth- here in that capacity in the early days of 
the county. He was a grandson of Captain John Brady, the great Indian 



The Bench and Bar. 355 



fighter, from whom Hugh Brady derived his taste for mihtary affairs, and from 
whom also his son. Captain Evans R. Brady, inherited the heroism that he 
displayed so often on the field of battle, and which caused him to at last give 
his life for the country for which so many generations of his ancestors had 
fought, but for whom the honor of " dying for the flag" was reserved. 

Mr. Brady was generally known as "Colonel" Hugh Brady, having been 
appointed aid to Governor Johnston, with the rank of colonel. Colonel Brady 
died at his residence in Brookville, September 4, 1861. Mrs. Brady died Sep- 
tember 10, 1865. The only survivor of the family is Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, 
who is now among the very few who can remember Brookville as a wilderness. 

The next name on the list of the dead is that of Cephas J. Dunham, who 
was admitted to the bar at the September term, 1831, and practiced until his 
death in 1843. He is buried in the old grave-yard. None of his family reside 
in the county, and no record can be found of him except what we give above. 

Caleb A. Alexander, admitted May term, 1834. He was one of the first 
board of trustees of the Brookville Academy, and was elected county auditor 
in 1838. He was a prominent attorney, and one of the first and most earnest 
advocates of the public school system in Jefferson county. He resided in 
Brookville until about the }'ear 1842, when he removed to Memphis, Tenn., 
where he died during the late war. 

Elijah Heath was born in Warren county, N. J., in October, 1796. When 
about eighteen years of age he served in the State Militia during the War of 
1812-15. He first came to Jefferson county in 1820, and remained until 1822, 
when he returned to New Jersey, and was married that year to Miss Mary W. 
Jenks, sister of Dr. John W. Jenks. He then moved to Punxsutawney, where 
he lived until about 1832, when he settled in Brookville. He read law with 
Benjamin Bartholomew, and was admitted to the bar at the December term, 
I S3 5. He entered into partnership with Isaac G. Gordon in 1846, which 
partnership, under the firm name of Heath & Gordon, was continued until 
August 9, 1850, when it was dissolved on account of Judge Heath's removal 
from Brookville. 

Mr. Heath was, from the very first, connected with the political history of 
the county; we first find him a candidate for constable of Perry township 
(which then embraced Punxsutawney) in 1821, to which office he was elected 
in 1823. He was elected county commissioner in 1829, and in 1830 Governor 
Wolf appointed him one of the first associate judges for the county, which 
office he resigned in 1835. In 1831 he was elected one of the justices of the 
peace for the borough of Brookville. In the docket kept by him during the 
time he held this office we find that he done quite a large matrimonial busi- 
ness, many of the older citizens of the county being joined in wedlock by him. 
Among the first to visit him in this capacity were Hiram Carrier and Marga- 
ret Brocius, Dr. C. G. M. Prime and Catharine Wagley ; then, a year later, 



356 History of Jefferson County. 

appears the record of the marriage of James C Matson, of Rose township, and 
Harriet Potter, of Pine Creek, parents of Drs. C. M. and VV. F. Matson. 

Judge Heath was one of the early members of the Methodist Church, and 
was one of the first class formed in Brookville. He was an avowed Abolitionist 
in those days, when it was a heinous offense to raise a voice against slavery, 
and we have already recorded how dearly he paid for helping two poor slaves 
to escape from the Brookville jail. 

In 1850 Judge Heath removed to Pittsburgh, where he resided until 1863, 
when, shortly after the death of his wife, who died in October, 1863, he re- 
turned to his native State. He died at New Monmouth, N. J., in May, 1875. 
His only surviving child is John Heath, of Bay City, Mich. 

David Barclay Jenks, eldest son of Dr. John W. Jenks, was born in the 
State of New Jersey in 181 5 or 18 16, and came with his parents to Punxsu- 
tawney in 1S18. He received such education as the county afforded, and at- 
tended Washington College, where he graduated, and read law and was admitted 
to the bar of Jefferson county in 183-, and then located in Brookville. Both his 
brothers, William P. and Phineas W. read law with him. He was very success- 
ful as an attorney, and became one of the most prominent citizens of the new 
town„ but just when his career seemed to be begun, he was stricken down by 
disease while attending court at Clarion, and died after a few hours' illness. 
May 6, 1848. Mr. Jenks married Miss Sydney Jack, daughter of Colonel 
William Jack, now Mrs. George W. Andrews, of Denver, Colorado. They had 
two children — Mary H., married to Dr. John Mechling, now residing in Den- 
ver, and Annie W., married to Thomas H. Kingman, now a resident of Orange, 

N.J. 

Samuel Barclay Bishop, son of Rev. Dr. Gara Bishop and Mrs. Sarah 
Bishop, was born in Philadelphia, July 19, 1815, and came to Brookville in 
July, 1835, and was admitted to the bar about the year 1837. On the 17th 
of June, 1842, he was married to Miss Esther Hall. Mr. Bishop was one of 
the first attorneys at the bar, and a prominent and influential citizen. He died 
March 26, 1856, and August 18, of the same year, his wife followed him to the 
tomb, leaving four sons. Of these, Ely, the youngest born, died October 18, 
1869, and Charles Morris died March 18, 1876, in the twenty-fourth year of 
his ace. Dr. William G. and Samuel Barclay Bishop, the other sons, both 
reside in Brookville, the latter on the same lot, on Main street, where their 
parents lived and died. 

Jesse G. Clark, son of William and Susannah Clark, was born January 22, 
1816, and came with his parents to Brookville in October, 1830. In 1S37 he 
was admitted to the bar of Jefterson county, and in 1840 was elected to the 
office of treasurer. On the loth day of October, 1838, he was married to Miss 
Sarah W. Hastings, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Hastings, the result of 
this union being two sons and one daughter. Mr. Clark enjoyed a lucrative 



The Bench and Bar. 357 



practice, and was one of the most prominent citizens of the county. He died 
February 4, 1847. Of the sons, EHjah Heath, the eldest, is now a prominent 
member of the same bar at which his father practiced in its early days, and is 
a resident of Brookville. William T., the younger son, died June 20, 1885, in 
his forty- first year, leaving a wife and six children. He was a gallant soldier, 
serving in the first three months service, and for almost two years in Company 
E, One Hundred and Forty- eighth Regiment, being promoted to first lieuten- 
ant of his company. He was severely wounded at Chancellorsville. Clara 
Adelaide, the daughter, died December 18, 1846, in the second year of her 
age. Mrs. Clark, now Mrs. Means, having become the wife of Captain R. R. 
Means, whom she also survives, is still a resident of Brookville. 

Thomas Lucas was one of the first settlers in Jefferson county, and one of 
the first justices of the peace in the county, his old " docket " showing that he 
held that office in Pine Creek, and then in Brookville, after the county seat 
was established from 18 10 to 1S40, the first entry being Januar}- 15, 18 10, and 
the last March 16, 1840. In 1835 he was appointed prothonotary. Mr 
Lucas was admitted to practice in the several courts of the county at the 
December term, 1840, when he was over fifty years of age, and practiced until 
his death, which took place in 1847. The record on his tomb-stone in the old 
grave-yard, reads as follows: "Thomas Lucas, died February 11, 1847, aged 
sixty-four years." At the time of his death Mr. Lucas resided in the house, 
which he had built, opposite the United Presbyterian Church, now the prop- 
erty of John J. Thompson. The only member of his family living is his 
daughter, Nancy, now the wife of Dr. R. T. Henry, of Princeville, Lewis 
county, 111. 

John K. Coxson was born in Mercer county, July 8, 181 2, and came to 
Jefferson county in 1848, locating in Brookville, in the same year. He was 
admitted to the Erie Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1842, 
and appointed to Wiliiamsfield, in the Warren district. He afterwards filled 
the appointments at Clintonville, Red Bank, Luthersburg, and Punxsutawney. 
The History of the Erie Conference, in the record of the year 1846, says : 
" Rev. John K. Coxson settled in Jefferson county, Pa., where he entered the 
practice of pleading law." He read law for two years with Judge Thompson, 
of Venango county, and one year in the office of George W. Zeiglcr, esq., of 
Brookville, and was admitted to the bar of Jefferson county in 1849. January 
24, 1850, he was married to Miss Thetis Thom, of Luthersburg, Clearfield 
county, and that same year removed to Punxsutawney, where he resided until 
his death, which occurred July 16, 1879. Mr. Coxson continued the practice 
of his profession until his death, but devoted considerable time to portrait 
painting and to literary work, and was engaged in the newspaper business for 
about five years. He was a man of more than usual mental abilities, and of 
great versatility of talent. 

42 



358 History of Jefferson County. 

William Williams Wise was born in Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., 
on the 27th day of April, 1827. At an early age he attended the old academy 
in Greensburg, where his manly, honest character, endeared him to both his 
teachers and fellow pupils. At the age of fourteen, when already well advanced 
in the classics, he entered the office of the Indiana Register, in Indiana, Pa., 
where he learned the art of printing. While here he " burned the midnight 
oil " to prepare himself for the study of law. During his apprenticeship he pub- 
lished several poems which bore the impress of unusual literary merit. In 1847 
the Me.xican War broke out, and young Wise laid down the composing stick 
for the musket, and enlisted in Company D, Second Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
and was mustered into the service at Pittsburgh, January 4, 1847. He re- 
mained with his company until December 25, when he was placed on detached 
Service, by order of General Patterson. In March or April he rejoined his 
company, and was mustered out of service at Pittsburgh, July 14, 1848. Dur- 
ing his stay in Me.xico, he edited and printed a paper, at General Scott's liead- 
quarters in the city of Me.xico. At the close of the war he decided to locate 
in Brookville, where his father owned some land, and June 8. 1849, entered into 
partnership with Captain Evans R. Brady, in the publication of the Jeffcrsou- 
ian. In December, 1851, the partnership of Brady & Wise was dissolved by 
'Captain Wise retiring. In 1850 he was elected to the Legislature from the 
district composed of Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong. He was one of the 
most able and brilliant members of that body. At that time he was a Demo- 
crat in politics, but when the Republican party was formed he warmly es- 
poused its principles, and soon became one of the acknowledged leaders of the 
new party in Jefterson county. In 1858 he was the choice of Jefferson county 
for Congress, but withdrew his name at the convention in favor of Chapin 
Hall, who was nominated and elected. In December, 1852, he was admitted 
to the bar of Jefferson county, and was for a time a partner of Hon. D. 
Barclay. He was an able and successful attorney. On the 30th of August, 
1855, he was married to Miss Evaline Taylor, eldest daughter of Hon. Philip 
Taylor, of Brookville. When the war cloud burst over the land, Captain 
Wise closed his law office, bade adieu to his wife and little boy, and promptly 
enlisted in defense of his country. He was elected captain of one of the 
first three months companies from Jefferson county, Company I of the Eighth 
Pennsylvania. Soon after these companies reached the front. Captain Wise 
was selected to go into the enemy's lines, and endeavor to gain information 
as to the number and disposition of the enemy's forces, and his plan of op- 
eration. We can best give an account of this hazardous service by quoting 
from a letter -Hritten by him to his wife. May 30, 1861: "Colonel Irwin, 
who was then commanding the Third Brigade, ordered me to make a recon- 
noissance of the enemy's post at Sheppardstown, Williamsport, and along 
the line of the Potomac towards Harper's Ferry. Starting the same night 



The Bench and Bar. 359 



(in citizen's dress), I went to Hagerstown, through IVIar)-land, into Virginia, 
penetrated the camp of the secessionists and acquired information that high 
military authorities considered very valuable. It is true that I was liable 
to be hung or shot at any moment, but, you know, the first duty of a soldier is 
to obey the commands of his superiors, no matter what the consequences may 
be. Returning in safety, after several perilous adventures, I was sent to Har- 
risburg, with a report of my expedition, maps of the country through which I 
passed, etc., etc. There a telegraphic message from the secretary of war or- 
dered me to Washington, where I proceeded at once — had an interview with 
General Cameron, dined with him that afternoon, and also had a long and 
confidential conversation with General Scott, with whom I emptied a bottle of 

wine, and smoked a cigar Colonel Irwin, Governor Curtin, the 

secretary of war and General Scott, all unite in pronouncing my service in the 
enemy's country as most important." For this service. Captain Wise was 
promoted by the secretary of war, to a captaincy in the regular arm)-, and 
assigned to Company I, Fifteenth U. S. Infantry, and he at once resigned his 
captaincy in the volunteer service, and reported for duty to his new regiment. 
He was ordered to Johnstown, Pa., to recruit for his regiment, and his wife and 
little boy spent the time of his stay there with him. The Fifteenth was or- 
dered to join the Western Army, under Rosecrans, and Captain Wise was kept 
in active service, constantly taking a gallant part in several battles. At Shi- 
loh liis company was hotly engaged and lost heavily. On the 3 isf of Decem- 
ber, 1862, he was mortally wounded in the battle of Stone River, and died the 
following day. The story of his last fight can best be told in the words of one 
of his brother officers. Captain I. H. Young, of the Fifteenth, who wrote the 
sad intelligence to his wife. ". . . On the morning of the 31st, before 
Murfreesboro, the enemy had driven back the right wing of the army. Our 
brigade of regulars was in the division of the reserve. The moment had 
come, when upon them depended tiie safety or destruction of our entire army. 
A moment terrible in danger. Steadily at the call of our glorious Rousseau, 
the little battalion marched on, and amid the fury of the storm of grape and 
ball and shell, gained the open field he pointed out ; but they could not with- 
stand the hosts of the rebels who had driven back the strong division of the 
right. They fought on, falling back, then again advanced, and drove the foe 
until they reached their former position, not to hold it yet, for the thousands 
of the enemy were still too strong for twelve hundred men, if each had been a 
Rousseau ; again they fell back, again they advanced, and this time there were 
but six hundred hearts to beat on the open field — the field of their glory, and 
the six hundred held the point. The day was ours — the army was safe. It 
was during this glorious time, the proudest in our army's history, the moment 
most sublime even in a soldier's dream, that fell our brother captain. But you 
are not a soldier; whatever there may be of glory comes to you too faintly to 



36o History of Jefferson County. 

be felt or heard jj/c^', amid the waihng and breaking of heart-strings. We offer 
you the fullest sympathy of soldier hearts, and pray you to believe with us, 
that heaven \s just the other side of your soldier's grave. We honored your 
husband, for he possessed the brave man's noblest attributes ; we loved him for 
the oftentimes we had seen and felt the kindly sympathies of his generous 
soul." 

His brother officers having placed the body of Captain Wise in a vault in 
Nashville, to await the wishes of his friends, his remains were brought home by 
Mr. M. H. Shannon, who had been sent for them, and on the loth of Feb- 
ruary, 1863, he was borne to his last home, followed by the entire bar to which 
he had so long been such an ornament. At the court which was then in ses- 
sion, a committee was appointed to draft resolutions on his death, consist- 
ing of Isaac G. Gordon, David Barclay and George A. Jenks, and among oth- 
ers was the following: 

" Resolved, 2, That the bar has lost an ornament — a gentleman of learning 
and ability, and who, from his legal acumen and surpassing eloquence, gave 
promise of a bright and distinguished future, and in whose intercourse was 
combined friendship, courtesy and kindness." 

Captain Wise, when he fell, had received no less than three rebel bullets in 
his person ; and no one ever died a nobler, braver death. In his death Jeffer- 
son county lost one of her best citizens, and the bar one of its brightest orna- 
ments ; an able lawyer, an accomplished jurist, and an orator not often excelled. 
He left a wife and one little boy. Mrs. Wise, on September 27, iSSa, went 
to join her soldier husband, and their son, Malcolm William Wise, is now a res- 
ident of Du Bois, where he occupies the position as cashier of the First Na- 
tional Bank of that place. 

Alexander Lewis Gordon was born in Lewisburg, Union county, Feb- 
ruary 14, 1829. He, in his j'outh, attended the public schools of the county, 
but his education was nearly all self-acquired. About 1852 he came to Brookville 
and commenced the study of the law with his brother, Hon. Isaac G. Gordon. 
In 1853 he taught school in the academy building, and at the February term, 
1855, he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Gordon was married June 8, 1858, at 
Shelbyville, 111., to Miss Achsa J. Hardin, who survives him. In 1858 he was 
elected district attorney, and re-elected in 1861, and was appointed assessor of 
internal revenue for the district in 1864, which position he held until the office 
was merged with those of the collector and deputy collector. On the election 
of his brother, Hon. I. G. Gordon, to the supreme bench, he formed a copart- 
nership with Charles Corbet, esq., and the firm of Gordon & Corbet continued 
until his death. He was for almost twenty years secretary and treasurer of 
the Red Bank Navigation Company, which office he held at the time of his 
death. When the citizens of the county were called to face the stern realities 
of war, A. L. Gordon gave his whole sympathy to the cause, and though not 



The Bench and Bar. 361 



physically able to endure the hardships of a soldier's life, he aided with his 
voice and means in putting men in the field, and when the safety of his own 
State was endangered in the summer of 1863, he assisted in recruiting Company 
B, of the Fifty- Seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Militia, and on the promotion 
■of Captain Cyrus Butler to lieutenant-colonel, he was promoted captain, and 
served with his company until the needs of the service no longer demanded 
their services, and during that time assisted in putting down the famous " Mor- 
gan raid." Mr. Gordon was one of the most prominent and most widely 
known members of this bar, and equally prominent in tlie Republican party. 
For many years he was a consistent member of 'the Presbyterian Church of 
Brookville, and his heart was deeply interested in the Sunday-school work. 
The interest he manifested in the youth of the town, and the lessons he taught 
them have left their impress upon the school and community. An ardent 
lover of children, and not being blessed with any of his own, he was in the 
habit of selecting a number of little ones, to whom each succeeding Christmas 
he was a veritable Santa Claus, and by whom he will never be forgotten. In 
the spring of 1885, the disease, which for some time had been sapping his 
vitality, assuming alarming symptoms, he went to Philadelphia to obtain the ad- 
vice of eminent physicians there, but they could afford no relief, and on the 3d 
of May he passed away; his devoted wife and brother being by his side during 
his illness and death. The Pennsylvania Railroad placed a special car at the 
disposal of his friends to bring his remains home for burial, and on their arrival 
at Driftwood they were met by an escort from the bar consisting of Messrs. G. 
A. Jenks, A. C. White, S. A. Craig, W. F. Stewart, W. D. J. Marlin, and G. 
W. Means, who escorted the remains of their fellow-attorney to the depot at 
Brookville, where a detail of E. R. Brady Post, G. A. R., took charge of the 
remains and bore them to his late residence, from which they were followed 
on the Tuesday following by a sorrowing community to the cemetery; the 
services being conducted by Hobah Lodge A. Y. M. and E. R. Brady Post 
G. A. R., both of which turned out as organizations to do honor to a brother 
and comrade. 

Amor Archer McKnight, son of Alexander and Mary McKnight, nee 
Thompson, was born in Blairsville, Indiana county, April 19, 1S32. In 
the ensuing autumn his parents removed to Brookville, where, June 15, 
1837, his father died. Amor McKnight at an early age evinced a deep love 
for study, and proved an apt and diligent student in the common schools, and 
the Brookville Academy, where he obtained a good common education. He 
was a close, careful reader, and when quite young, gathered together, as his 
means would admit, a collection of books, which in after years proved the 
nucleus of an excellent and extensive library. The death of his father when 
he was very young, made him the main support of his mother and her little 
family, and the loving care for that mother as long as she lived was one of his 



362 History of Jefferson County. 

noblest traits. To his younger brothers his care was almost parental. At an 
early age he returned to Blairsville, and learned the art of printing in the 
Appalachian office, that paper then being edited by the late Alfred Mathias. 
On his return to Brookville he worked for some time in the office of the Jejfer- 
son Star. The late Mr. Samuel INTcElhose, who was editor of the Star, in his 
notice of Colonel McKnight's death said of him : " He was an excellent work- 
man ; what he found to do he did with all his might." The practical and 
general knowledge he gained in the printing office, he admitted in after years, 
had been of incalculable benefit to him. On leaving the Star office he entered 
the law office of W. P. Jenks, esq., where he applied himself to the study of 
the law one-half of each daj-, the balance of the time he had to work at the 
"case" in the printing office, as a means of support. At the February term, 
1855, he was admitted to practice, and soon afterwards entered into partner- 
ship with G. W. Andrews, esq., now of Denver, Col. Their firm was one of 
the most successful, and had as large a practice as any at the Brookville bar. 
When the first alarm of war sounded forth he was one of the first to enlist in 
defense of his country, but his military record is given elsewhere in the his- 
tory of his regiment. The court of Jefferson county appointed R. Arthurs, 
W. P. Jenks, G. W. Andrews, A. L. Gordon, and D. Barclay, esqs., to report 
resolutions upon the death of Colonel McKnight, when he fell at Chancellors- 
ville, one of which reads as follows : 

" Resolved, That whether regarded as a soldier, patriot, citizen, friend, 
brother, or proctector of his aged parent, Colonel McKnight was true to duty. 
By his death our country has lost one of its brightest ornaments, the legal pro- 
fession a well informed, trustworthy and honorable member." 

William K. McKee was born in Bellfonte, Centre county, on the 17th day 
of July, 1833. His parents came to Punxsutawney when he was five years of 
age ; his father, Thomas McKee, behig the first sheriff elected in the county. 
He received as liberal an education as the county afforded. In 1853 he com- 
menced the study of law with J. K. Coxon, esq., and completed it with P. W. 
Jenks, esq. At the September term, 1855, he was admitted to practice in the 
several courts of the county. In October of the same year he was elected dis- 
trict attorney. He was a faithful and competent officer, and though suffering 
from the disease (consumption) which caused his death, was in his place in the 
court-room at the February term, but after this he sank rapidly, and died at 
his residence in Punxsutawney, March 8, 1858. Mr. McKee was married June 
3, 1855, to Miss Martha Jane Campbell, of Punxsutawney, whom he left with 
two little children, to mourn his loss. The latter have both since died, Martha 
dying only twenty days after her father, and Bertha, who died July 1 1, 1872. 
Mrs. McKee, now Mrs. Stumph, still resides in Punxsutawney. Mr. McKee 
was a worthy and devoted member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church 
of Punxsutawney. He was greatly esteemed by his fellow-associates of the 



The Benxh and Bar. 363 



bar, and at an adjourned court held March 15, 1858, the following resolutions 
were presented by Hon. David Barclay, and adopted : 

" IV/iaras, It hath pleased God to remove from our mid.st a member of 
this bar, William K. McKee, by death ; therefore, be it 

" Resolved, That in this dispensation of Providence, afflictive though it be, 
we recognize and acknowledge the hand of Him that ' doeth all things well,' 
and while we bow with submission to His will, express our heartfelt regret that 
a courteous gentleman, a kind friend, a promising member of this bar, and a 
faithful public officer should be thus suddenly called away. 

" Resolved, That to the family of our deceased brother we tender our 
warmest sympathies and invoke Him ' who tempers the wind to the shorn 
lamb' to support and sustain them in their sad bereavement." 

Mr. Barclay, in his remarks to the court on this occasion, paid a high 
eulogy upon the life of the young member of the bar, whom he said had been 
"possessed of a good mind, sound judgment, and a legal acumen, and gave 
promise of great usefulness and a brilliant future." 

Lewis A. Grunder was admitted to the bar of Jefferson county at the Feb- 
ruary term, 1864, and was elected that same year district attorney. He re- 
moved from Brookville to Warren, and subsequentlj' to Mechanicsburg, 
Cumberland county, where he died May 25, 1878. He was engaged in the 
practice of his profession when he died. In 1865 or 1866 Mr. Grunder was 
married to Miss Emma Smith, of Brookville, who, with one son, Harry Matson 
Grunder, survives him. Mrs. Grunder resides in Mechanicsburg. 

Benton Polk Arthurs, eldest son of Richard and Sarah J. Arthurs, was born 
in Brookville, November 14, 1845. After receiving all the education that the 
common schools afforded he attended some of the best schools in the country, 
and then read law with his father, Richard Arthurs, esq., and was admitted to 
the bar at the February term, 1871 ; but though his career as an attorney 
opened up very brightly, it was soon ended, as that dread disease, consump- 
tion, marked him for its victim ; and though all that the loving care of his 
family, aided by the best medical skill, could do, was done to arrest the dis- 
ease, he died November 25, 1872. In July, 1863, when only a boy in years, he 
enlisted in the Emergency Company, commanded by Captain Charles McLain, 
and which was attached to the Independent Battalion of Lieutenant-Colonel 
John C. Leisinger, and served with this company until it was discharged in 
January, 1864. Mr. Arthurs was married to Miss Jennie Mitchell, who as- 
sisted him while he was reading law, by hearing his recitations. In this way 
she acquired a general knowledge of the law and a taste for legal study, and 
after Mr. Arthusr's death, when she had returned to her parents home in Kan- 
sas, she prosecuted the study and was admitted to the bar at Emporia, Kan- 
sas, and soon after her admission was married to Judge Kellogg, an eminent 
jurist of .that State, and for some time was his partner in the legal business. 



364 History of Jefferson County. 

The increasing cares of her household have, however, caused her to lay aside 
the duties of her profession. In the death of Benton Arthurs this bar lost one 
who gave promise of being an ornament and an honor to it ; and his parents 
and friends saw his sun go down when it gave promise of ushering in a day of 
brightness. 

Andrew Jackson Monks was born in Eldred township (now Union), Janu- 
ary 5, 1833. His father, John Whiteman Monks, was born in Centre county, 
in 1803. His mother was Elizabeth McDonald, also born in Centre county, 
in the year 1809. Mr. Monks came to what is now Curllsville, in Clarion 
county, in 1806, and in 1827 he and Elizabeth McDonald were married, and 
removed to Jefferson county in 1828, and settled on the farm (now owned and 
occupied by his son, G. D. Monks), about one and a half miles from Corsica, 
where he died November 6, 1854. His widow, in 1866, removed to the resi- 
dence of her daughter, Mrs. Ardery, of Corsica, where she died August 20, 
1882. Andrew Jackson Monks, or Jackson, as his friends called him, was of a 
very studious disposition, and, after obtaining all the education that the com- 
mon schools afforded, he attended Allegheny College, and lacked but one term 
of graduating when he left the college, but he kept up his studies and was one 
of the best read men in the county ; while as a classical scholar he was ex- 
celled by few, as he read Latin and Greek fluently and understandingly. Dur- 
ing his early manhood Mr. Monks was one of the most successful teachers in 
this county. In 1856 he removed to Punxsutawney, and was engaged in 
teaching his second term of school there when the tocsin of war called him 
from his books, and he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Fifth Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and shared all the dangers and toils of his regi- 
ment until he was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, and again severely 
wounded before Petersburg, Va., June 16, 1864. Sergeant Monks was com- 
missioned first lieutenant of Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, 
January i, 1865, but was not mustered. He was mustered out of the ser- 
vice July 23, 1865. He was ardently attached to the brave men of his regi- 
ment, — his comrades of almost four years' service. After the close of the war 
Mr. Monks returned to Punxsutawney, where he afterwards made his home. 
He was elected commissioner of Jefferson county in 1866, and made a careful 
and efficient officer. In 1869 or '70 he was appointed postmaster of the Sen- 
ate at Harrisburg, and was subsequently employed in the State historian's of- 
fice for three years, the last two volumes of the History of Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers being mainly compiled under his supervision. At the May term of 
court, 1875, Mr. Monks w^as admitted to the bar of Jefferson county. He was 
well versed in the law and was ardently attached to his profession, but his fail- 
ing health was a great drawback to his advancement ; yet, up to a very short 
time before his death, his place was always filled in the court room, as he was 
conscientiously faithful to all business entrusted to his care. Mr. Monks was 



The Bench and Bar. 365 



very active in all that related to the good of the county, and was a prominent 
worker in the Republican party. At the age of twenty years, while teaching 
school at Clarington, Forest county, he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and was a consistent member and earnest worker in the church of his choice 
until death opened the portals of heaven for him. He was ardently attached 
to the Sunday-school, and was the superintendent of the Methodist Sunday- 
school at Punxsutawney, for many years, until his failing health obliged him 
to resign. He died at his home in Pun.xsutawney, November 22, 1884, of 
consumption. The rebel ball, which had entered his side at Petersburg, and 
which he carried with him to the grave, was, by his physicians, attributed as 
the cause of his death. Mr. Monks was married to Mary Elizabeth St. Clair, 
daughter of Judge St. Clair, of Punxsutawney, January 13, 1859, and five 
children were born to them. Of these little Annie died July 30, 1870, in the 
second j'ear of her age ; Clara, the eldest daughter, was married to James J. 
Davis, of Punxsutawney, December 13, 1882, and died at the residence of her 
mother, of consumption, in the 26th year of her age, July 6, 1885, leaving a 
little daughter less than a year old ; Minnie E. Monks died, while quietly sit- 
ting in her invalid chair, on the morning of November 26, 1885, aged about 
twenty- one years. Minnie was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church, and, though a sufferer from consumption for over four years, was an 
active worker in the church. Mrs. Monks, who in less than a year was bereft 
of her husband and two elder children, resides in Punxsutawney with her two 
remaining children, John and Nellie. 

Resident Members of the Bar of Jefferson County. 

The following list comprises the members of the bar, who were residents of 
the county in 1887, with their post-office address. They are given according 
to their seniority : Richard Arthurs, William P. Jenks, Brookville ; Phineas 
W. Jenks, John Hastings, Punxsutawney ; George A. Jenks, John Conrad, 
Brookville ; Reuben C. Winslow, Punxsutawney ; Alexander C. White, Elijah 
H. Clark, William F. Stewart, H. Clay Campbell, Williamson D. J. Marlin, 
Brookville ; William M. Fairman, Charles M. Brewer, John St. Clair, Punxsu- 
tawney ; Marion M. Davis, Camden Mitchell, Reynoldsville ; Charles Corbet, 
Henry W. Mundorff, Samuel A. Craig, C. C. Benscoter, Daniel E. Brenneman, 
George W. Means, J. Armat Scott, John W. Walker, John C. Whitehill, 
Brookville; John E. Calderwood, Punxsutawney; Stewart H. Whitehill, 
Brookville ; William M. Gillespie, George D. Jenks, Punxsutawney ; Hiram 
H. Brocius, Cadmus Z. Gordon, John M. Van Vliet, Cyrus H. Blood, Brook- 
ville ; Alexander J. Truitt, Punxsutawney ; Edward A. Carmalt, Brookville ; 
G. Ament Blose, Hay ; William L. McCracken. John W. Bell, Brookville. 

The bar of Jefferson county, which we have thus briefly sketched, is by no 
means mediocre in legal attainments. The record given shows to what a 
43 



366 History of Jefferson County. 

degree of excellence and renown it has attained in the past, and to-day it ranks 
with any body of attorneys in the State. All the resident members of this 
bar, except three already mentioned, have read, passed their examination, and 
been admitted in this county. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.i 

FROM the date of the first settlement made at the confluence of Mill Creek 
and Sandy Lick, in territory afterwards a part of Jefferson county, until 
1817, there is no record of the location of any physician within the boundaries 
of the county, as ordained by the act of Assembly, dated March 26, 1 804. 
Many years before the Barnetts migrated to this section of the State a band of 
Moravians had passed through the southern portion of the county, and were de- 
tained, on account of sickness among them, from which some died. Andrew 
Barnett, one of the original pioneers, died in the autumn of 1795, from what 
his companion, Scott, supposed to be an attack of cholera nwrbns. Scott was 
the only white man who witnessed the event, and, with the assistance of some 
friendly Indians, he buried him on the north bank of the mouth of Mill Creek. 
Andrew Barnett was one of the three who first set foot on Jefferson county 
soil with the intention of making a permanent settlement, and the first to die. 
In 1 8 10 Jefferson county only numbered 161 inhabitants. The atmos- 
phere, balsamic from the exhalations of the pines and hemlocks ; the water, 
pure freestone, with all else conducing to health, it proved no tempting loca- 
tion for a physician, and, consequently, it was not until some time during the 
year 18 17 that one is found permanently located for the practice of his profes- 
sion within its confines. In this year a Dr. Newton settled on land now em- 
bracing the present site of Summerville. Whence he came, or whither he 
went when he left the county some years after, is not known. It is supposed, 
however, that he came from the State of New York, or, possibly, from one of 
the New England States, as he was known among the early settlers as the 
" Yankee doctor." He distilled his own spirits of turpentine and essential oils, 
which, with .spirits, now procurable at the distillery of Ludwig Long, were 
transformed into embrocations for bruises and sprains so incident to pioneer 
life. For other remedies he seems to have depended wholly on the indigenous 
materia tnedica, and through his skillful prescription and compounding of 
these, gained quite an enviable reputation as a physician. 

1 Prepared by Dr. C. M. Matson, of Erookville. 



The Medical Profession. 367 

Dr. Newton performed the first capital surgical operation ever performed 
in the county, in the amputation of Moses Knapp's thigh, in 1819 ; and as this 
is the first operation of any kind that there is any record of, it demands a more 
extensive notice, even if this should somewhat detract from the reputation of 
Drs. Newton and Rankin, for the former was assisted by the latter, who then 
was located near the present site of Rimersburgh, Clarion county. 

Knapp was Samuel Scott's adopted son, and came to Port Barnett with his 
foster-father and Joseph Barnett when they returned in 1796. He was a 
millwright, and in taking out the timber for a mill he intended to build near 
the present site of Baxter station, his foot, or leg, was crushed by a falling tree. 
Dr. Newton was called to dress it, but on discovering the serious nature of the 
injury had a messenger dispatched after Dr. Rankin. On Rankin's arrival, af- 
ter consultation, an amputation was decided upon, but as neither of them had 
instruments a neighbor of Knapp's was sent to Kittanning, to procure them. 
But as no instruments were to be had there, another messenger was sent to 
Indiana, on the same errand. This also proving a failure, the doctors pro- 
ceeded to business with such as they could improvise. With what instrument 
the soft tissues were separated, is not known, but it is presumed with a hunting- 
knife, as, according to the testimony of eye witnesses, there were no flaps or 
other provisions for covering the bone, but, in their own language, " cut square 
off." They divided the bone with a carpenter's saw, and, as it was ever after- 
wards exposed, Knapp always had a tender stump. 

In 1 8 19 Dr. John W. Jenks removed from Bucks county to the present site 
of Punxsutawney where, in company with others, he had built a cabin and 
commenced improvements the year before. Dr. Phineas Jenks was his pre- 
ceptor, and he graduated from the medical department of the University of 
Pennsylvania in 18 16. He had about completed arrangements to goto Eu- 
rope, for the purpose of prosecuting his medical studies in one of the universi- 
ties there, but was dissuaded by his brother-in-law, Rev. David Barclay, who 
induced him to become one of a little colony of pioneers who intended settling 
in the wilds of Jefferson county, of which number himself was one. 

As the taxable inhabitants only numbered 161 in 1821, two years after the 
doctor's location in the county, and these, for the most part, widely separated, 
he could not depend on the practice of medicine for support, but was com- 
pelled to do as others, clear land, or turn his attention to other business, as the 
necessities of the settlers required. In 1824, in connection with Rev. David 
Barclay, he erected a grist-mill on Elk Run, a short distance above Punxsu- 
tawney, and in the fall of the same year was elected one of the first board of 
commissioners for the county; and in 1830, when full rights, powers, and privi- 
leges were bestowed upon the citizens of the county. Dr. Jenks was appointed 
by Governor Wolf to fill the position of associate judge, an ofhce he continued 
to fill for the most part of the balance of his life. 



368 History of Jefferson County 

Dr. Jenks married Mary Barclay, daughter of Rev. David Barclay ; and 
Phineas W., David Barclay, Hon. William P., Mrs. Mary Gordon, wife of Hon. 
I. G. Gordon,, now chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Cap- 
tain James D., and Hon. George A., solicitor general of the United States, 
now residing at Washington City, D. C, were born of this marriage. He con- 
tinued to practice medicine until his health failed. He died in 1850. 

Sometime prior to the year 1825 Dr. R. K. Scott settled on land located 
about three miles west of Brookville, on the S. and W. turnpike, but being of 
a migrating disposition it is impossible to follow him in his different locations 
with any degree of certainty. He resided for a time in Brookville, also in 
Summerville, in Corsica, in Armagh, Indiana county, and somewhere in Ohio. 
Nothing is now known of his skill as a physician ; but as he did not enjoy any 
considerable reputation, it is presumed not to have been great. Justice, how- 
ever, may not have been done him, from the fact that when his cases began to 
assume a very serious phase, Dr. James Stewart, of Indiana, who had an ex- 
tensive and well merited reputation, was sent for, and the consequence always 
seems to have been that Dr. Scott was discharged, his medicines pitched out 
of the house, followed by fierce denunciations and a torrent of expletives of 
such a character as to cause the very atmosphere to smell sulphurous for days 
afterwards. In 1847 oi" '4^ Dr. Scott was living in Brookville, where his wife 
died, but where he died or at what age, is not known. 

The site for the county seat was selected, by the commissioners appointed 
for that purpose, in the spring of 1830, at the confluence of the North Fork 
and Sandy Lick Creeks, and named Brookville ; and in the following June lots 
were sold at auction, but not for more than a year after this did any physician 
locate in the place. 

About September i, 1831, Dr. Alvah Evans came to the place and opened 
an office for the practice of his profession. He is described as having been a 
young, handsome, portly man, riding what was considered a fast horse, in 
those days, of which he was very proud. It was he who induced Major William 
Rodgers to purchase a small stock of drugs, and keep them for sale with his 
other merchandise ; but it was a stock, the major says, he was compelled in 
time to close out, as he had no custom for drugs outside the doctors, and they 
bought on credit and never paid their bills. 

On examination of the account of Dr. Evans, in the day book of Major 
Rodgers, kept at the time, are found some items of interest in regard to the 
price of medicines then, such as, for example : November 16, 1831, To I lb. 
Dover's powder, $1.50; 3 boxes Hooper's pills, 567 cents; 4 oz. mercurial 
ointment, 43! cents; i pint of wine, 25 cents; i pint of brandy, 50 cents. 
Whisky retailed at 124- cents per quart and was purchased at 16 cents per 
gallon, per bbl. He was also charged with a bottle of quinine (quantity not 
stated), 25 cents. It would be a matter of deeper interest to know how, and 



The Medical Profession. 369 

in what cases, he used it, as this alkaloid had only been discovered by Pelletier 
and Caventou, of France, in 1820, and in 1831 its physiological action was but 
little understood. It was probably administered as a simple tonic. 

Dr. Evans only remained in Brookville four or five months, and from what 
State he came or whither he went on leaving Brookville, none seem to have 
known. 

In the spring of 1S32, about the 1st of May, Dr. C. G. M. Prime came to 
Brookville to practice law, but as no reciprocity existed between the State from 
which he came and Pennsylvania, he could not be admitted to the bar for a 
year ; therefore he resumed the practice of medicine. After a residence of one 
year he was admitted to the bar, but as long as he remained in the place he 
continued to practice medicine in connection with law ; and, judging from the 
number of prosecutions instituted for Sabbath breaking, blaspheming, etc., in 
those days, his law practice was fully as remunerative as his medical. 

Dr. Prime amputated the arm of Henry Vasbinder, whose hand had be- 
come gangrenous from the inflammation, caused by his thumb having been 
bitten by Isaac Mills, in a fight. In this operation he was assisted by another 
physician, but by whom can not now be ascertained. During his residence in 
Brookville he married a Miss Wagley. He left the place on the night of April 
3' i835> going'- 't is said, to Mississippi, where he became a plantation physi- 
cian, and was afterwards shot and killed at a card-table. He is described as a 
tall, spare man, of sandy complexion, and possessed of a reckless disposition. 

Nearly two years before Dr. Prime left, viz. : in June, 1833, Dr. George 
Darling came from Smethport, McKean county, and located in Brookville. 
He was born in the State of Vermont, and acquired his medical education 
there, but his first location as a physician was in some part of the State of New 
York ; thence he removed to Smethport, and afterward to Brookville. How 
long he remained in any of these places is not known. His wife died in Smeth- 
port, and of his family he only brought his younger son, Paul, to Brookville ; 
his eldest child, a daughter, became the wife of Dr. McCoy, of Smethport, and 
the elder son, Jedediah, afterwards made medicine his profession and practiced 
it many years in the same place. Two other children were born of this mar- 
riage, both dying in childhood. On July 31, 1835, Dr. Darling married Julia 
Clark, by whom he had three children, two dying in infancy, and Mary, the 
youngest of the three, afterwards became the wife of Henry Gray, of Brookville. 

In July or August, 1843, Dr. Darling left Brookville and located some- 
where in Beaver county, on the Ohio river, and afterwards in the State of 
Ohio ; but how long he remained in either place is not known. After some 
years he returned to Smethport, where he continued to practice until the in- 
firmities of age prohibited his further attention to the duties of his profession. 
After his retirement he again removed to Jefi'erson county, and lived on a farm 
four miles east of Brookville. His home, for the last few years of his life, was 



370 History of Jefferson County. 

with his brother-in-law, Enoch Hall, but he spent the last few months of his 
life in the home of his daughter, Mrs. W. H. Gray, where he died November 

1 6, 1869, aged eighty- three years. 

Dr. Darling was a small man, of rather dark, sallow complexion, with a pe- 
culiarly calm, peaceful expression of countenance, polished in manner, fastidi 
ous in taste, always smelling strongly of medicines, and, as a physician, sus- 
tained a very fair reputation. 

On the 23d day of June, 1835, Rev. Gara Bishop, M.D., removed to 
Brookville from Clearfield, for the purpose of locating in the place as a physi- 
cian, and also to act as a supply to the Presbyterian congregations of Brookville 
and Beech Woods, occasionally, also, preaching at Corsica, or rather, where 
Corsica is now situated. 

On the 3d of April, 1838, the congregation at Brookville requested one-half 
of his time and Beech Woods one-fourth, thus making it necessary to preach 
two sermons per Sabbath for three .Sabbaths out of four. He continued to act 
as supply for these congregations until the spring of 1840, when he was re- 
lieved of the Brookville congregation by their calling Rev. David Polk as reg- 
ular pastor ; but Dr. Bishop continued to act as supply to the congregation in 
Beech Woods, for some time after, and, when released from his duties as sup- 
ply to the latter congregation, never again accepted a call as pastor, nor acted 
as supply, but turned his entire attention to the practice of medicine, only 
preaching when invited to fill the pulpit of another minister or to assist on 
communion seasons. Dr. Bishop continued to practice medicine until stricken 
with paralysis a few months before his death, and although he partially re- 
covered was never able to resume the duties of his profession, dying October 

17, 1852. 

Dr. Gara Bishop was a large man, six feet or over in height, weighing not 
less than two hundred pounds, of fair complexion and commanding presence, 
dignified in manner, as became a divine, and of a genial, social disposition, en- 
joying a very fair reputation as a physician among the people of his time. He is 
said to have read medicine while in Philadelphia during the time not occupied 
by his ministerial duties, as the science was always interesting to him, never in- 
tending to make it a profession until after his removal to Clearfield county. 
He married in Philadelphia, and from this union were born, William, who af- 
terwards read medicine with his father and practiced for many years in Emlen- 
ton, Venango county, now deceased ; Sarah, now wife of Edmund English ; 
Samuel B., for many years a member of the Brookville bar, now dead ; Jacob 
Janeway Jones, who also read medicine with his father, and afterwards prac- 
ticed in Millville, Clarion county, Plumville, Indiana county, and Punxsutaw- 
ney, Jefferson county, now dead ; Emma, who married John Henderson ; Ezra 
Stiles Ely, a member of the Brookville bar, killed accidentall}-, and Louisa, 
now the wife of J. H. Gates. 



The Medical Profession. 



371 



Sometime during the year 1836, Dr. Asaph M. Clark (eclectic), located in 
Brockvvayville. He was the son of Philetus and Penelope Clark lu'e Godard, 
born in the town of Granby, Hartford county, Conn., on the 22d day of March, 
1808, and in the fall of the same year his parents removed to Russell, St. Law- 
rence county, N. Y., where they remained until the year 1819, when they emi- 
grated to Pennsylvania, settling on the Little Toby, about four miles from 
Brockwayville, in Clearfield county then, but now in Elk. They were the first 
settlers in that section of the State, and Philetus was the first postmaster in all 
that region. Dr. Clark's early educational advantages were limited, but being 
of an active, inquiring mind, he eagerly embraced those thrown in bis way. 
On this subject he himself wrote in 1878 : " My earliest instructions I received 
from my mother, of course. I cannot remember when I learned to read, but 
I can remember the old books to which I had access, — Noah Webster's spell- 
ing book, the Bible, the English Reader, the Columbian Orator and the Ameri- 
can Preceptor. Afterwards I read F'oster's Essays, Dodridge's Rise and Prog- 
ress of Religion in the Soul, Adams's Arithmetic, and Locke on the Human 
Understanding. Still later, the New Edinburgh Encyclopedia, a voluminous 
and very scientific work, came into my hands. This opened up a new world 
of thought to me, and my hunger for learning was partly appeased, though 
not satisfied. It has always been a pursuit under difficulties ; matches had not 
been invented, the flint, steel and spunk were the only means of getting fire; 
kerosene lamps were unknown ; candles were costly, and money to buy them 
out of the question, but the pitch pine which grew on the mountain sides, some 
of which had fallen and rotted on the ground, left a supply of pitchy knots 
which, being split in pieces, would burn better than candles, give a greater 
light and cost nothing." 

He was married, March 6, 183 1, to Miss R. M. Nichols, and commenced 
shortly afterwards to read medicine under his father-in-law. Dr. Jonathan 
Nichols, who was also a Baptist minister. Dr. Clark graduated from the Eclec- 
tic Institute, Cincinnati, O., February 25, 185 i. About January i, 1858, he 
removed to Brookville, where he acquired an extensive practice, but returned 
to Brockwayville in the fall of 1863, continuing the practice of medicine till 
within a few days of his death, which occurred in 1884. 

Dr. Clark was a man of very fair ability, well versed in the literature of the 
eclectic system of medicine, which he practiced, as, also in general literature; 
of great kindness of heart, so great, indeed, that his sympathies sometimes 
interfered with his duties as a physician, and almost precluded him entirely 
from the practice of surgery. 

Dr. James Dowling was born in Mercer county. Pa., October 19, 1806, and 
read medicine under the tuition of Dr. Crosett, of Kinsman, Ohio ; married 
Catherine Calvin, of Mercer county, October lO, 1831. He removed to Jef- 
ferson county in 1841, and located at New Prospect, afterwards known as 



372 History of Jefferson County. 

Dowlingville, now Baxter, where he married Sarah Lucas, of Clover township, 
December 7, 1842, his first wife having died some years before his removal to 
Jefferson. In 1843 he removed to Brookville, and was elected to the Legis- 
lature in 1844, ^""i W'ls granted a diploma from the Pennsylvania Medical 
College March 4, 1S45. 

By the first marriage he had five children — Maggie, Mary, John C, Mathew, 
and James — and with the exception of Mathew, who is now living in Ken- 
tucky, all are dead. Captain John C, of Company B, One Hundred and 
Fifth Regiment, was killed at Fair Oaks, and Sergeant James, of the same 
company and regiment, at the battle of the Wilderness. Mary married Dr. J. 
G. Simons, and died in Mercer county. By the second marriage there were 
born four sons and two daughters, all of whom are dead e.xcept William L., 
now residing in Corsica. 

For many years Dr. James Dowling's practice was very extensive, and 
probably no physician who ever located in the county enjoyed so great a repu- 
tation as he, at one time. His manner was social and agreeable ; careful in his 
dress and personal appearance ; attentive to his patients, and kind to the poor. 
In the foil of i860 he started on a tour through the counties of Elk, Clearfield, 
and several places in the eastern part of the State, and had arrived at Luthers- 
burg, Clearfield county, on his return, when he was taken seriously sick. A 
messenger was dispatched to Brookville for his brother, Dr. Hugh Dowling, 
but before his arrival Dr. Dowling had ceased to breath. His death occurred 
on December 24, i860. 

Dr. Hugh A. Calvin, son of John and Nancy Calvin, was born in Crawford 
county. Pa., September 24, 1814; read medicine with Dr. James Dowling, 
who was then practicing in Jamestown, Crawford county, and after finisliing his 
course, located in Hartstown, same county. The date of his removal to Jef- 
ferson is not exactly known, but it was probably in 1841 or 1842, for he en- 
tered into a partnership with Dr. Dowling, whose brother-in-law he was, while 
Dowhng was practicing in Dowlingville. Dr. Calvin remained in Dowling- 
ville but a short time, returning to Hartstown, where he resumed his practice, 
and continued in it for several years, when he again removed to Jefferson 
county, and located in Brookville. The date of this, his second location in the 
county, cannot be definitely determined, but it is supposed to have been in 
1850 or 1851. He married Susan Lucas, who bore him five children, all of 
whom are dead. He died March 11, 1853. 

Dr. Calvin's reputation as a physician was fair. He was a man of medium 
height, delicate physique, and in manner quiet and unobtrusive. 

Dr. Stewart H. Whitehill located in Summerville in 1S45. He was the 
third son of Stewart H. Whitehill, of Fayette county, Pa., a farmer and stock- 
holder in the Monongahela Navigation Company. His mother was a daughter 
of Judge Boyd, of the same county. He was born in 1821, near Connellsville, 



The Medical Profession. 373 



Fayette county ; was educated in Uniontown, and read medicine with Dr. 
James Gaston, who gave him a certificate dated May 8, 1841, after which he 
practiced in Westmoreland county until 1845, \\hen he came to Troy (Sum- 
merville). On December 30, he married Lavina J., eldest daughter of Darius 
Carrier, from which union were born W. W. Whitehill, now of Youngsville, 
Warren county, and Stewart H. Whitehill, esq., of Brookville, Pa. Dr. White- 
hill left the county in 1850, and is now dead, but the date of his decease, with 
after histor}-, is not known. Nothing reliable can be gotten concerning his 
ability as a physician, personal appearance, etc. 

Dr. Hugh Dowling was born in Jamestown, Mercer county, Pa., January 
17, 1819; came to Brookville in 1844 to read medicine under the supervision 
of his brother, Dr. James, and after taking a course of lectures at Cleveland 
Medical College, commenced the practice of medicine with his brother in 1847. 
He married Sarah Kinsman, of Trumbull county, Ohio, August 12, 1848, but 
from this union no children were born. Dr. Hugh Dowling was engaged con- 
tinuously in the practice of medicine from the year 1847 until within a few 
months of his death, when his health became so seriously impaired as to pre- 
clude its further pursuit. He died from dropsy, dependent on a valvular lesion 
of the heart, on the 26th day of December, 1875. 

Probably no physician ever practiced medicine within the confines of the 
county so much misunderstood and so little appreciated as was Dr. Hugh 
Dowling. He was a man of singularly clear judgment and unquestionable 
skill, yet frequently inattentive to his patients ; kind and gentle with persons 
he loved ; taciturn, or harsh and irritable with those he disliked ; cautious and 
conservative almost to a fault when in council, yet, once having expressed an 
opinion, he maintained it to the verge of obstinacy. In personal appearance 
he was about five feet ten inches in height, fair complexion, blue eyes, dark 
hair, with a rather pleasing expression of countenance, with a strong tendency 
to gravity. 

Dr. Mark Rodgers came to Corsica in 1847, from Henry county, Mo., 
where he had been engaged in the practice of medicine from 1844. He at- 
tended a course of lectures at the University of Pennsylvania during the win- 
ter of 1856-7. Before this Dr. Rodgers had engaged extensively in other 
business, such as mercantile, droving, etc., but continued to practice until 1863^ 
when he removed to Brookville. He did not resume the practice of medicine 
after his removal, but turned his entire attention to merchandising, in which he 
was very successful, until within a few weeks of his death, which occurred 
August 10, 1883. 

Dr. Rodgers was born in Kittanning, Armstrong county. Pa., and was a 
hatter by trade, having worked several years with his father before reading 
medicine. He was a man of medium height, heavy in proportion, black hair, 
inclined to curl; hazel eyes; apparently very grave yet social in his manner, 

41 



374 History of Jefferson County. 

and abounding in genuine humor ; kind, patient, and of remarkably ev^en tem- 
per, but few persons ever having seen him show any manifestation of anger. 
For many years before his death he had been an elder of the Presbyterian 
Church. 

Dr. Charles Wood (irregular) was born at Rattlesnake Tavern, in Centre 
county. Pa., in 1815 ; came to Punxsutawney about 1837 '< studied medicine 
awhile with Dr. Young, and commenced to practice in Punxsutawney about 
1845. In 1850 he went to California; returned the next year and continued 
to practice until his death, which occurred August 30, 1865. 

Rev. Charles P. Cummins, M. D., was the son of John and Mary Cummins 
nee Cooper, and was born near Strausburgh, Franklin county, Pa., in 1803. 
He was educated at Cannonsburgh ; read medicine with Dr. Hunter, of Straus- 
burgh, and attended medical lectures at Jefferson College, Philadelphia. He 
located at Fayetteville, Franklin county, where he practiced several years. 
During his residence in Fayetteville he was converted, and felt it his duty to 
preach the gospel. After passing the usual theological course, he was or- 
'dained and preached for eight or ten years to the congregation of Dickinson 
■Church, near Carlisle, Pa. This was his first charge, and during the time, he 
•continued the practice of medicine. He was then called to Mount Pleasant, 
Iowa, where he remained as a pastor for two years ; thence he returned to 
Pennsylvania to take charge of a congregation at Waynesboro, but remained 
only one year, as he received a call from the Presbyterian congregations of 
Brookville and Corsica, which he accepted February 26, 1847. I" September, 
1850, he, in connection with K. L. Blood, purchased the drug store of David 
Deering ; but as business increased, the congregations became dissatisfied, 
thinking that secular afiairs too much distracted his mind from his duties as 
pastor, and consequently the partnership was dissolved in 1854. 

On Thanksgiving day, November, 1856, Dr. Cummins amputated Judge 
Joseph Henderson's leg above the knee, which operation was performed in 
presence of Drs. James Ross, of Clarion, James Dowling, Hugh Dowling, 
George Watt, A. P. Heichhold, J. G. Simons, and David Elliott, of Brookville, 
and A. M. Clark, of Brockwa\-\'iIle. Dr. Cummins severed his pastoral 
relations with the church in Brookville, September, 1861, and removed to 
Beaver, Beaver county, where he again engaged in the practice of medi- 
cine as a profession, in connection with the drug business. He did not remain 
long in Beaver, removing to Allegheny City, where he continued the practice 
of medicine and also his drug business. The active duties of a busy practi- 
tioner proved too arduous, his health failed, and he died March 23, 1865. 

While residing in Brookville, although not making medicine a profession, 
he was considered a man of excellent judgment, and very frequently called as 
counsel by other physicians. He was a man of very fine social qualities, whose 
Christian character was not questioned, and who filled the position of pastor 
very acceptably for man}' years. 



The Medical Profession. 375 



Dr. Cummins was a man of medium size, light hair, blue eyes and rather 
sallow complexion, of pleasing expression, and when amused his face beamed 
with genuine good humor. 

In the year 1S48, Dr. Henry Wadsworth located in Brookville. He was 
born in county Meath, Ireland, but it is thought came here from Canada. In 
185 I he married Rebecca McGrew, and left Brookville to locate in Philadel- 
phia, on Master street, afterwards removing to 1753 Frankford avenue. He 
was connected with a hospital in the city during the War of the Rebellion, and 
went to Paris in 1885. It is not known if he yet lives. He sustained an ex- 
cellent reputation as a physician ; a small, slight man of dark comple.xion, very 
dark hair, large dark eyes, and quick in movement. 

Dr. Andrew Jackson Johnson, was born in Bellefonte, Centre county, 
September 23, 1820. He studied medicine, for at least part of his course, with 
Dr. McCoy, of Bellefonte, and was for a while assistant to Dr. Harris, in a drug 
store in the same place; prob^tbly finishing his course of reading with him. 
He then went to Lock Haven, where he entered a drug store as a partner of a 
Mr. Wagoner, and during the winter of 1847 and 1848 attended one of the 
medical colleges in Philadelphia. Some time after the close of the session, in 
the year 1848, he located in Pun.xsutawney, where he continued to practice 
medicine in connection with the sale of drugs until his death, July 17, 1863. 

Dr. William Altman was born in Indiana, Indiana county, October 20, 
1825 ; read medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. James M. Stewart, of Indi- 
ana. First located at Armagh, Indiana county, where he remained from Octo- 
ber, 1847, to July, 1848, when he removed to Punxsutawney, Jefferson county, 
and continued the practice there until July i, 1857, when he removed to Os- 
kaloosa, Mahaska county, Iowa, and remained there till June i, 1858, when he 
returned to Punxsutawney, and continued to practice until December, 1862- 
On December 17, 1862, he was commissioned assistant surgeon, and was in 
charge of the Twenty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, until May, 
1863, when he received a commission as surgeon of same regiment, remaining 
as such until the close of the war in 1865. He was elected associate judge for 
Jefiferson county and served in that position from 1870 till 1875. He was 
elected to serve in the State Legislature for the years 1885 and 1886, and re- 
elected for the years 1887 and 1888. He is medical examiner for several life 
insurance companies, and has also held a number of municipal offices in Punx- 
sutawney. Dr. Altman is a graduate from Jefferson Medical College, class of 

1853- 

About the same year, 1848, Dr. James Watt located in Brookville. He 
was born nearly opposite Tarentun, on the Allegheny River, in Westmore- 
land county. Nothing is now known of the date of his birth, parentage, 
nor where, when, nor with whom he studied. Neither is it known whether he 
had practiced before his location here or not. He was in Brookville only four 



376 History of Jefferson County. 

or five years, as his health failed him, and he returned to the place of his na- 
tivity, where he died sometime afterwards of consumption. He was a tall, 
spare man, of delicate physique and sallow complexion, a man of fine moral 
character, a member of the Presb}'terian Church, and was considered a good 
physician. 

About a year after the location of Dr. James Watt in Brookville, Dr. 
George, his brother came to the place. He had been lumbering on a tract of 
land the brothers owned in partnership, near Reynoldsville, but came to the 
county from Philadelphia, where he had previously been engaged in the prac- 
tice of medicine. He came to Brookville to assist his brother James in some 
emergency, and as he was a man of unquestionable skill, especially in surgery, 
and liked the place, he never returned to his lumber camp, but continued to 
practice ; the delicate condition of his brother's health rendering this course the 
more imperative. He read medicine in Pittsburgh, but with whom is not now 
known. He was never married, and the last few years of his life in Brookville, 
was deplorable. He contracted debts, judgments were entered against him, 
and to satisfy these his library, instruments, horse, and everything he possessed 
were sold. He became very dissipated ; his health failed, and for the last few 
months he became an object of charit}-. His condition coming to the knowl- 
edge of his friends, he was taken to the place of his nativity, where he died in 
the fall or early winter of 1858. Dr. George Watt was a large man, fully six 
feet in height, and weighing tuo hundred pounds or more ; of ruddy complex- 
ion, large gray eyes which, when surprised, assumed a peculiar stare ; polite 
in his demeanor, affable and agreeable in manner, of fine literary attainments 
and great skill. 

Dr. Thomas Jefferson Bennett (Thompsonian), was born in Livingston 
county, N. Y.; studied with his father, who had acquired considerable reputa- 
tion in the practice of the Thompsonian system, especially in the treatment of 
dysentery, and as that disease prevailed extensively in the count)' during the 
summer and early autumn of the year 1850, "Old Dr. Bennett," as he was 
called, came to Brookville to treat it. He came in August, and as the disease 
had proved very fatal, on the onset of the epidemic, he soon had more business 
than he could attend to, a considerable part of his time being taken up with the 
pulverization of his roots and herbs. To assist him, he sent for his son, T. Jeff- 
erson, who was then at Richards\-ille, and when he left in October, his son re- 
mained to take charge of some patients not fully recovered. Dr. T. J. Bennett 
has engaged continuously in the practice of medicine since 1850, and is, con- 
sequently, the oldest practitioner in Brookville. He has been twice married ; 
in 1854, to a daughter of William Richards, of Richardsville, and in 1862, to 
Mrs. James Moore, of Brookville. 

Dr. H. R. Bryant located in Summerville in 1850 and continued to prac- 
tice until 1868 or 1869, when he returned to the State of New York. He was 
postmaster for several j-ears at Summerville. 



The Medical Profession. 377 

Dr. William C. Niver (eclectic), is the son of William and Caziah Niver, uce 
Utter, and was born in Friendship, Allegany county, N. Y., July 10, 1823. 
He read medicine with Dr. E. H. Williard. Finishing his course in 1849 he 
came to Ridgway, Elk county, where he taught school and practiced until 
May 23, 1852, when he came to Jefferson county, locating in Brockwayville. 
He was married August 10, 1854, to Semiramis M. Brown, who bore him six 
children. Dr. Niver has been engaged in the continuous practice from 1852 
to the present time. 

On the 8th day of April, 1852, Dr. Reed Bracken Brown located in Sum- 
merville. He was the son of John and Mary Brown, and born at Glade Mill, 
Buder county, November 26, 1828; read medicine with Drs. McQuaide 
and Donnell, at Etna, Pa., and practiced a year there prior to his removal 
to Jefferson county; graduated from Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, March 
II, 1852; married Susan Lavely, May 25, 1854; was elected to Legislature 
to represent the county for the years 1875 and 1876; appointed surgeon of the 
Low Grade Division A. V. Railroad in May, 1873, which position he has held 
ever since ; appointed one of the board of pension examining surgeons August, 
1884, and is now president of the board. Dr. R. B. Brown has engaged con- 
tinuously in the practice of medicine, the term in Legislature excepted, since 
the spring of 1852. He was elected treasurer of Jefferson County Medical So- 
ciety in October, 1877, and re-elected annually since ; was one of the first dele- 
gates to represent the County Medical Society in that of the State in 1878; was 
also delegate from the Medical Society of Pennsylvania to the American Med- 
ical Association, and has consequendy been a member of the Medical Society 
of Pennsylvania since 1878, and of the American Medical Association since 
1880. 

Dr. David McClay was born in Union county, and came to Brookville 
to locate as a physician in 1852 or '53. He remained only a year or two on 
account of failing health, and left Brookville with the intention of locating in 
one of the southern States — it is thought Texas. Of Dr. McClay nothing 
further can be learned. 

Dr. Benjamin Franklin Miller was born at Stone Valley, Huntingdon 
county, April 16, 1830; received his literary education at Jefferson Col- 
lege, Cannonsburg ; read medicine with his brother, Dr Mathew Miller, at 
McAlavey's Fort; graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 
March 9, 1853; located in Brookville in May, 1853; married Jane Clark 
December 19, 1854, and immediately after removed to Fairmount, Marion 
county, Va., to take the practice of Dr. Stewart, his cousin. A few weeks after 
his arrival in Fairmount he was attacked with t}'phoid fever, which was then 
prevalent there, and died January 29, 1855. Of Dr. Miller's ability as a phy- 
sician, nothing can be learned. He was not long enough in the county to 
establish much of a reputation, had he been even very skillful, but he is re- 
membered as a tall, handsome, quiet, well clad man of easy, graceful manner. 



378 History of Jefferson County. 

Dr. Alexander Peter Heichhold was the son of John and Susan Heichhold, 
and born at Myerstown, Lebanon county, November lo, 1825. His an- 
cestors in either parent's family were among the earliest German settlers in the 
Tulpehocken Valley, their settlement there dating back long before the Revo- 
lutionary War. His educational advantages were limited, being confined to 
those of a " subscription school," which he attended between the ages of 
seven and twelve years, and nine months at the Myerstown Academy after he 
was seventeen years old. In 1841 he was apprenticed to a harness maker, but 
became dissatisfied and was released at the expiration of eighteen months' ser- 
vice. 

In 1845 he came to Kittanning and accepted a position as a clerk in a dry 
goods store owned by his brother. In 1846 he entered the office of Dr. 
George Goodhart, of Rural Valley, as a student, and during the following 
winter attended a course of lectures at the medical department of the Western 
Reserve University Cleveland, O., and on returning to Kittanning became a 
student of Dr. Josiah E. Stevenson, with whom he remained until April, 1848,, 
when he returned to Cleveland, and taking a summer and winter course, grad- 
uated from that college on February 21, 1849. On his return to Kittanning 
he was ofiered, and accepted a partnership with his preceptor, Dr. Stevenson. 

On the 13th day of June, 1850, he married Rachel Yocome, but her pre- 
disposition to pulmonary disease caused the doctor to leave Kittanning in 
1852, and locate in Ringgold, Jefterson county, he being of the opinion that a 
pine region might prove beneficial to her. He remained in Ringgold until 
late in 1854, when he removed to Brookville and entered into partnership with 
Dr. Hugh Dowling. Having taken a very active part in the enlistment of 
volunteers to fill the call of the president for 75,000 men for three months 
service, and also for men for Captain A. A. McKnight's regiment, which he 
was recruiting after the expiration of his three months service, in October, 
1 86 1, he appeared at Harrisburg for examination to enter the medical staff of 
the army, and was one of thirty out of two hundred and fifty who passed. He 
was immediately appointed surgeon with the rank of major, and assigned tO' 
the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, of which Cap- 
tain McKnight had become colonel. He served in that regiment during the 
winter of 1861 and '62, and participated in the Peninsular Campaign under Mc- 
Clellan, and when his army reached Harrison's Landing Dr. Heichhold was 
the only surgeon in the brigade, some having deserted, while others were sick. 
For his conduct in this campaign honorable mention was made of him by Col- 
onel McKnight and Colonel Alexander Hays in their reports. At Fair Oaks 
he helped to organize about fifteen hundred stragglers, and led one wing of 
them into the fight. He was also in the Bull Run campaign under Pope. In 
September, 1862, in consequence of a misunderstanding with General Robin- 
son, who commanded the brigade, concerning the location of the regimental 



The Medical Profession. 379 



e 



hospital he resigned. After remaining at home for three months he again 
entered the army as assistant surgeon of the United States army and was 
stationed at Presbyterian Church hospital, Georgetown, D. C, and at Lincoln 
hospital, Washington, D. C, for several months, and then was ordered to Camp 
Convalescent, where, at the request of the entire delegation in Congress from 
Pennsylvania, he was assigned to the Pennsylvania Division. He remained 
here nine months, receiving the highest praise from the commandant of the 
camp and the surgeon-in- chief 

The doctor was an ultra Republican, and an early advocate for the enlist- 
ment of colored troops. It is not singular, therefore, that a commission was 
sent him by Secretary Stanton, at Camp Convalescent, as surgeon of the 
Eighth Regiment, United States Colored Troops, with orders to report at 
Camp William Penn, near Philadelphia. In January, 1864, he accompanied 
this regiment to Hilton Head, S. C, and thence to Florida, where he remained 
till August, when he came with his regiment to Bermuda Hundred, Va., and 
was assigned to the Third Division of the Tenth Army Corps, being made th 
chief medical officer of the brigade, and when the Twenty-fifth Army Corps 
was organized he became the surgeon-in-chief on the staff of General WiUiam 
Birney, who commanded the Second Division of that corps. He held this 
position until mustered out at Brownsville, Tex., November 10, 1865. 

Dr. Heichhold served through all the operations of the army against Rich- 
mond, and was present at the surrender of Lee. After the surrender he ac- 
companied his division — then commanded by General C. R. H. Jackson, who 
had superseded General Birney — to the Rio Grande, where the entire Twenty- 
fifth Corps had been ordered to enforce the Monroe doctrine against Maximil- 
lian, in Mexico. 

After the close of his military service, he resumed the practice of medicine 
in Brookville, in which he continued until July, 1869, when he was appointed 
by Secretary Boutwell, a special agent of the U. S. Treasury Department, and 
remained connected with that department until the close of President Arthur's 
administration, a period of nearly sixteen years, after which he again resumed 
the practice of medicine, and located at Reynoldsville. He was also ap- 
pointed postmaster at Brookville, by President Lincoln, in the spring of 186 1. 
Dr. Samuel G. Miller removed from Armstrong or Indiana county, to 
Ringgold, in the autumn of 1854. He read medicine with Dr. Ferguson, at 
Dayton, Armstrong county. He remained two or three years, and then 
located somewhere in Cambria county. The last information had of him 
was, that he had entered the ministry of the M. E. Church, and was preaching 
the Gospel. 

In the spring of 1855, Dr. David Elliott located in Brookville. He was a 
son of David Elliott, D. D., President of the Western Pennsylvania Theological 
Seminary. Dr. Elliott remained until 1858, when he received an appointment 



38o History of Jefferson County, 

in the Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C. How long he retained 
this is not known, but probably during the remainder of Mr. Buchanan's ad- 
ministration. He was connected with the army in some capacity, not known, 
during the Rebellion, and returned to Brookville in the fall of 1865 or 1866, 
where he resumed the practice of his profession. He died of pneumonia, at 
Brookville, in 1868. 

In the spring of 1855, also, came Dr. James A. McFadden, to Brookville, 
who entered the office of Dr. George Watt as a partner. This partnership ex- 
isted about one year, when he was employed by K. L. Blood to take charge 
of his drue store in Brookville. Dr. McFadden married Eliza C. Marlin, in 
June, 1854. He left Brookville in 1858. and practiced for some time at the 
mouth of Mahoning, and at Elderton, Armstrong county, after which he located 
at Buena Vista, Allegheny county, where he was at the breaking out of 
the War of the Rebellion. He was appointed assistant-surgeon of the Sixty- 
third Regiment P. V., August i, 1861, and resigned June 17, 1862. Was ap- 
pointed assistant-surgeon of the Sixty-first Regiment P. V., April i, 1863, and 
mustered out at expiration of term, September 7, 1S64. He died about 1S70. 

In March or April, 1856, Dr. J. G. Simons, from Hartstown, Crawford 
county, located in Brookville, entering into partnership with his father-in-law, 
Dr. James Dowling. He had married Mary Dowling, February 26, 1856, and 
remained until 1859 or i860, when he returned to Hartstown, and died of 
hemorrhage from the division of the sublingual artery caused by his teeth in a 
fall. Dr. Simons was considered a man of fair skill. 

In 1856 a Dr. Kelley (irregular) located in Corsica, and practiced a )-ear or 
more and then left, and returned again in 1859, and practiced for a short time. 
But little is known of him. 

About the year 1856 Dr. James N. Beck located at Rockdale Mills, and 
remained a few years. Nothing is known of him further. 

Dr. William James McKnight (electic), was the son of Alexander and Mary 
McKnight ncc Thompson. He was born May 6, 1836; studied medicine with. 
Dr. A. M. Clark, of Brockwayville ; attended a course of lectures at the Electic 
Medical Institute at Cincinnati, during the winter of 1856 and 1857. Com- 
menced the practice of medicine in Brookville in the spring of 1857, and con- 
tinued to practice there until 1859, when he removed to Brockwayville, having 
prior to his removal married Penelope, a daughter of Dr. A. M. Clark. At 
Brockwayville he entered into partnership with Dr. William C. Niver, and re- 
mained fourj years, when he returned to Brookville some time during the au- 
tumn of 1863, wherejhe has remained since. 

In January, 1864, he opened a drug store. He was appointed by Gover- 
nor Curtin examining surgeon for the county in 1862, and was also examining 
surgeon for pensions for several years. In 1S69 he graduated from the Uni- 
versity of Medicine and Surgery at Philadelphia. He was elected to represent 




^^*^3SSaJTs S^risJJ^'^^ 




The Medical Profession. 38 i 

Indiana and Jefferson counties in the Pennsylvania Senate in 1S80, and renom- 
inated in 1884, but defeated by George W. Hood, of Indiana, an independent 
candidate. In March, 1884, he graduated from Jefferson Medical College, 
Philadelphia. 

Dr. John Calvin Dowling was a son of Dr. James Dovvling, and was born in 
Jamestown, Mercer county, June 7, 1835, ^"d came to Jefferson county in 
early childhood, when his father removed from Jamestown to New Prospect 
(now Baxter), Jefferson county, in 1841. Having received a common school edu- 
cation, he was a student for one year or more at the Brookville Academy, and, 
also at Annapolis, Md., one year, where he had been appointed a cadet at the U. 
S. Naval Academy. He did not remain at the latter school longer, as he liad 
resolved to follow his father's profession in consequence of which, he entered 
his father's office in 1854, and in 1857 entered into partnership with Dr. James 
Stew .rt, Greenville, Clarion county, where he continued to practice until 
Apiil, 1 86 1, when he returned to Brookville, and rendered very material serv- 
ice to Captains McKnight and Wise, in recruiting volunteers for three months 
military service to fill the first call of President Lincoln for volunteers to crush 
the Rebellion that had been inaugurated by the attack on Fort Sumter. On 
the organization of Company B, Eighth Regiment, he was chosen first lieuten- 
ant, and afterwards, when Captain Wise was appointed to the Regular Army, 
Lieutenant Dowling had charge of the company until the expiration of its term 
of service. 

On his return from the three months service, he entered with increased 
energy into the enlistment of volunteers for the regiment being recruited by 
Captain A. A. McKnight, for three years service. On the organization of the 
regiment — the famous One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers — he 
was chosen captain of Company B. The military history of Dr. John Dowling 
has already been given in the history of his regiment in the preceding chapter 
of this volume. 

When the sad intelligence reached his home of the death of this gallant offi- 
cer and those who fell with him on that fatal field, and who were Brookville's 
first offerings to the cause of freedom, the flags were draped in mourning, and 
suspended at half mast, and gloom and sorrow pervaded the entire community. 
Dr. John C. Dowling was a young man of very agreeable manner, of very fair 
education, and fine social qualities. He was loved and respected by those who 
knew him, but his professional life was too short to acquire a reputation as a 
physician. 

Dr. Charles M. Matson was the son of James C. and Harriet Matson n^e 
Potter; born July 22, 1833; read medicine with Drs. Dowling and Heich- 
hold ; married Alice Johnson, only child of David S. and Naamah Johnson, 
Septembers, 1857; attended lectures at Cleveland Medical College ; located 
in Corsica April i, 1858, as a partner of Dr. Mark Rodgers, and remained 
45 



382 History of Jefferson. County. 

until April i, 1859, when he engaged in other business till December, 1862, 
when he entered the office of Dr. John Mechling, of Brookville, as his 
assistant. In February, 1863, he entered into an equal partnership with Dr. 
Mechling, and in March, same year, bought the doctor out but continued the 
partnership until Dr. M. could find a location suiting him better. They con- 
tinued together until May i, 1863, when Dr. Mechling left to report to Colonel 
H. S. Campbell, at his headquarters, Waterford, Erie county, he having 
been appointed surgeon of the board of enrollment for the Nineteenth Con- 
gressional District, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1863. Dr. Matson continued the 
practice established by Dr. Mechling's energy and skill till May i, 1S64, when 
he was ordered to report for duty, having been appointed surgeon to succeed 
Dr. Mechling, who resigned, to take effect April 21, 1864. This position he 
held until June 15, 1865, when he was honorably discharged by Edwin M. 
Stanton, secretary of war. During this period of the war the duties of medical 
examiner were very arduous, and the number of physical examinations made 
by Dr. Matson — volunteers, substitutes, drafted men, and of those seeking to 
be stricken from the enrollment list on account of physical disability to bear 
arms, was nearly fifteen thousand ; probably about three thousand of these 
were re-examinations. 

On October 27, 1864, he married Amanda Truby, his wife having died 
May 2, 1863. After his discharge Dr. Matson resumed the practice of medi- 
cine in Brookville, in which he has been engaged since. 

He was instrumental in the organization of the Jefferson County Medical 
Society in 1877, and was elected its first president ; was one of the first three 
delegates to the State Medical Society, and the first delegate to the American 
Medical Association in 1878. 

Dr. John Mechling was born near New Washington, Butler county. Pa., 
in 1832 ; received a liberal education, and for some time before reading medi- 
cine was principal of an academy in the State of Indiana ; read medicine with 
Dr. Mcjunkin, of Butler, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 
March, 1859, locating in Brookville in April of same year. During the first 
year of his residence in Brookville he acquired a very extensive practice, which 
he continued to maintain until May i, 1863, when he left the place to assume 
the duties of examining surgeon at the provost marshal's headquarters, Water- 
ford, he having been appointed to that position on the 2ist day of the pre- 
vious month. He continued in this office until April 21, 1864, when he re- 
signed. After his resignation he went to Denver, Col., and remained until 
the next fall, when the threatening attitude of the Indians caused many of the 
inhabitants of Denver to leave for other places of greater safety. He arrived 
at Salt Lake City and opened an office there, where he remained until the next 
spring, when he returned via San Francisco and Panama to Brookville. He 
then entered the office of Andrews & Conrad, attorneys at law, as a student ; 



The Medical Profession. 383 

attended tlie Law Department of the University of Albany, graduating in the 
spring of 1868. He then returned to Denver to engage in the practice of law, 
but in time returned to the practice of medicine. He married Mary H. JenT<s, 
daughter of the late D. B. Jenks, esq., in November, 1864, and died in Gunni- 
son, Col, about 1880. 

Taking in consideration the short time Dr. Mechling remained in Brook- 
ville, he had acquired a wonderfully extensive practice. He was prompt, 
energetic, agreeable, and skillful ; six feet two inches in height, slender, with 
dark hair, and beard covering his breast; gray eyes, well dressed, gentle, kind, 
yet somewliat brusque. He was very popular with the masses, and held in 
high esteem by tlie professional fraternity. 

Dr. William H. Reynolds (eclectic) was born in Franklin county. New 
York; read medicine with Dr. A. M. Clark, at Brockwayville ; located in 
Reynoldsville in 1859, where, in connection with other business, he has been 
engaged in the practice of medicine ever since. 

Dr. John McConnell Jones, son of Isaac and Jane Jones, nee Wilson, was 
born near Strattanville, Clarion county. May 22, 1833. Isaac Jones was 
one of the first settlers of Jefferson county, having come with his parents from 
Centre county, in 1802. John McC. attended Elder's Ridge Academy 
for two }^ears, and was a student for some time at Washington College ; read 
medicine under Dr. James Ross, of Clarion; attended medical lectures at 
Jefferson College, Philadelphia ; commenced the practice of medicine in Perrys- 
ville, where he remained about one year, and in the year 1859 removed to 
Corsica ; married a daughter of Samuel Frampton, late of Clarion county, and 
continued to practice until November, 1863, when he was attacked by typhoid 
fever, and died on the 24th of that month in Corsica. 

During the decade ending with the year 1859 several other doctors were 
engaged in the practice of medicine in the county, of whom no reliable data 
can be procured. Dr. Joseph Shields, it is thought, located in Perrysville 
about 1852, where he practiced many years, and then removed to Punxsutaw- 
ney, where he yet resides engaged in the practice of medicine, in connection 
with the sale of drugs and general merchandise. Dr. J. J. J. Bishop, a son of 
Dr. Gara Bishop, with whom he read, also located in the county, and prac- 
ticed for a few years at Punxsutawney. 

Dr. Joseph Woods Sharp was born December 28, 1836, at Shelocta, Indi- 
ana county ; read medicine with Dr. Joseph Shields, of Perrysville, Jeffer- 
son county; entered into partnership with his preceptor in 1861, whose 
interest he afterward purchased; continued the practice until 1869, when he 
removed to Dayton, Armstrong county, where he now resides. He mar- 
ried Mary Ann Walker, December 28, 1859. 

Rev. Dr. Robert Smith Hunt (homeopathist), son of George and Mary 
Hunt, nee Cooper, was born June lo, 1828, at New Alexandria. Westmoreland 



384 History of Jefferson County. 

county ; received a liberal education, commencing with that afforded by 
the common school, supplementing it by a course at Elder's Academy, near 
Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland county, and nearly three years in Allegheny 
College, Meadville. 

He entered the ministry of the Baptist denomination and had charge of a 
congregation for some time in Armstrong county. He read medicine with Dr. 
Simkins, of Slate Lick, same county, and attended a course of lectures at the 
Western Homoeopathic College, Cleveland, O., in the winter of 1856-7 ; com- 
menced to practice at Richardsville, Jefferson county, in i860, where he prac- 
ticed medicine and preached to the Baptist congregation there until the spring 
of 1863, when he removed to Brookville. In 1859 he married Louisiana M. 
Blood, who died in 1881. He graduated from the Philadelphia University of 
Medicine and Surgery (eclectic) February 15, 1868; also received certificates 
from the electropathic institution at Philadelphia, and Dr. Horatio R. Storer, 
of Boston. He was for several years a member of the Board of Pension Exam- 
iners for Jefferson county. A few years ago Dr. Hunt married Mrs. Rachel 
Steck, ?nr McCreight. 

Dr. John M. Cummins, the son of Rev. C. P. Cummins, M. D., and Mar- 
garet Cummins, was born at Dickinson, Cumberland county. Pa.; read medi- 
cine with his father, and graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College in the 
spring of 1862; entered into a partnership with Dr. John Mechling same 
spring, which was mutually dissolved the following autumn to permit Dr. 
Cummins to go to assist his father in his practice in Beaver. He remained 
in Beaver but a short time, as he was appointed surgeon to a volunteer regi- 
ment in the field, and continued as such till 1864, when he returned and located 
in Allegheny City, where he continues in the practice of medicine. 

Dr. Samuel C. Allison was born December 30, 1830, near Greenville, 
Clarion county ; read medicine with Dr. John Mechling, at Brookville ; 
attended a course of lectures during the winter of 1860-61 ; located in Clarion, 
in December, 1861 ; removed to Punxsutawne}' in February, 1863; about 
the same time married Jane Craig, a daughter of Samuel Craig, of Brookville ; 
removed to Marchand, Indiana county, October, 1865; attended a second 
course of lectures at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, during the winter of 
1866-7; graduated 1 867; removed to Brookville in the fall of 1869, and re- 
turned to Punxsutawney in the fall of 1870, where he has been continuously 
engaged in the practice of medicine ever since. 

Dr. John Thompson, the son of Jonathan and Catharine Thompson, ticf 
King, was born at Tyrone Forge, now [jTyrone, Huntingdon county, Jan- 
uary I, 1835. His father removed to Clarion county when the subject of this 
sketch was ten years of age, settling near Strattanville. Here he attended 
school until his sixteenth year, when he worked for about a year for his father 
and brother Jesse, who were millwrights. When eighteen years old he was 



ommencing with that afforded by 

a course af Elder's Academy, near 

^nd nearh' three years in Allegheny 

•ommation and iiaJ caarge oi a 

iTity. He I :a<! medicine with Dr. 

• attended a flcctiires at the 

'., in the winter of 1856—7 ; com- 

. ui county, in 1S60, where he prac- 

st con'rjff^ation there until the spring 

. married Louisiana M. 

!ion. tiie 1 " ' ' ia University of 

y 15, lS68; .ived certificates 

n at Philadelphia, and Dr. Horatip R. Storer, 

a member of che Board of Pension Exam- 

s'cars ago Dr. Hunt married Mrs. Rachel 



L ... 
at,^ 
in J... 
the sail i 
removt 
course 
1 866-; 
turned 

engaged in Uie 
Dr. John Tl 
King, was hnr 



.ui.i brotiier Jesse, \. 



\ . C- P. Cummins, M. D., and Mar- 

'umberland Pa.; read medi- 

he Cincinnn. ;i College in the 

ship with Dr. John Mechling same 

cd the following autumn to permit Dr. 

n his practice in Beaver. He remained 

■.s appointed surgeon to a volunteer regi- 

. ir 1864, when he returned and located 

. tice of medicine. 

_: 30, 1830, near Greenville, 

)r. John Mechling, at BrookviJle ; 

rof 1860-61 ; located in Clarion, 

■ ney in February, 1863; about 

r of Samuel Craig, of Brookville ; 

.ity, October, 1S65; attended a second 

^" ' 'ciphia, during the winter of 

in the fall x>{ 1S69, and re- 

:o, where he has been continuously 

since. 

-'•■ban and Catharine Thompson, Wifif 

.rone, Huntingdon county, Jan- 

trion county when the subject of this 

Strattanville. Her? he attended 

: d for about a year for his father 

iteen years old he was 



The Medical Profession. 385 

employed as clerk for Isaac Jones & Sons, Greenville, Clarion county, and 
afterwards by Reynolds & Evans, with whom he continued for three yearsr 
applying himself assiduously, during his leisure hours, to the acquisition of 
knowledge through every channel presenting itself. At the end of the time 
specified he gave up his position with Reynolds & Evans and went to St. 
Louis, Mo., where he had a brother residing, for the purpose of reading med- 
icine under Professor E. H. Gregory, visiting physician to Charity Hospital 
and demonstrator of anatomy in the St. Louis Medical College. During the 
period of his student life he was Dr. Gregory's daily attendant in his hospital 
visits, and graduated from this college in the spring of i860, after which he 
was appointed assistant physician to the City Hospital by the Board of Health 
of St. Louis, where he remained six months, the last of which he had entire 
control of the hospital on account of the absence of Dr. Corning, who was 
brigade surgeon, and left with the brigade during the border troubles between 
Kansas and Missouri. At the end of a month Dr. Corning, with a part of the 
State troops, returned, and Dr. Thompson was appointed surgeon to those re- 
maining as guards of the border. He held this position till the outbreak of the 
Rebellion, when the govenor of Missouri ordered the return of the State troops 
to Camp Jackson, St. Louis, where Dr. Thompson, with the rebel troops to 
the number of about five thousand, were captured by General Lyon and paroled 
at the St. Louis Arsenal. After his parole the doctor returned home to Green- 
ville, Clarion county, where he entered into partnership in the practice of 
medicine with Dr. James Stewart, of that place, which continued for two and a 
half years. He married Mary A. Rifenberic, of Greenville, July 30, 1861, and 
located in Corsica, Jefferson county, January 5, 1864, where he has continued 
In the practice of his profession ever since. 

Dr. Barnabas Sweeny was the son of Barnabas and Margaret Sweeny, born 
January 8, 1826, near Tarentum, Allegheny county; read medicine first 
year with Dr. James L. Taylor, and the two succeeding years with Dr. James 
Stewart, both of Indiana; married Lena Ann Armstrong, daughter of Col- 
onel Thomas Armstrong, of Elderton, Armstrong county, October i, 1850, 
who lived but six months. Some time after the death of his first wife he mar- 
ried Elizabeth W. Robinson. He located first by taking charge of Dr. Thomas 
Allison's practice, in Middletown, now Elderton, from September 9, 1849, to 
May 20, 1850. He then located in Smlcksburgh, Indiana county. In partner- 
ship with Dr. Sims, which partnership lasted about one year, after which he 
continued to practice thereuntil October, 1864, when he removed to Brook- 
ville, where he continued to practice until April i, 1883, when he removed 
to Du Bois, Clearfield county, where he has been engaged in the practice of 
medicine since. 

Some time during the year 1864 Dr. William Meredeth Bruce Gibson lo- 
cated In Reynoldsville. He was born In Clarion county, and read medl- 



386 History of Jefferson County. 

cine with Dr. R. B. Brown, of Summer\'ille. After practicing a few years in 
Reynoldsville he removed to Rockdale Mills, where he remained a few years, 
returning to Reynoldsville in 187 1 or 1872, where he has continued to practice 
medicine since. Dr. Gibson has been one of the surgeons of the L. G. Divi- 
sion A. V. R. R. for many years, and is also a member of the Jefferson County 
and Pennsylvania Medical Societies. 

In 1865 or 1866 Dr. George W. Barnett located in Ringgold. He was 
born in Young township, Jefferson county, and is said to have read med- 
icine with Dr. Joseph Shields. He remained in Ringgold about eleven years, 
when he removed to Mt. Tabor, Armstrong county, where he practiced for 
about three year.?, and then went to Nebraska, since which nothing is known 
of him. 

Dr. Perry McElvain was born in Butler count}-, near North Washington; 
read medicine with Dr. C. M. Matson, Brookvilie ; attended a course of lec- 
tures at Ann Arbor during the winter of 1864—65 ; located at McLeansboro, 
111., in the autumn of 1866, but afterwards removed to Alto Pass, in the south- 
ern part of Illinois, where he now is practicing medicine. 

Dr. John Calvin King was the son of Jacob and Sarah A. King, 7ic'e Cor- 
bett ; born in Clarion county in 1841 ; read medicine with Dr. R. B. Brown, 
Summerville ; attended lectures at the University of New York, and located 
for the practice of medicine at Rockdale Mills, Jefferson county, in the spring 
of 1867, remaining there until the fall of 1868, when he removed to Reynolds- 
ville, where he has remained in the continuous practice since. He married 
Miss E. A. Coleman, September 23, 1869. 

Dr. Samuel McCartney Bleakney was born in Armstrong county ; at- 
tended a course of lectures at the Buffalo University during the winter of 
1865-66; located in Worth ville, Jefferson county, in the year 1866 or 1867, 
where he has continued to practice since. 

About 1 868 Dr. Charles CaU'in Baker located at Sigel, Jefferson county. 
He was born in Smethport, McKean county, and attended a course of lec- 
tures at the Cleveland Medical College. He had practiced many years at 
Clarington, Forest county, prior to his removal to Sigel. 

August 20, 1870, Dr. James Albert Miller located in Perrj-sville, Jefferson 
county. He is the son of Samuel G. and Mary Ann Miller ttee Keener, and 
was born near Saltsburgh, Indiana county, August 23, 1844; read medi- 
cine with Dr. William Jack, of Jacksonville, Indiana county, and graduated 
from the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, Cincinnati, O., July 13, 
1870; married Laura A. Hamilton, daughter of Robert Hamilton, of Perrys- 
ville, November 26, 1872, and has continued in the practice of his profession 
from 1870 to the present time. 

Sometime during the month of October, 1870, Dr. Robert Morse Boyles 
removed from Rimersburg, Clarion county, and located in Reynoldsville, Jef- 



The Medical Profession. 387 

ferson county. He is the son of H. and Eleanor Boyles, and was born April 
26, 1S40, near Curllsville, Clarion county; received his education at Glade 
Run Academy, Armstrong county, and read medicine with Dr. James N. 
Beck at Rockdale Mills, Jefferson county ; attended a course of medical lec- 
tures at Ann Arbor, Mich., during the winter of i860 and '61, and entered the 
practice of medicine at Goheenville, Armstrong county, in May, 1862, and 
removed to Rimersburg, Clarion county, in February, 1865. He graduated at 
the Cleveland Medical College in February, 1867 ; admitted to membership in 
the Clarion County Medical Society in June, 1868, and continued in the prac- 
tice of medicine at Rimersburg until his removal to Reynoldsville. He mar- 
ried Margaret A. BoUman, of Goheenville, July 4, 1864, who died Angust 7, 
1876, at Reynoldsville ; was a private in Company E, Fifty-sixth Regiment 
Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was in service while that regiment was on duty ; 
was appointed hospital steward and temporarily assistant post surgeon at New 
Creek, Va., while the regiment was on duty there. He became a member of the 
Jefferson County Medical Society, at its organization; is also a member of the 
Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Associa- 
tion. He removed to Du Bois, Clearfield county, July 28, 1884, where he 
continues the practice of his profession. 

It is thought that Dr. James William Hoey located in Brockwayville some- 
time in 1 87 1. He was born in Delaware county, in or near Media. He 
graduated from Jefferson Medical College March 8, 1856. Names of places, 
with length of time in each, prior to his location in Brockwayville, is not 
known. 

Dr. George Hines Hilliard located in Richardsville in 1872 or '"Ji. He 
was born in Clarion county, and graduated from the Jefferson Medical 
College March 9, 1S72. He remained in Richardsville until 1885 or '86, when 
he returned to Clarion county, where he is now engaged in the practice of 
medicine. 

Dr. John Wesley Foust came to Reynoldsville from Port Matilda, Centre 
county, in April, 1873. He was born in Shirleysburg, Huntingdon county, 
August 25, 1844; read medicine with Dr G. W. Thompson at Mill Creek, 
Huntingdon county ; attended a full course of lectures at Jefferson Medical 
College during the winter of 1866 and '67, and commenced the practice of 
medicine at Port Matilda, Centre county, in April, 186S ; was elected associate 
judge for Jefferson county, in 1885; has practiced medicine continuously 
since 1868. 

Dr. Daniel G. AUinder is the son of William and Mary Allinder, and was 
born and educated in Pittsburgh. He graduated from one of the regular 
colleges in Philadelphia, and practiced medicine a short time in Pittsburgh, 
prior to May, 1873, when he located in Brookville and remained the greater 
part of a year, when he returned to Pittsburgh, locating on Butler street, near 
Forty-Fifth, where he is yet engaged in the practice of medicine. 



388 History of Jefferson County. 

Dr. Marcus Ale.xis Masson located in Brookville in January, 1873. He 
was the son of Joseph Masson, a native of the province of Tours, France. His 
mother, whose maiden name was Rebecca Pheugh, was born in Mercer, Mer- 
cer county, where also was born her son Marcus A., May 17, 1848. He 
read medicine with Dr. E. R. Palmer of the University of Louisville, Ky., and 
graduated from that university March 6, 1872, located in Foxburg, Clarion 
county, in March of same year, and remained until January, 1874, when 
he removed to Brookville. He married Charlotte Cowling, sister of the late 
Prof Cowling of the University of Louisville, Ky., December 17, 1872. He 
remained in Brookville only one year, as he removed to Reynoldsville and lo- 
cated there January 11, 1875. In November, 1876, he removed to Petrolia, 
Butler county. He practiced medicine in Petrolia until February 14, 1878, 
when he was taken sick, from which sickness he died at his mother's residence, 
Foxburg, Clarion county, November 14, of same year. Dr. Masson was a 
man of very fine personal appearance, agreeable and social in manner, pos- 
sessed of a strong personal magnetism, and withal a man of much more than 
•ordinary ability in the practice of his profession, which lost, by his early death, 
one, who in after years, would have been considered one of its most brilliant 
members. 

Dr. Jeremiah Hare Wick removed from Armstrong county, to Brook- 
ville, in 1873, where he remained eighteen months ; thence he went to Corsica, 
where he remained a year, when he removed from the count}', and his present 
residence is not known. 

About 1874 Dr. William Abram Baker located at Sigel, Jefferson county, 
and remained some time, afterwards removing, it is said, to Ohio. He is the 
son of Dr. C. C. Baker, and was born in Clarington, Forest county, and 
attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical College. It is thought that it was 
sometime during this year that Dr. William Burchfield Alexander located in 
Reynoldsville. He was born in Clearfield, and graduated from Jefierson Med- 
ical College, Philadelphia, March 7, 1868. Dr. Alexender is also engaged in 
banking at Reynoldsville. 

Dr. Michael M. Rankin is the son of Hugh R. and Margaret Rankin iicc 
■Cooper; was born in Indiana county. May 11, 1851 ; read medicine with 
Dr. H. B. Pittman, of Gettysburg, Indiana county, and graduated from the 
Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, March 2, 1876. He located at Rock- 
dale Mills, March 22, 1875 ; removed to Brockwayville in the spring' of 18S1, 
where he has been in continuous practice since. He is a member of Jefferson 
County Medical Society and also the Medical Society of Pennsylvania. He was 
married to Miss N. J. Getty in September, 1871. 

Dr. Abraham Fisher Balmer is the son of Daniel and Harriet Balmer, ncc 
Fisher, and was born at Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, September 15, 
1849; read medicine under the supervision of Dr. A. C. Treichler, of Elizabeth- 



The Medical Profession. 389 

town; graduated from Jefferson Medical College March 11, 1875, and com- 
menced to practice medicine in Brookville February 7, 1876, where he prac- 
tices medicine at present. Dr. Balmer is a member of the County, State, and 
National Medical Societies. 

Dr. William Ferguson Matson is the son James C. and Harriet Matson, tit'e 
Potter; was born September 19, 1855, near Brookville; read medicine with 
Dr. C. M. Matson ; graduated from the Cleveland Medical College February 
21, 1887; received adeimdem degree of M. D. from Adelbert University, 
Cleveland, O., March 15, 1882 ; has been for several years a surgeon on Low 
Grade Division A. V. Railroad, and is a member of the Count}', State, and 
American Medical Socities. He married Fannie Z. Shields, daughter of Dr. 
Joseph Shields, of Punxsutawney, in August, 1886. 

Dr. William Wilson Woods is the son of John and Mariah Woods, and was 
born at Potter's Mills, Centre county, July 21, 1842; read medicine with 
Dr. F. H. Van Valzah, who was then located at Potter's Mills, now Spring 
Mills, Centre county, married Henrietta Cadwalader, of Potter's Mills, March 
27, 1866; graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, March 10, 
1877, and located at Belleview (Stanton p. o.), Jefferson county, in Octo- 
ber, 1877. During the year 1876, and until June, 1877, he was connected 
with Charity Hospital, Philadelphia. He is a member of the County, State, 
and National Medical Associations. 

Pursuant to a previous call the following physicians met September 11, 
1877, at the office of Drs. C. M. and W. F. Matson, for the purpose of organ- 
izing the Jefferson County Medical Society, viz.: Drs. John Thompson, J. W. 
Foust, J. C. King, W. M. B. Gibson, W. F. Matson, A. F. Balmer, and C. M. 
Matson. 

Dr. C. M. Matson was elected president, and Dr. A. F. Balmer secretary. 
Drs. R. B. Brown, John Thompson, W. F. Matson, and A. F. Balmer were ap 
pointed a committee on constitution and by-laws, and the meeting adjourned to 
meet in the same place September 25, 1877. 

At the meeting of September 25, the report of the committee on constitu- 
tion and by-laws was adopted, and officers nominated to be elected at the next 
meeting, to be held on the 9th of October, 1877, at which Dr. C. M. Matson 
was elected president, Dr. John Thompson, vice-president; Dr. A. F. Balmer, 
recording secretary; Dr. W. F. Matson, corresponding secretary; Dr. R B. 
Brown, treasurer, and Dr. J. W. Foust, censor for three years. Dr. M. M. Ran- 
kin, censor for two years, and Dr. J. C. King, censor for one year. 

The meetings of the society from its organization have, for the most part, 
been very interesting. Every meeting of the society was made a general clinic 
day, and all cases brought before the society that day received the benefit of 
a general consultation free. Papers on various subjects were read and dis- 
cussed ; cases of importance were related by members and freely commented 
46 



390 History of Jefferson County. 

upon, and everything done to attain the object of its organization. The so- 
ciety was chartered in May, 1887. 

The officers of the society have been as follows : Presidents, Drs. C. M. Mat- 
son, John Thompson, W. M. B. Gibson, G. H. Hilliard, W. W. Woods, M. M. 
Rankin, and T. C. Lawson. With the exception of Dr. C. M. Matson these 
gentlemen have been the vice-presidents. Dr. S. S. Hamilton fills that office 
at present. Dr. A. F. Balmer has been re-elected annually as recording sec- 
retary, also Dr. W. F. Matson, as corresponding secretary, and Dr. R. B. Brown, 
as treasurer. After the first election one censor is elected annually to serve 
for the period of three years. The members, with the exception of three or 
four who have removed from the county, are as follows : Drs. R. B. Brown, 
John Thompson, A. F. Balmer, T. C. Lawson, W. M. B. Gibson, J. W. Foust, 
C. M. Matson, W. F. Matson, M. M. Rankin, J. C. King, R. M. Boyles, W. F. 
Beyer, S. C. Johnson, W. W. Woods, S. S. Hamilton, J. A. McKibbon, D. L. 
Paine, G. H. Hilliard, J. A. Henry. W. B. Alexander, A. P. Cox. 

No laws were enacted by the Legislature of Pennsylvania relating to, and 
■controlling the practice of medicine in the State prior to the act of March 24, 
1877, which was supplemented by that of June 8, 1881, the provisions of which 
are as follows : 

Sec. I. The standard qualifications of a practitioner of medicine, surgery or 
obstetrics, shall be and consist of the following, namely: A good moral char- 
acter, a thorough elementary education, a comprehensive knowledge of human 
anatomy, human physiology, pathology, chemestry, materia viedica, obstetrics, 
and practice of medicine and surgery and public hygiene. 

Sec. 2. It shall be unlawful, after the passage of this act, for any person to 
announce him.self or herself as a practitioner of medicine, surgery or obstetrics, 
or to practice the same, who has not received, in a regular manner, a diploma 
from a chartered medical school, duly authorized to confer upon its a/uiimi t\\c 
degree of doctor of medicine : Provided, That this act shall not apply to any 
resident practitioner of medicine, surgery or obstetrics who has been in such 
continuous practice in this Commonwealth for a period of not less than five 
years previous to the passage of this act. 

Sec. 3. Before any person shall engage in the practice of medicine, sur- 
crery or obstetrics, in this Commonwealth, or who has not a diploma as pro- 
vided for in section second of this act, such persons shall make affidavit, under 
oath or affirmation, before the prothonotary of the county where such person 
intends practicing, setting forth the time of continuous practice, and the place 
or places where such practice was pursued in this Commonwealth ; thereupon, 
the prothonotary shall enter the same of record in a book specially provided 
therefor, to be kept in his office, and open to the inspection of the public ; and 
for such services he shall receive the sum of two dollars, to be paid by affiant, 
one-half for the use of the prothonotary, the other for the use of the county. 



The Medical Profession. 391 



Sec. 4. Any person who shall attempt to practice medicine or surgery for 
a valuable consideration, by opening a transient office within the Common- 
wealth, or who shall, by handbill or other form of written or printed advertise- 
ment, assign such transient office, or other place, to persons seeking medical or 
surgical advice or prescription, or who shall itinerate from place to place, or 
from house to house, and shall propose to cure any person, sick or afflicted, by 
the use of any medicine, means or agency whatsoever, for a valuable conside- 
ration, shall before being allowed to practice in this manner, appear before the 
clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the county wherein such person de- 
sires to practice, and shall furnish satisfactory evidence to such clerk that the 
provisions of this act have been complied with ; and shall, in addition, takeout 
a license for one year, and pay into the county treasury, for the use of the 
county, the sum of fifty dollars therefor ; whereupon, it shall be the duty of 
such clerk, to issue to such applicant a proper certificate of license, on payment 
of the fee of five dollars for his services. 

Sec. 5. Any person who shall violate or fail to comply with any of the pro- 
visions of this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor; and on convic- 
tion before any court, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than two hun- 
dred dollars, nor more than four hundred dollars, for each and every offense, 
for the use of the county wherein such misdemeanor was committed. 

Sec. 6. The prothonotary of each county shall purchase a book of suitable 
size, to be known as the medical register of the county (if such book has not 
been purchased already), and shall set apart one full page for the registration 
of each practitioner, and when any practitioner shall depart this life, or remove 
from the county, he shall make a note of the same at the bottom of the page, 
and shall perform such other duties as are required by this act. 

Sec, 7. Every person who shall practice medicine or surgery, or any of the 
branches of medicine or surgery, for gain, or shall receive or accept for his or 
her services, as a practitioner of medicine or surgery, any fee or rewards, di- 
rectly or indirectly, shall be a graduate of a legally chartered medical college 
or university, having authority to confer the degree of Doctor of Medicine (ex- 
cept as provided for in section five of this act), and such person shall present 
to the prothonotary of the county in which he or she resides or sojourns, his 
or her medical diploma, as well as a true copy of the same, including any en- 
dorsements thereon, and shall make affidavit before him, that the diploma and 
endorsement are genuine ; thereupon the prothonotary shall enter the follow- 
ing in the register, to- wit : the name in full of the practitioner, his or her place 
of nativity, his or her place of residence, the name of the college or university 
that has conferred the degree of doctor of medicine, the year when such degree 
was conferred, and in like manner any other degree or degrees that the practi- 
tioner may desire to place on record, to all of which the practitioner shall make 
affidavit before the prothonotary ; and the prothonotary shall place the copy of 



392 History of Jefferson County. 

such diploma, including the endorsements on file in his office, for inspection by 
the public. 

Sec. 8. Any person whose medical diploma has been destroyed or lost, 
shall present to the prothonotary of the count}- in which he or she resides or 
sojourns, a duly certified copy of his or her diploma, but if the same is not 
obtainable, a statement of this fact, together with the names of the professors 
whose lectures he or she attended, and the branches of study upon which each 
professor lectured, to all of which the practitioner shall make affidavit before 
the prothonotar\' ; after which the practitioner shall be allowed to register, in 
manner and form as indicated in section two of this act ; and the prothonotary 
shall place such certified statement on file in his office, for inspection by the 
public. 

Sec. 9. Any person who may desire to commence the practice of medicine 
or surgery in this State, after the passage of this act, having a medical diploma 
issued or purporting to have been issued by any college, university, society or 
association in another State or foreign country, shall lay the same before the 
faculty of one of the medical colleges or universities of this Commonwealth for 
inspection, and the faculty, being satisfied as to the qualifications of the appli- 
cant, and the genuineness of the diploma, shall direct the dean of the facult}- to 
endorse the same, after which such person shall be allowed to register, as re- 
quired by section two of this act. 

Sec. 10. Any person who has been in the continuous practice of medicine 
or surgery in this Commonwealth since 1871, without the degree of doctor 
of medicine, shall be allowed to continue such practice ; but such person 
shall nevertheless appear before the prothonotary of the county in which 
he or she resides, and shall present to him a written statement of facts, to 
which the practitioner shall make affidavit. Thereupon the prothonotary shall 
enter the following in the register, to wit : The name in full of the practitioner, 
his or her place of nativity, his or her place of residence, the time of continuous 
practice in this Commonwealth, and the place or places where such practice 
was pursued, to all of which the practioner shall likewise make affidavit; and 
the prothonotary shall place the certified statement on file in his office for in- 
spection by the public. 

Sec. II. Every practitioner who shall be admitted to registration shall pay 
to the prothonotary one dollar, which shall be in compensation in full for reg- 
istration, and the prothonotary shall give a receipt for the same. 

Sec. 12. Any practitioner who shall present to the facult}- of an institution 
for indorsement, or to any prothonotary, a diploma which has been obtained 
fradulently, or is in whole or in part a forgery, or shall make affidavit to any 
false statement to be filed or registered, or shall practice medicine or surgery 
without conforming to the requirements of this act, or otherwise violate or 
neglect to comply with an)' of the provisions of this act, shall be deemed guilty 



The Medical Profession. 393 

of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be punished for each and every 
offence by a fine of one hundred dollars, one half to be paid to the prosecutor, 
and the other half to be paid to the county, or be imprisoned in the county 
jail of the proper county for a term not exceeding one year, or both or either, 
at the discretion of the court. 

Sec. 13. Nothing in this act 'shall be so construed as to prevent any 
ph)^sician or surgeon, legally qualified, to practice medicine or surgery in the 
State in which he or she resides, from practicing in this Commonwealth ; but 
any person or persons opening an office or appointing any place where he or 
she may meet patients or receive calls, shall be deemed a sojourner, and shall 
■conform to the requirements of this act. 

The act approved March 24, 1877, is included in the first five sections; 
the supplemental act approved June 8, 1881, concerning registration, etc., 
commencing with section 6 and concluding with section 13. 

The enforcement of this law in Jefferson county, with one or two excep- 
tions, has never been attempted. Physicians legally entitled to practice medi- 
cine, have, it is believed, all registered, so, also, have many who are clearly 
attempting to practice in violation of the provisions of the act of March 24, 
1877. Some names, therefore, which are on the prothonotary's register, for 
this reason, have been omitted in this list, with date of registration : 

In 1S81, Dr. S. C. Allison registered July 21 ; Dr. C. C. Hindman, July 
25 ; Dr. C. C. Baker, July 27 ; Dr. W. A. Baker, July 27; Dr. W. F. Mat- 
son, Jul\- 28 ; Dr. T. C. Lawson, August 2 ; Dr. J. W. Foust, August 2 ; Dr. 
W. M. B. Gibson, August 2 ; Dr. A. F. Balmer, August 3 ; Dr. S. Mc. Bleak- 
ney, August 4; Dr. T. J. Bennett, August 6; Dr. John Thompson, August 
8; Dr. G. H. Milliard, August 12; Dr. A. P. Co.x, August 19; Dr. A. M. 
Clark, August 23 ; Dr. J. C. King, August 24; Dr. J. W. Hocy, August 25 ; 
Dr. C. M. Matson, August 26 ; Dr. Joseph Shields, September 13 ; Dr. A. D. 
McComb, September 13; Dr. S. S. Hamilton, September 13; Dr. W. F. 
Beyer, September 13; Dr. M. M. Rankin, September 13; Dr. William Alt- 
man, September 13; Dr. W. W. Woods, September 13; Dr. J. A. Miller, 
September 20 ; Dr. W. C. Niver, September 21 ; Dr. Samuel Reynolds. Sep- 
tember 22 ; Dr. R. B. Brown, September 26; Dr. W. B. Alexander, September 
28 ; Dr. R. S. Hunt, October 10; Dr. W. J. McKnight, October 13 ; Dr. J. S. 
McCoy, October 24 ; Dr. R. M. Boyles, November 8 ; Dr. J. H. Wick, No- 
vember 8; Dr. W. H. Reynolds, November 15. In 1882, Dr. C. A. Wilson 
registered January 31; Dr. Stephen Fugate. April 27; Dr. T. R. Williams, 
December 12. In 1883, Dr. E. Q. McHenry registered January 12 ; Dr. G. A. 
Blose, April 17 ; Dr. J. H. Hoffman, May 26; Dr. F. P. Segworth, June 15 ; 
Dr. Julius Schefter, July 24; Dr. H. S. Barrett, August 13; Dr. D. G. Hub- 
bard, December 11. In 1884, Dr. C. G. Ernst registered April 7 ; Dr. J. M. 
Fisher, April 15 ; Dr. S. W. McDowell, June 5 ; Dr. J. K. Brown, June 16; 



394 History of Jefeerson County. 

Dr. J. C. Wilson, June 23; Dr. D. D. Fisher, June 28 ; Dr. J. E. Hall, No- 
vember 19; Dr. D. L. Paine, December 31. In 1885, Dr. O. S. Sharp regis- 
tered April 7 ; Dr. A. P. Heichhold, April 8 ; Dr. J. B. Neale, April 27. In 
1886, Dr. R. J. HiUis registered May 8; Dr. H. P. Holt. June 30. In 1887, 
Dr. J. C. Stahlman registered April 9. 

The law governing the practice of medicine, surgery, etc., the short notice 
of the County Medical Society, and the registration of the physicians have been 
given here, because they belong to the decade ending with the year 18S0. It 
is true that the act of Assembly, making it obligatory on physicians to register, 
was approved in June, 1S81, but it was merely supplementary to the act of 
1877, ^'^'^ therefore a part of it. 

Dr. Andrew Pierce Cox located at Big Run, sometime during the sum- 
mer of 1877. He was born in Allegheny county, and graduated from Cin- 
cinnati Medical College June 21, 1877. 

Dr. Sylvester Sutton Hamilton located in Pun.xsutawney, in the spring of 
187S. He was born in Indiana county, and graduated from the Columbus 
Medical College, Columbus, O., February 17, 1878. 

Dr. Glenn Alvin Emery, son of Jacob and Mary Emery, was born in Phil- 
adelphia, and read medicine with Dr. C. M. Matson ; married Olive Nich- 
olson, daughter of the late Hon. R. J. Nicholson, in 1868; graduated from 
Columbus Medical College in the spring of 1879, and soon afterwards located 
in Crestline, O., where he remained about a year when he removed to Rend- 
ville, O , where he at present is engaged in the practice of his profession. 

Dr. William Feltwell Beyer is the son of Samuel and Caroline Beyer «f'<? 
Feltwell. He was born near Smicksburg, Indiana county. May 5, 185 i ; read 
medicine with Dr. Christopher McEwen, of Plumville, Indiana county ; grad- 
uated from Jefferson Medical College, March 12, 1879, and located in Punx- 
sutawney in the spring of the same year, where he has been in continuous 
practice since. In 18S0 he married Maggie A. Mitchell. 

Dr. Samuel Reynolds removed from St. Mary's, Elk county, to Rey- 
noldsville, in May, 1879. He is the son of J. B. and Jane Reynolds >n'f Harr, 
and was born October 29, 1843, ^t Lockport, Westmoreland county. His 
preceptor was Dr. R. Armstrong, of Lock Haven, and he graduated from the 
Jefferson Medical College March 10, 1865. He located at Renova, May i, 
1865, where he remained until his removal to Re}-noldsville. On November 
24, 1869, he married Imogen Hyatt. 

Dr. Thomas Chalmers Lawson located in Brookville, Ma)- 10, 1880. He 
is the son of James B. and Lavinia Lawson rur Orr, and was born near Law- 
sonham. Clarion county, July 26, 1843. He read medicine with Dr. John 
P. Norman, of Rimersburg, Clarion county, and graduated from Jefterson 
Medical College March 13, 1871, and located at Greenville, Clarion county, irt 
the following June, where he remained until some time in the spring of 1879, 



The Medical Profession. 395 

when he discontinued practice for a year, spending the winter of '79 and '80 
attending lectures at Philadelphia and New York. He married Alice E. Pat- 
ton, daughter of the late Thomas Patton of Greenville, Clarion county, Decem- 
ber 4, 1874. Dr. Lawson is a member of the County and State Medical Socie- 
ties. 

Dr. Charles Crawford Hindman is the son of Crawford Hindman ; was born 
near Corsica, Jefiferson county ; read medicine with Dr. John Thompson, of 
Corsica, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College March 11, 1876. He lo- 
cated sometime during the spring of '"j^ at Shannondale, Clarion county, but 
how long he remained there is not known. After leaving Shannondale he lo- 
cated at Scotch Hill, in the same county, but the length of time he practiced 
there is not known. He located in Corsica, Jefferson county, it is thought, 
sometime in 1880, or, possibly, in 1 881. He married Flora Taylor, daughter 
of the late John Taylor, of this county. He is now located at Du Bois, Clear- 
field county. 

Dr. Charles Augustus Wilson is the son of Dr. George and Anna Wilson 
}ice Hover, and was born January 20, 1858 ; read medicine with his father. Dr. 
George Wilson, and graduated from the Kentucky School of Medicine and 
Surgery, Louisville, June 29, 1881; married Alice M. Tyson in 1879, and 
located at Big Run, Jefferson county, soon after his graduation. He was ap- 
pointed postmaster of that place in 1885, and is also engaged in the general 
drug business. 

Dr. Alonzo Dexter McComb located in Perrysville, Jefferson county, it is 
thought, in 1 88 1. He was born in Dayton, Armstrong county, and at- 
tended lectures at Cleveland, O. 

Dr. James Glass McCoy located in Corsica, it is thought, in 1881. He 
was born in Florence, Washington county, and graduated from the medi- 
cal department of the university of Wooster, O., February 27, 1873. 

Dr. Reid C. Matthews, son of John Matthews, was born in Knox township, 
Jefferson county, December 23, 1858; read medicine with Drs. C. M. and W. 
F. Matson, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College in June, 1881. Dr. 
Matthews located in Columbus, O., where he is at present engaged in the 
practice of medicine. 

Dr. Stephen Fugate located in Reynoldsville in the spring of 188 1. He 
was born in Centre county, and graduated from the University of Michi- 
gan March 28, 1877. He also took a post-graduate course in 1880. He re- 
moved to Clearfield county where he now practices. 

Dr. Erastus Quay McHenry located at Rockdale Mills, November 7, 1882. 
His parents were Robert and Isabel McHenry, and he was born in White 
township, Indiana county, March 4, 1846. He read medicine with his brother, 
Dr. G. J. McHenry, and attended two full courses of lectures at the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. He commenced to practice medicine in 



396 History of Jefferson County. 

the spring of 1870, at Westover, Clearfield county, where he remained until 
August, 1874, when he removed to Du Bois, same county, where he continued 
in practice until November 7, 1882, when he purchased the property and prac- 
tice of Dr. M. M. Rankin, at Rockdale Mills, where he has been engaged in 
active practice ever since. 

Dr. Thornton' Riggs Williams was born near Ithaca, Dark county, O. His 
maternal ancestors being early pioneers of that State, having settled near Cin- 
cinnati as early as 1802, and his paternal ancestors were early pioneers of 
Washington county. Pa. His early training was received on the farm and his 
elementary education was obtained from the common district school under the 
usual disadvantages. Early in his ''teens" he attended the national normal 
school at Lebanon, O., where he fitted himself for teaching, which occupation 
he followed only for a short time when he entered the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- 
sity, at Delaware, O., where he remained five years, graduating with the class 
of '78. Subsequently he graduated from the College of Physicians and Sur- 
geons, Baltimore, Md., his diploma being dated March i, 1882. His first lo- 
cation was in Brockwayville, in December, '82, where he remained until Aug- 
ust, 1883, when he removed to Beech Tree, and continues to practice there. 

Dr. George Alvin Blose was born in Perry township, Jefterson county, and 
graduated from Jefferson Medical College, April 2, 1883; located at Perrys- 
ville, Jefferson county. 

Dr. Joseph Henry Hoffman was born in Rose township, near Brookville, 
November 8, 1858. He is the son of Jacob and Mary Josephine Hoffman nee 
Reuter ; read medicine with Dr. A. F. Balmer, of Brookville, and gradu- 
ated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, April 2, 1883 ; registered in 
Jefferson county, but located in St. Mary's, Elk county, on the i8th of 
June, 1883, where he has continued to practice since ; married Josephine Bax- 
ter, January 26, 1886. 

Dr. Franklin Pierce Segworth was born in Fryburgh, Clarion county ; 
graduated from College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., March i, 
1883, and located in Ringgold soon afterwards, remaining but a short time. 
Present residence unknown. 

Dr. Julius Schefifer was born in Getmold, Germany, November 26, 1843; 
graduated from medical department University of Herford, Germany, in 1865, 
and attended a course of lectures at tl e medical department University of 
Pennsylvania during the winter of 1867-68, soon after which he located in 
Pittsburgh, where he remained until 1872, when he removed to Petrolia, But- 
ler county, where he continued the practice of medicine until 1880, when he 
removed to Bradford, McKean county. He practiced in Bradford until 1882, 
when he removed to Warren, Warren county. He remained in Warren one 
year, and then located in Punxsutawney, Jefferson county. How long he 
practiced in Punxsutawney, or where he is at present located, is not known. 



The Medical Profession. 3^7 



Dr. Eugene Gustav Matson, son of Dr. C. M. and Alice Matson, ncc John- 
son, was born at Corsica. Jefferson county, December 26, 1858; entered 
Syracuse University as a student in October, 1873, and graduated in June, 
1879, receiving the degree of Ph. B. ; entered his father's office as a medical 
student in the spring of 1S80, and attended three full courses of lectures at the 
University of Pennsylvania, graduating on the 20th of April, 1883 ; was chosen 
resident physician at Blockley Hospital, Philadelphia, September i, 1883, for one 
year; went to Europe in October, 1884, and attended a course of lectures at 
the University of Berlin, Prussia, delivered by Bergman on surgery, Schroder 
on gynecology, Henoch on diseases of children, and others on other branches 
of medicine. After completing this course he spent some time in Europe, 
visiting places of interest in Germany, Italy, France, and England. On the 
1st of October, 1886, he located in Pittsburgh, and about the same time 
was elected assistant demonstrator of anatomy at the Western Pennsylvania 
Medical College. On April i, 1887, he removed from Oakland, Fifth Avenue, 
to No. 951 Pennsylvaina Avenue. He is now demonstrator of anatomy at 
Western Pennsylvania College in conjunction with Dr. Joseph Dickson. 

Dr. Henry Samuel Barrett was born in Smicksburgh, Indiana county, 
and graduated from Toledo Medical College, Ohio, July 13, 1S83; located 
in Punxsutawney. 

Dr. Dwight Gustavus Hubbard was born on the loth of March, 1846, at 
Centreville, Allegany county, N. Y. His parents were Asa Carter and Fran- 
ces Adeline Hubbard. He read medicine with Dr. Conrad Diehl in Buffalo, 
N. Y., and graduated from the University of Buffalo in the spring of 1869; 
first located at Farmersville, Cattaraugus county, N. Y., and remained there 
from the spring of 1869 to the spring of 1873, He then located at Carbon 
Run, Bradford county, as surgeon for the Schraeder Coal and Iron Com- 
pany, which position he continued to hold until November, 1883, when he 
removed to Punxsutawney. He was married in 1871 to Hattie C. Hall, of 
Wethersfield, Wyoming county, N. Y. Has been in the continuous practice of 
medicine since his graduation. 

Dr. James Alloysius McKibbon, the son of Henry and Mary McKibbon, 
nee Lochiel, was born March 11, 1854, at Cresson Springs, Cambria county, 
and read medicine with Dr. R. B. Brown at Summerville. He married 
Ella Brown, daughter of Dr. R. B. Brown, February 8, 1879, and graduated 
from Bellevue Medical College, New York, March i, 1880. He located in 
Allegheny City in June, 188 1, and remained till August, 1883, when he re- 
moved to Reynoldsville, Jefferson county, where, in connection with the prac- 
tice' of medicine, he carries on a general drug business. 

Dr. Charles Gustav Ernst was born in Punxsutawney, August 18, 1859, 
and is the son of Henry and Catherine Ernst, iice Speis ; read medicine 
with Dr. Joseph Shields, and graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical Col- 



47 



398 History of Jefferson County. 

lege March 13, 1884; located Immediately after in Punxsutawney, where he 
continues the practice of medicine. 

Dr. Samuel Wesley McDowell is the son of James C. and Anna McDowell, 
«£■> Mahl, and was born at Clinton Furnace, Clarion county, July 24, 1S54. 
His medical preceptor was Dr. James A. Miller, of Perrysville, Jefterson county ; 
was married May 28, 1879, to Sarah Agnes, the youngest daughter of the late 
James Mitchell, of Indiana ; graduated from Jefferson Medical College, at 
Philadelphia, March 29, 1884, and in the following May located in Ringgold, 
Jefferson county, where he still remains. 

Dr. John Monroe Fisher, son of B. K. and Sarah L. Fisher, nee Livengood, 
was born in Lebanon county, June 23, 1858 ; read medicine with Dr. J. 
W. Foust, of Reynoldsville, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College 
March 29, 1884. He is at present located in Philadelphia and connected with 
Jefferson College Hospital. 

Dr. John Knox Brown is the son of Dr. R. B. and Susan L. Brown, nee 
Lavley, and was born April 29, 1859 ; read medicine with his father at Sum- 
merville, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College March 29, 1884, 
and located in Summerville, in partnership with his father, immediately after. 
He married Mattie J., daughter of Robert Hamilton, of Perrysville, Jefferson 
county, January 15, 1885. 

Dr. Joseph Clinton Wilson, son of Dr. George and Anna Wilson, nee 
Hoover, was born at Luthersburg, Clearfield county, March 12, 1854. His 
preceptors in the study of medicine were his father and brother, Dr. C. A. 
Wilson. He graduated from the University of Maryland, at Baltimore, 
March 14, 1884, and located in Sigel, Jefferson cout}", June 10, 1884. 

Dr. David Fisher was born in Vergennes, Vt.; graduated from the Univer- 
sity of Vermont, July 6, 1882, and located in Brockwayville, Jefferson county, 
sometime in the spring of 1884, but how long he remained or whither he went 
is not known. 

Dr. Otis Shields Sharp, son of Dr. J. W. and Mary A. Sharp nee Walker, 
was born in Perrsyville, Jefferson county, March 24, 1861 ; read medicine 
with Dr. W. B. Walker and his father — Dr. J. W. Sharp ; graduated from the 
Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, in the spring of 1884, and located 
in Knoxdale, June 20, 1S84. Married Emma L. Gilhousen, June 27, 1886. 

Dr. David Lemuel Paine, son of Alexander and Mary B. Paine nee Mc- 
Clain, was born at Corbett's Mills, Clarion county, July 11, 1846. He 
engaged in merchandising when of sufficient age, in which he continued until 
he read medicine. Married Elizabeth A. Matson, September 19, 1868; read 
medicine with Drs. C. M. and W. F. Matson, and graduated from Columbus 
. Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, February 28, 1878 ; located in Shippenville, 
Clarion county, in March, 1878, where he remained nine months. He then 
removed to Scotch Hill, but after three years removed to New Bethlehem, re- 



The Medical Profession. 



399 



maining about three years. On the 29th of June, 1884, he located in Brook- 
ville, where he now resides, engaged in the drug business connected with the 
practice of his profession. 

Dr. Joseph Everett Hall, son of Enoch and Martha Hall nee Clark, was 
born in Brookville, April 12, 1842. EnHsted as a private in Company I, One 
Hundred and Forty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, jin^August, 
1862, and was mustered out as adjutant of the One Hundred and Eighty-third 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, July 13, 1865. Entered the office of Dr. 
C. M. Matson as a medical student in the autumn of 1865, attended^two full 
courses of lectures at the Medical Department University of Michigan, Ann 
Arbor, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College, March 12, 1869. He 
located in Parker City, June 10, 1869 ; married F" ranees Irene, daughter]of Hon. 
W. P. Jenks, September 12, 1872. In June, 1882, he located in Emlenton, Ve- 
nango county, but continued his office in Parker City ; took a post-graduate 
course of lectures in January, 1885, and located in Brookville in the following 
March. He is a member of the board of Pension E.xaminers] for Jefferson 
count)', and a member of the State Medical Society. 

Dr. James Buchanan Neale was born at Perrysville, Jefferson county ; 
read medicine with Dr. W. M. B. Gibson, at Reynoldsville, and graduated from 
Cincinnati College, of Medicine and Surgery, February 26, 1885, and located 
soon after in Reynoldsville, where he is at present engaged in the practice 
of his profession. 

Dr. Robert James Hillis was born in Winslow township, Jefferson county ; 
read medicine with Dr. B. Sweeny; graduated from College of Physicians 
and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., March 15, 18S6. Dr. Hillis is now acting as 
assisting surgeon for the Dagus Coal Company. 

Dr. James Beyer Mitchell was born in Westmoreland county, but with 
whom he read medicine, or at what institution he attended lectures, is not 
known. He located in Punxsutawney some time previously to June 16, 1886. 

Dr. Henry Pilgrim Holt was born in Beaver township, Jefferson county, 
and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., 
March 15, 1886. He is now located at Tionesta, Forest county. 

Dr. Joseph Calvin Stahlman, was born in Redbank township, Armstrong 
county, September 20, 1858. He is the son of Solomon and Catharine 
Stahlman; was married to Mary Elizabeth McElhose, March lO, 1882; read 
medicine with A. D. McComb, of West Millville, Clarion county, and grad- 
uated from the Medical Department Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 
O., March 9, 1887. Located at Richardsville, April 5, 1887, where he remains 
at present. 

Dr. Elmer Brown Borland, son of William and Martha Borland, was born in 
Knox township, near Belleview, Jefferson county, September 29, 1861 ; read 
medicine with Dr. W. W. Woods, at Belleview, and graduated,;taking first prize 



400 History of Jefferson County. 

on examination, from West Pennsylvania Medical College, Pittsburgh, March 
27, 1887. He is at present located in Pittsburgh. 

The history of the medical profession from 181 7, to August 1S87, including 
a period of seventy years, is as complete and comprehensive as it is possible 
now to make it. Dates, in a few instances, which had to be determined by 
circumstances, or cotemporary events, or, where they have been taken from the 
recollections of old settlers may not be perfectly correct, but they are as nearly 
so as possible at the present time to make them. The sketches have been ar- 
ranged in chronological order, as being preferable to an attempt at a separate 
history of the profession in each borough or township, or an alphabetical one, 
either of which might have a tendency to confuse the mind of the reader as to 
the period in which these men lived and practiced in the county. 

The medical profession of Jefferson county is not behind that of any county 
in the State ; they keep thoroughly up with the advance of medical science ; 
many of their libraries are very extensive ; the better class of medical literature 
is largely patronized, and the profession of Jefferson county numbers among its 
members as large a proportion of careful, thoughtful observers, skillful opera- 
tors and successful practitioners, as are to be found anywhere. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

THE LUMBER TRADE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

The Magnificent Forests of Timber that Have Fallen Before the Lumberman'.'; Ax — The 
Production of the Red Bank Valley — The Red Bank Navigation Company — The Mahoning 
Navigation Company ^ Statistics of Lumber Produced. 

NO county in the State could boast of finer bodies of timber than Jefferson 
county when it was first settled ; but almost the first act of the white man 
was to lay low the grand monarchs of the forest that clothed the hills, and 
from that day onward the destruction has been carried on, until now but little 
of the magnificent timber remains. The fame of the region in this respect was 
soon noised abroad, but it was not until about the year 1836 or 1837 that the 
lumber trade was pushed with any kind of vigor. Then capitalists began to 
come into the county, new mills were erected, and the lumber business became 
an immense one, that was not allowed to decline until the supply was ex- 
hausted. Acts were passed declaring the principal streams highways, and the 
spring and fall freshets found them full of rafts and busy raftmen. 

In 1854 the lumber trade of the Redbank Valley was estimated at over 
20,000,000 feet; on the North Fork there were twent\--two saws cutting 10,- 



The Lumber Trade. 401 



000,000; on Sandy Lick and its branches, twenty saws, cutting 10,000,000; 
on Redbank and Little Sandy, fifteen saws, cutting 3,500,000 ; total estimate, 
23,500,000 feet. 

To this can be added at least 5,000,000 shingles, and about 1,200,000 
feet linear, or square feet of timber, or about 3,000,000 cubic feet. 

Before the passage of the acts creating the Redbank and Mahoning Navi- 
gation Companies, rafting, owing to the obstructions in the channel, etc., was 
e.xtremely difficult and hazardous, but these companies expended large sums 
to remove obstructions, straighten the channels, and otherwise improve the 
streams. Before this was done board rafts ran out of Redbank contained from 
20,000 to 25,000 feet; now they contain in many instances 50,000. 

At the spring flood of 1869, seventy- four board, and three hundred and 
fifty timber rafts were run out of Redbank by Jefterson county lumbermen, 
containing over 2,500,000 feet of boards, and 600,000 feet of square timber. 

In 1872 there were run out of Redbank from the waters of Sandy Lick, 
North Fork, Little Sandy, and Redbank 917 timber, and 570 board rafts. The 
timber rafts from the three former streams averaged 16,000 feet per raft, and 
those from Little Sandy, 1,000 feet ; the board rafts ran from 25,000 to 50,000, 
making a total run for the year of 1,500,000 feet of square timber, and 20,000,- 
000 feet of boards. These comprised the shipments of one hundred and fifty 
individuals and firms, averaging from one to one hundred rafts each. 

In 1873 eight of the principal lumber firms on the North Fork, Sandy Lick, 
and Redbank, sent to market 428 board rafts, containing from 30,000 to 50,- 
000 feet per raft, and over 100 timber rafts. The largest of these rafts came 
from the mill of A. Bell & Co., on Sandy Lick. To this should be added the 
product of the Mahoning and Little Toby, of which no statistics arc obtaina- 
ble. 

But the pristine glory of Redbank has departed ; the mighty monarchs of 
the forest that clothed the banks of it and its tributaries have been laid low. 
The lumber trade of Jefferson county in a few years will be a thing of the past. 
The pine timber, in the handling of which large fortunes were accumulated, 
and which was for so long the staple product of the county, will soon all be 
cut away. 

The destruction of timber in this pine region of the State has been wanton 
in the extreme, and the waste in the earlier years of the trade was incalculable. 
In many instances the choicest timber was cut ruthlessly away in order to clear 
the land for crops that were of little value ; but there was no voice raised to stop 
this wholesale destruction ; the ax of the woodman was heard in all directions, 
and no one cried, "Woodman, spare that tree." 

There is perhaps in Jefferson county now standing, five hundred millions 
of white pine ; of hemlock there is a better showing, there yet remaining fifteen 
hundred millions. 



402 History of Jefferson County. 

The lowest price paid for timber was 2|- cents per cubic foot in 1846 ; the 
highest was 27 cents per cubic foot, paid in 1863 ; the lowest price paid for 
boards was $3.50 per thousand, in 1826, and the highest was $30.00 per 
thousand, paid in 1864. 

The Redbank Navigation Company was incorporated by an act of the 
Legislature May 17, 1854, by which Thomas K. Litch, Thomas Re\'nolds, 
Daniel Smith, Darius Carrier, and Patrick Kerr were appointed commissioners 
to carry out the provisions of said act. 

The third section of the act gave the company power to clean and clear the 
Red Bank, Sandy Lick, and North Fork from all rocks, bars, and other ob- 
structions ; to erect dams and locks; to bracket and regulate all dams now 
erected ; to regulate the schutes of dams ; to control the waters for purposes 
of navigation ; to levy tolls not exceeding one and one- quarter cents for each 
and every five miles of improved creek, per thousand feet of boards or other 
aawed stuff, for every fifty feet, linear measure, of square or other timber. 
These tolls were to be collected at the mouth of Red Bank, or at such other 
points as was deemed necessary. This section also provided for the appoint- 
ment of officers and agents to carry the provisions of the bill into effect. 

Under the provisions of this act the streams were greatly improved, and 
during the first three years the tolls collected amounted to over three thousand 
dollars, the greater part of which sum was expended in improving the chan- 
nels. 

The company was organized August 2, 1856, by electing Thomas K. 
Litch, president; P. Taylor, C. H. Prescott, Michael Best, and R. J. Nichol- 
son, directors, and Paul Darling, secretary. 

The last officers, elected in 1882, were: T. K. Litch, president ; S. S. Jack- 
son, N. Carrier, jr., G. B. Carrier, and Abel Fuller, directors; of these the 
president, and one of the directors, Nathan Carrier, jr., have since died. 

Thomas K. Litch was continued as president of the company from August 
2, 1856, until August 18, 1866, when I. G. Gordon was elected, who held the 
office until December 27, 1873, when Mr. Litch was again elected, and re- 
mained the president until his death, in 1882. 

A. L. Gordon was appointed secretary, treasurer, and collector October 
27, 1866, and acted in those capacities until his death, in 1885, since which 
time Charles Corbet, esq., has taken his place. 

The Mahoning Navigation Company.i 

" This company was incorporated first by act of the General Assembly, Jul)' 
31, 1845, for the purpose of controlling navigation on Mahoning Creek, and 
some stock subscribed and some payments made on it. But there is no rec- 
ord of any organization under this act of incorporation. 

1 Prepared by C. M. Brewer, secretary. 



The Lumber Trade. 



403 



The present Mahoning Navigation Compan_v was incorporated by act of 
the General Assembly approved the loth day of August, A. D. 1858, which 
act empowered the company to be organized tiiereundcr to clean and clear 
Mahoning Creek and its branches, and to control navigation thereon perpetu- 
ally, and for purposes of revenue to carry out its purposes to assess tolls on 
all logs, rafts, boats or other craft run on the same, perpetually. Under this 
act of incorporation the present company was organized on the iith day of 
July, A. D. 1863, by the election of Stacy B. Williams as president, and Jolin 
Miller, John Couch, I. T. Gillespie and W. E. Bell, as managers. John Hast- 
ings, esq., was elected secretary to this board, and re-elected from year to year 
continuously, up to 1871. Stacy B. Williams was continued as president, with 
several changes in the directors, up to the election of July 9, 1 870, when G. 
W. Zeitler was chosen president, who continued up to July lO, 1871, when 
Jacob Zeitler was elected president. At this meeting John Hastings, esq., re- 
signed as secretary, and C. M. Brewer, esq., was elected secretary, and was re- 
elected from year to year until the present time, and is the secretary now. July 
10, 1872, William E. Bell was elected president, and served in that position 
up to July 10, 1882, a period of ten years, when the Hon. J. U. Gillespie was 
elected president and served in that capacity up to July 10, 1885, when W. 
E. Bell was again elected president and has been re-elected from year to year 
since. There have been but two treasurers of this company — ,W. A. Dunlap, 
from the date of its organization up to 1883, a period of about twenty years, 
and Levi McGregor, since. The original capital stock of the company was 
$5,000, divided into shares of ten dollars each. It was essentially a popular 
corporation, created solely for the benefit of its founders, who were all practi- 
cal lumbermen, and all the stock was taken, and has since been held, by men in 
some way interested in lumbering. The company has collected and expended 
vast sums during its history in keeping the Mahoning Creek and its branches 
navigable for rafts and kindred craft. This, it will be understood, was no 
small undertaking, when we remember that at the time the company was 
created, and for many years thereafter, the Mahoning and its branches mean- 
dered through an almost unbroken wilderness from its source to near its 
mouth, where every storm felled trees, and every freshet washed up bars and 
rocks and destroyed dams. The mission of this company is about ended, be- 
cause the marketing of that which called it into being is about exhausted. It 
will go into history with many benedictions from the lumbermen, whose coad- 
jutor it has been for so many years; and with some strictures from the toll- 
payer because men in all ages have objected to enforced payment and unwill- 
ing tribute." 



404 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 
RAILROADS AND COAL. 

The Allegheny Valley Railroad — Bonds of Jefferson County — Building of Low Grade Di- 
vision — History of the Road in the County — Statement of Business for 1886 — The Rochester 
and Pittsburgh Road — The Toby Branch — The Reynold.sville and Falls Creek Road — Coal Pro- 
duction in Jefferson County — The Wallston Mines — The Clarion Mines — The Beechtree ilines 
— Statistics of the Coal Trade. 

The Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad. 

IN 1853 Jefferson county subscribed ninet_\' thousand dollars to the stock of 
the Allegheny Vallej' Railroad. To enable them to pay this money the 
commissioners of the county issued bonds of one thousand dollars each, for 
stock in said road, payable in thirty years from date. These bonds read as 
follows : 

" Know all men by these presents, that the county of Jefferson, in the Com- 
monwealth of Pennsylvania, is indebted to the Allegheny Valley Railroad 
Company in the full and just sum of one thousand dollars, which sum of money, 
the said county agrees and promises to pay, thirty years after the date hereof, to 
the said Allegheny Valley Railroad Company, or bearer, with interest, at the 
rate of six per centum per annum, payable semi-annually on the first Monday 
of May and November, at the office of the said railroad company, in the city 
of New York, upon the delivery of the coupons severally, hereto annexed, for 
which payments of principal and interest will, and truly, be made. The faith, 
credit and property of said county of Jefferson are hereby solemnly pledged, 
under the authority of an act of Assembly of this Commonwealth, entitled a 
further supplement to an act entitled an act for the incorporation of the Pitts- 
burgh, Kittanning and Warren Railroad Company, approved the fourth day of 
April, A. D. eighteen hundred and thirtj'-seven, and the supplement, which 
became a law on the fourteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and 
fifty-two. 

" In testimony whereof and pursuant to said act and supplement of the 
Legislature of Pennsylvania, and resolutions of the county commissioners, in 
their official capacity, passed the fifteenth day of September, 1852, the com- 
missioners of said county have signed, and the clerk of said commissioners has 
countersigned these presents, and have hereto caused the seal of said county to 
be affixed, this thirteenth day of June, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and 
fifty-three. "THOMAS Hall, 

[Seal]. "J. S. Steck, 

" Commissioners of Jefferson county. 

"John J. Y. Thompson, Clerk of Commissioners." 



Railroads and Coal. 405 



To each of these bonds was attached sixty coupons, the first one of which, 
attached to bond No. seven, reads as follows : 

" 30- 

" County of Jefferson. 

" Warrant No. 60 for thirty dollars. Being for six months interest on bond 
No. 7, payable on the first Monday of May, 1883, at the office of the Alle- 
gheny Railroad Company, in the city of New York. 

" $30. John J. Y. Thompson, Clerk." 

The road not being finished in the time specified, the bonds were not paid, 
but were still held by the railroad company until 1869, when a compromise was 
effected between the commissioners of the count)' and the officers of the road, 
whereby the former paid to the latter the sum of forty- five thousand dollars, 
in lieu of the aforesaid bonds, the railroad company agreeing to run their road 
through the limits of the borough of Brookville. 

" By an act of the Legislature the commissioners of Jefferson county were 
authorized to borrow any sum or sums of money not exceeding forty- five 
thousand dollars, and to issue the bonds of said county, with or without cou- 
pons, or other evidences of indebtedness therefor, at a rate not exceeding eight 
per cent, per annum ; and the said bonds or other indebtedness shall be ex- 
empted from taxation, provided that the money arising from the negotiation or 
sale of said or other evidences of indebtedness, shall be appropriated to the 
payment of certain articles of settlement and compromise made by and between 
the county of Jefferson and the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company, dated 
July 29, 1869, for the redemption of ninety thousand dollars, bonds of said 
county issued to the said railroad company on the 24th day of June, 1853." 

This act was approved February 19, 1870. 

The Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad was opened 
eastward from Redbank to New Bethlehem, a distance of twenty-one miles, on 
the 6th of May, 1873. On the 23d of June trains commenced running regu- 
larly to Brookville, a distance of forty miles from Redbank, and on November 
5 a further section of sixteen miles was opened, extending to Reynoldsville, 
fifty-six miles from Redbank. On the eastern end of the road a section of 
nineteen miles from Driftwood to Barr's Station was thrown open for business 
on August 4, and on May 4, 1874, the entire Low Grade Division, from Red- 
bank to Driftwood, was open through for business. 

The Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad enters Jefferson 
county twenty- eight miles westward from its junction with the main line at the 
mouth of Redbank Creek, and continues in the same county for a distance of 
thirty-four and a half miles, leaving Jefferson county and entering Clearfield 
county at a point immediately westward of the station called Falls Creek. 

The principal stations located in this county are Summervillc, Brookville, 
and Reynoldsville, with fourteen other stations of minor importance. 

48 



4o6 



History of Jefferson County. 



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Railroads axd Coal. 407 



The annexed statement slious the freight received and forwarded at sta- 
tions in JeiTerson county for the year ending December 31, 1S86, which will 
give an idea of the business done by the Allegheny Valley Railroad in the 
county. 

There was received at stations 25,302 tons of freight, and forwarded from 
stations 108,894 fons of freight. As the statement will show the principal art- 
icles shipped were lumber, and products of the forest, which alone amount to 
89,930 tons 

William M. Phillips, esq., was the first assistant superintendent of the Low 
Grade Road. He resigned in 1875 to accept the appointment of supervisor of 
the Middle Division of the Pennsyhania Central Railroad Mr. Phillips was 
succeeded by Dr. A. A. Jackson, who continued in charge of the road until 
April, 1S87, when he resigned to accept the appointment of general superin- 
tendent of the New York and New England Railroad, with his headquarters 
at Boston. This is one of the most important roads in New England, and is 
si.x hundred and fifty miles in length. 

Mr. Jackson had, by his faithfulness to the trust imposed upon him, and his 
genial, urbane manner, won the confidence of the company he represented, and 
the respect of the citizens of Jefferson county, and the employees of the road 
lost in him a faithful friend and adviser. Mr. Jackson took with him some of 
the oldest and ablest employees of the Low Grade, notably among whom was 
Mr. R. E. Everson, who had been connected with the road since its comple- 
tion, in the capacity of dispatcher and passenger conductor. He is now super- 
intendent of a division of the road under Mr. Jackson's management. 

S. B. Rumsey, formerly special agent of the Allegheny Valley Railroad at 
Oil City, succeeded Dr. Jackson as assistint superintendent of the Low Grade 
Division. The other officers of the road in Jefferson county are G. E. Armor, 
dispatcher, and M. D. Dean, assistant. The offices of the Low Grade road 
were moved from Brookville to Reynoldsville in May, 1885. The passenger 
and freight agents in the county are : Patton's Station, Walker Smith ; Heath- 
ville, L. G. Guthrie; Summerville, J. H. Haven; Brookville, L. S. Hooper; 
Fuller, J. S. McMasters; Reynoldsville, M. D. Farrell ; Falls Creek, F. E. 
Dixon. 

The first agent at Brookville was Daniel Smith, who was succeeded by H. 
C. Watson in March, 1875, who was in turn succeeded by Robert V. Mc- 
Bain in April, 1886, and June, 1887, L. S. Hooper, the present agent took his 
place, Mr. McBain going with Mr. Jackson to the New York and New Eng- 
land road. 

L. C. Smith has been baggage agent at the Brookville Station ever since 
the road was completed, and received and put on train the first pieces of bag- 
gage brought or dispatched by rail in Jefferson county. He has been "sling- 
ing baggage " for fourteen years. 



4o8 History of Jefferson County 

Other Railroads^ — The next road of importance is the Buffalo, Rochester 
and Pittsburg Railroad, which was completed to Punxsutawney in 1883. It en- 
ters the county at the Snyder township line from Elk county, and runs via Du 
Bois, in Clearfield county, through Punxsutawney to Clayville, which is its pres- 
ent terminus. This is one of the most importont coal roads in the country, and 
also does a large passenger business. 

Almost paralleling the Buftalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Road is the Ridg- 
way and Clearfield Railroad, which runs from Ridgway, in Elk county, to 
Falls Creek, in Clearfield county; it is also a coal road. Both the latter roads 
run through Brockwayville. 

The Toby Branch of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad Com- 
pany extends from Dagas Mines, Elk county, to Brockwaj-ville, Jefterson 
county, a distance of twelve miles. It enters Jefferson county on the eastern 
side at Snyder township, and runs southwestward through Crenshaw to Brock- 
wayville, a distance of three miles. 

The statement of coal, lumber, and bark shipped over this road, and re- 
ceived at Brockwayville during the month of March, 1887, is as follows : Coal, 
39,300 tons; lumber, 825,000 feet (board measure); bark, 1,200 cords. 

The Reynoldsville and Falls Creek Railroad is owned by Bell, Lewis & 
Yates, who are the owners and operators of the mines in the Reynoldsville coal 
basin. It is seven miles in length and runs from Rathmel to Falls Creek, 
where it connects with the Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley road. 
About one hundred cars of coal are shipped over this road daily. 

In the year 1836 an act was passed for the extension and improvement of 
the State by railroads and canals. The ninth section of this act, which was ap- 
proved February 18, 1836, provided for the "survey of a route for canal and 
slackwater navigation from the head of the West Branch Di\'ision to the Alle- 
gheny River." 

In accordance with this act a survey was made from the mouth of Redbank 
to the headwaters of the Sinnamahoning for this canal, over the same route 
that was adopted some thirty- five years after by the engineers who located the 
Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad. As a feeder for this 
canal the engineers advised the connstruction of an immense reservoir on the 
same spot where the big dam at the Summit Tunnel has since been built. 

It is alleged that the field notes taken b)' the engineers making this survey 
show that indications of the existence of petroleum on Wolf Run were discov- 
ered by them. 

The Coal Beds of Jefferson County. 

The first discovery of coal in Jefferson county by some is said to have been 
in Pine Creek township^ by a colored man named Douglass. Others claim 
that it was first dug out of the bed of Sandy Lick at Reynoldsville. Be this 



Railroads and Coal. 409 



as it may, from that small beginning has sprung up the greatest industry of 
the age in Jefferson county, one that has taken the place of the declining lum- 
ber trade. 

Almost ever since the first coal was discovered there has been enough mined 
in all parts of the county to supply the home demand ; but it was not until the 
Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Railroad was finished through 
the county, in 1873, that an outlet was made for shipment, and then the hid- 
den wealth began to be developed. According to the geological survey the 
following coal beds are found in the county: 

i"The Freeport upper coal bed, which, though nearly always present 
wherever the land is high enough to include it, is not a reliable seam for min- 
ing purposes in Jefferson county. 

" The Freeport lower coal bed not only gives its great value to the Rcy- 
noldsville basin, but is the main seam of Jefferson county, wherever the hills 
are high enough to include it. Although this coal bed is one of the most un- 
certain of the lower productive series, it is everywhere workable in Jefferson 
county, but not equally good in all of the county, nor is its thickness uniform. 
It is thickest and best in the Reynoldsville basin, in which is included the 
Punxsutawney region. There are also extensive fields along Soldier Run, 
Mi.x Run, at Brockwayville, and along Rattlesnake Run. 

"The Kittanning upper coal bed nowhere exceeds three feet in thickness, 
and seldom more than half of that. 

" The Kittanning middle coal bed acquires some prominence in Knox and 
McCalmont townships, because of its thickness there, but not because of its 
purity. It is at its best in Union township, supplying that region with nearly 
all the coal required for local use. Elsewhere in the county the bed is small. 

"The Kittanning lower coal bed is a regular and persistent feature of the 
series throughout Jefferson county, but the seam is mainly small and poor. At 
no place does it yield marketable fuel. Its out-crop being conveniently near 
that of the ferriferous limestone, it supplies fuel for the lime-kilns wherever the 
latter is quarried. On this account the coal bed has received considerable at- 
tention from the farmers. 

"The Clarion coal bed is the least important of the series, being often a 
mere dark streak in the rocks. 

" The Brookville coal bed is nearly always impure, but mostly of workable 
dimensions. Its greatest development is in Beaver township, where it is the 
main source of local coal supply." 

Mr. S. W. Smith, of Brookville, who has given more time to the study of 
the geology of the county than any other of its citizens, and has made personal 
tests of the coals and ores found within its borders, does not agree with Mr. 
Piatt in his estimate of the Brookville coal, but claims that it is the best coal 

I Report H. 6 Geological Survey of Jefferson County.— W. G. Piatt. 



4IO History of Jefferson County. 

that he has tried for smelting iron, and that it has been pronounced in New 
York to be the best also for generating steam. In an article on " Pennsylvania 
Coal Lands," 1 the writer, in giving the result of a geological trip to the Kar- 
thaus coal basin in Clearfield county, says : 

" In the fall of last year (1885) a map of the country we had long before 
traveled over was shown us, and at the same time we were told that many coal 
beds had been lately opened in that part of the country. In the hills on both 
sides of Groves' Run five workable beds had been proved by shafts and drifts 
overlying each other in successive order. This information excited our curi- 
osity, and to be convinced of its truth we traveled, at our own expense, to 
Lock Haven, and there found a person, an old acquaintance, who knew all 
about the country we desired to explore. He consented to go with us^ and 
also induced the person who superintended the recently made explorations to 
join company. On the following morning we three landed at Keating Station, 
at the confluence of the Sinnemahoning with the west branch of the Susque- 
hanna, and proceeded up the newly-made Sinnemahoning and Clearfield Rail- 
road to Groves' Run, four miles from Keating Station. We then traveled up 
this run, and at about a mile from the river and railroad found the conglom- 
erate" measures crossing the ravine into the hills on both sides of Groves' Run. 
There we found the smut of an interconglomerate coal bed. This we did not 
consider of any commercial value, but tlie fact of its position at the base of the 
lower productive coal measures was, in a geological sense, of some importance 
to us. Further up the run and higher in the measures we found an exposure 
of fire-clay — the same as the fire-clay bed extensively worked in different parts 
of Clearfield and Clinton counties, for manufacturing fire-brick and other arti- 
cles of value, as resisting the action of fire. On the eastern hill-side, and at 
a few feet above the run and overlying the fire-clay bed, we examined an ex- 
cavation exposing coal bed 'A' of the improved nomenclature, otherwise 
known as ' Brookville ' coal bed. The coal exposed measured four feet two 
inches in thickness. It was a rich-looking coal of the coking variety. Over- 
lying this bed and further up the hill- side we found a second coal opening. 
The measured section of this bed was top coal, nine inches ; then slate, one- 
half inch ; then coal, one foot eight inches ; slate parting, three-quarter inches ; 
coal, one foot two and a half inches, resting on a fire-clay floor. This bed A 
is the equivalent with the ' Clarion ' coal bed mined in Clarion county." 

The Brookville coal is found principally in Oliver, Beaver, Clover, Rose, 
Pine Creek, Warsaw and Polk, where it averages from three to six feet thick. 
Except for local supply it has been but very little investigated ; but if all that 
is claimed for it is true, it may yet become of value as an article of commerce! 
but this will hardly be "until the vast beds of the Freeport lower coal is ex- 
hausted, or until a railroad is brought into the region, where the Brookville 
coal is principally to be found. 

I W. F. B. in Philaclelphi.! 7'imes of October 9, 1886. 



Railroads and Coal. 411 



The principal coal mines of the county are located at Walston and Adrian 
in Young township, about two miles from Punxsutawney, operated by the 
Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company ; the Reynoldsviile mines, 
formerly operated by Powers, Brown & Co., and others, now all owned by 
Bell, Lewis & Yates; the Beechtree mines in Washington township, also op- 
erated by the Rochester and Pittsburgh Companj-, and the Clarion mines in 
Snyder township, operated by the Northwestern Mining and Exchange Com- 
pany. All these mines are working the Lower Freeport bed, which, at all 
these places, averages about six feet in thickness. The coal and coke pro- 
duced has no superior in the markets of the country. The production, etc., 
of each mine, as far as we were able to get statistics, is as follows : 

Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company. 1 

" The Beechtree mines of the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron 
Company were opened in 1882, and the Walston mines in 1883, the Buffalo, 
Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad having been completed to Walston during 
the summer of 1883. The Adrian mines of the company were opened for 
shipment in January, 1887. 

"Walston mines now (April, 1887) have 500 coke ovens running and 300 
building, making 800 in all. 

" Adrian mines now have 700 coke ovens building. The company will 
have 1,500 coke ovens running by the close of this year. 

"The Jefferson county production of steam and coking coal has shown a 
percentage of increase that is very unusual. In 1881 the county shipped to 
market only a few hundred thousand tons of coal, and the region was unnoticed 
as a coal producer, and only locally known. 

" Now, in coal production it is second to Cumberland and Clearfield, and 
if its present rate of increase holds will in a few years pass them. 

" In the coke production the change is even more striking. A few years 
ago the region shipped no coke, or almost none, and that of inferior quality. 

" Now the Walston coke of this company is quoted and sold alongside of 
Connellsville coke in all the great markets, and the reputation and use of the 
coke spread steadily. There is a great future for the coke trade of Jefierson 
county. 

■' All of the coal mined for market at the Beechtree mines, on the Rattle- 
snake Creek, at the Du Bois and the Reynoldsviile mines of Bell, Lewis & 
Yates, and at the Adrian and Walston mines of this company, near Punxsu- 
tawney, comes from one coal bed, the Lower Freeport Coal Bed of the Geo- 
logical Survey Reports. So far we have found no other coal bed in the lower 
productive coal measures to be of any commercial value. 

1 Prepared by Franklin Piatt, president and general manager Rocliester and Pittsburgh Coal and 
Iron Company. 



412 History of Jefferson County. 

" In the Du Bois and Reynoldsville region, and at the Walston and Adrian 
mines, the Lower Freeport coal is large and good, ranging from five to seven 
feet and averaging about six feet in thickness. It is of first-rate quality and 
lies well for mining. 

"At the Walston and Adrian mines it is of superior quality for coking. 
Taking together the size of the coal bed, six feet in thickness, the facility of 
mining, the unusually good coking character at Walston and Adrian, and the 
nearness to market, and you have the combination necessary to make a great 
producing region. It will not be many years before Jefferson county coals and 
cokes will be as widely known as the coal of Cumberland and Clearfield, or the 
coke of Connellsville." 

The Beechtree Mines of the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Com- 
pany are located in Washington township, on the line of the Buffalo, Rochester 
and Pittsburgh Railroad. The company own about 4,000 acres of coal land, 
and commenced operations in January, 1882. The daily capacity of the mines 
is now (July, 1887) i,000 tons of coal ; but this will soon be increased to 1,500 
tons, or more. 

The vein operated is over four feet, and the coal is first-class steam coal. 
The company at Beechtree is now employing 325 men, but expect soon to 
increase their force to at least 400. They have their own store, offices, ph_\si- 
cians, etc. The coal bed upon which these mines are located it is expected 
will not be exhausted for from twenty- five to thirty years to come. John H. 
Bell is the superintendent of the Beechtree mines, and B. W. Watson, auditor 
of the company. 

Tlic Clarion Mines ^xc situated in Snyder township, two miles east of Brock- 
wayville, on the Toby Branch of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Coal 
and Railroad Company. The mines were opened in July, 1885, on what is 
known as the " Sibley Farm," and are operated by the Northwestern Mining 
and Exchange Company. The daily capacity of the mines, one year after ope- 
rations were commenced, was seven hundred tons of coal, employing about 
three hundred miners and outside hands. During the year 1886 one hundred 
and eleven thousand six hundred and fifty-seven tons were shipped to end of 
November month ; the daily capacity being one thousand tons or sixty cars. 
The seam of coal, which is known as the Lower Freeport, runs from three and 
a half to six feet thick, and tlie workings are somewhat irregular. The coal is 
a good quality of steam coal, and is mostly consumed on railroad locomotives. 
During the year the company has erected over fifty dwellings for employees, 
and a number of stores, etc., have been built by others in the vicinity, making 
quite a town at Crenshaw, where a year ago there was but one house. 

The company owns about four thousand acres of coal land in the immedi- 
ate vicinity, and another opening called " Clear Run Mines," is being made 
about a mile from Clarion Mines, and close on the county line of Elk. These 



History of Brookville. 



413 



mines at the close of the year 1S87 will have about the same capacity as 
the Clarion Mines, and there will therefore be about one thousand to one thou- 
sand two hundred tons of coal going out daily from this territory. The mi- 
ners at both these mines are paid at the rate of forty and fifty cents per ton, 
according to the height of the coal mined. 

They use a fan for ventilation in one drift, and a furnace in the other two. 
They have one locomotive, and one stationary engine, and make all sizes of 
coal, but have no coke ovens. The officers of the company are Samuel Himes, 
president ; D. Robertson, superintendent ; Russell Wentworth, engineer ; and 
Ira Smith, clerk. The company's store is under the management of Stull & Co. 

The company also operates the Toby Mines on the same railroad about ten 
miles east in Elk county. This coal to the amount of about twelve hundred 
tons daily, passes through Brockwayville, making the latter place quite a coal 



shipping point. 



CHAPTER XXXn. 
HISTORY OF BROOKVILLE. 

IT was seven years after Joseph Barnett set up his " household gods " at Port 
Barnett, before the county of JefTerson was erected; and it was not until a 
quarter of a century more had passed, that the new county arose to the dignity 
of having a county-seat of its own, and was taken from the fostering care of 
Indiana county, and allowed to attend to its own business. 

By an act of assembly passed April 8, 1829, "John Mitchell of Centre, Rob- 
ert Orr of Armstrong, and Alexander McCalmont of Venango county, were 
appointed commissioners to locate and fix the site for the seat of justice for the 
county of Jefferson." These gentlemen met on the first Monday of Septem- 
ber, 1829, at the house of Joseph Barnett, and located the county seat at the 
confluence of the Sandy Lick and its North Fork (Little Brier), where they form 
the Redbank Creek, and to this place they gave the name of Brookville. Tlie 
name was given from the number of springs and brooks flowing from its hills. 
To the word "Brook," the French term villc, a country-seat, or in English, a 
town, was added, making the name " Brookville." Attention was at once at- 
tracted to the new town as the following notices published at the time proves, 
and the present prosperity of the place will show whether the predictions made 
over a half century ago have been verified : 



414 History of Jefferson County. 



" 1830. 

1 " Brookville: — The spot selected by the commissioners as the seat of jus- 
tice for Jefferson count}', and confirmed by act of assembly, etc., has lately been 
laid out in town lots and out lots bearing this name. At the sale which took 
place last week, town lots were sold from $30 to $300 each ; the last day's sale 
averaged above $50, without including a mill-seat sold for $1,000. Proceeds 
of sale will no doubt be sufficient to build a court-house. This may be con- 
sidered high rate for lots, most of which still remain in a state of nature — but 
the advantages and prospects of this new county town attracted a crowd of 
strangers. Persons were known to be present from twelve neighboring coun- 
ties. The location of Brookville is a good one, and it has been judiciously laid 
out by Mr. Sloan, the artist. It is situated on the Susquehanna and Waterford 
turnpike, forty-four miles east of Franklin, and immediately at the head of 
Redbank, which is formed by the confluence of the three branches of the Sandy 
Lick at this point. Redbank has in general a sufficiency of water for steam- 
boats on the Blanchard plan. The Allegheny steamboats could visit Brook- 
ville were it not for the obstructions created by a few mill-dams. Brookville 
must become the place of deposit for the iron manufactured in the counties of 
Centre and Clearfield, designed for the Pittsburgh market. The lands of Jef- 
ferson county are of much better quality than is generally supposed, by those 
who have formed an estimate by merely passing through them. Large bodies 
are exceedingly well adapted to the culture of small grains. Should this vil- 
lage spring up as rapidly as it bids fair to do, it may be considered an acqui- 
sition to the interests of the Northern turnpike road." 

2 " Brookville p. t. and st. of jus. of Jefferson county, situated on the Sus- 
quehanna and Waterford turnpike road, 44 ms. S. E. from Franklin, 238 N. W. 
from W. C, and 165 miles from Harrisburg, and immediately at the head of 
Redbank Creek, which is formed by the confluence of the three branches of 
the Sandy Lick at this point. Redbank has commonly sufficient water for 
steamboats on the Blanchard plan. At the sale of the town lots in June, 1830, 
the lots brought from 30 to 300 dollars each. The proceeds of the sale were 
destined to pay the expenses of building the court-house. It is supposed that 
this new town will become the place of deposit for the iron manufactured in 
the counties of Centre and Clearfield, designed for the Pittsburgh market. The 
first building was put up in August, 1830. There are now here about 40 
dwellings, a brick court-house and offices, 4 stores and 4 taverns." 

3 " Brookville, the county-seat, is situated on the Waterford and Susque- 
hanna turnpike, 44 miles east of Franklin, and immediately at the head of Red- 

l hazsara's Register, 1 830. 

^Gordon's Gazetteer of the State of Pennsylvania, 1S32. 

^ Day' s Historical Collections, 1843. 



History of Brookville. 415 



bank Cr., which is here formed by the confluence of three branches.' The town 
was laid out by the county commissioners in 1830: the lots were sold in June of 
that year at from $30 to $300 per lot, and the erection of houses commenced 
soon after. The place now contains about 50 or 60 dwellings and stores, a 
large brick court-house and public offices, and a Presbyterian Church. The 
town is watered by hydrants, supplied by a copious spring in the hill on the 
north. The scenery around the town would be fine were it not that all the 
hills, except on the north side, are still clothed by the original forest of pines, 
being held by distant proprietors, who will neither sell nor improve. Popula- 
tion in 1S40, 276. The great State road, called the Olean road, between Kit- 
tanning and Olean, passes through the county, about seven miles west of 
Brookville; north of the turnpike, however, this road has been suftered to be 
closed by windfalls, and is not now used." 

The First Settlers. — The first person who located in what is now Brook- 
ville, as far as can be ascertained, was Moses Knapp, who has already been no- 
ticed as one of the first settlers in the county. He built a log house about the 
year 1801, at the mouth of the North Fork, and afterwards built a log grist- 
mill at the same place. At this place six of his children, John, Amy, Josiah, 
Moses, Clarissa and Joseph, were born, the first in 1807 and the latter in 1818. 
Mr. Knapp had eleven children, of whom the majority are living. In 1821 he 
purchased a quantity of land from the Holland Land Company in what is now 
Clover township, upon warrants numbered 3,082 and 3,200, which included 
the ground upon which the present village of Dowlingville is built. 

One of the first to locate in Brookville, after it became the county seat, 
was John Eason, father of Mr. David Eason. Mr. Eason had removed from 
Lycoming county to the Cherry Tree, in Indiana county, but not liking that 
location, when the town of Brookville was laid out, he attended the first sale of 
lots and purchased the lot at the corner of Main street and Spring Alley, 
where he erected one of the first, if not the very first, house in the place, in 

1830, and opened it as a hotel as soon as it was completed. Mr. Eason died 
in 1835, when his son David was about three years old, and his widow, m'e 
Catharine Darr, afterwards married John Smith, who came from Carlisle in 

1831, and kept a small store located on Jefferson street, on the tannery lot. 

1 All these writers speak of the three branches of Sandy Lick. This is erroneous as Mill Creek 
does not extend to Brookville, but empties into Sandy Lick at Port Barnett, and the Five .Mile Rua 
which must be the third branch referred to, empties into Sandy Lick in Rose township. So thai it was 
only Sandy Lick and the North Fork, or Little Brier, that formed Redbank. In all the old histories 
and maps of Jefferson county, Redbank is not found in Jefferson connty, until it flows into .Armstrong, 
it is called Sandy Lick. Mr. Jordan says : " I have again looked over Heckwelder's Indian notes, 
and I fail to find that he has recorded any ' Redbank,' in any part of the States of New Jersey, Dela- 
ware, Maryland or Virginia, as well as that of our own, and such being the case, I must incline to the 
opinion that he only knew of the ' Sandy Lick,' or crossed it in his travels. In the Delaware tongue, 
Sandy was or is Leganwi—z. lick, mah6ni—^\%o Sandy-/.«^««K'<— creek /;a«H^— these for Sandy Lick 
and Sandy Creek." 



4i6 History of Jefferson County 

He was elected sheriff in 1842, and also served several terms as justice of the 
peace. 'Squire Smith, as he was called, built the house now occupied by 
his daughter, Mrs. Florence Christ. Mr. Smith died June 3, 1866, aged 63 
years, and his wife August 5, 1878, aged 78 years. 

The next to locate in Brookville was Benjamin McCreight, who was born 
in Indiana county, in 1801. He learned the trade of a tailor, and as soon as 
his apprenticeship was finished he set out on foot to look up a location. He 
journeyed through the unbroken wilderness and at length came to the site se- 
lected as the county seat of Jefferson county, and in the spring of 1830 he 
built a small log house on the eastern half of lot No. 57, on Main street, the 
site of the new post-office building. He worked away, clearing his lot and 
plying his trade, as new settlers came into his neighborhood, until the next 
spring when he returned to Indiana county, where March i, 183 i, he was mar- 
ried to Eliza Hunter, and the young couple at once came to the home already 
prepared, in Brookville, and went to housekeeping. Their house was in the 
midst of dense woods, and the poor bride must have put in some lonely hours, 
and it was no wonder that when a few months later, Mr. and Mrs. Dougherty 
arrived and located near them, that they received the newcomers with the 
deepest joy. Although only about half a square separated them, the interven- 
ing lots were heavily wooded, and only the glimmer of the light of a candle 
could be seen through the trees. Mis. McCreight told the writer that no one 
could imagine the good it did her when she first saw a light in Mrs. Dough- 
erty's window and realized that she had a neighbor. Mrs. Dougherty, too, 
often reverted to the same fact, and recalled the home- like feeling that the 
" light in the window " caused. The intimate friendship thus established be- 
tween those two families was unbroken, until death severed the strong ties that 
bound them to each other. In old age the friendship of their youth was re- 
newed, and they loved to recall the days of early pioneer struggle and priva- 
tion that they endured together. 

Mr. McCreight held a prominent place in the early history of the county 
and in 1847 was elected treasurer, and held the office of county commissioner 
for two terms, besides filling the different borough offices. After h'ving a short 
time in his first home he built a frame house on the western half of lot No. 56, 
and about 1842 built the biick house on the western half of lot number 57, 
w^here he resided until he died. Twice did this impregnable building pass 
through a fiery ordeal, coming out from the fires of 1856 and 187 1 almost un- 
scathed, the fire fiend devouring the buildings on all sides of it. It was torn 
down in the summer of 1887 by D. C. Whitehill, who now owns the property, 
the McCreight heirs having sold it after Mr. McCreight's death, and where he 
is erecting a brick business block and residence. Mr. McCreight, besides 
u'orking at his trade, opened at an early day a general store. He also loved 
farm work, and had quite a little place in good cultivation, comprising what is 
now "McCreight's" addition to Brookville. 



History of Brookville. 417 

Mrs. McCreight died January 26, 1879. She was born in Centre county 
in 1809, and was a most estimable woman. Mr. McCreight died August 3, 
1883. Their daughter Elizabeth, now the wife of W. D. J. Marlin, was the 
first white child born in Brookville. She resides on the same lot wliere her 
parents built their second house. Two other daughters, Rachel, wife of Dr. 
Robert S. Hunt, and Matilda, wife of E. Heath Clark, and one son, Craig Mc- 
Creight, all reside in Brookville. A number of children died in infancy. 

Mr. McCreight, like his neighbor, Mr. Dougherty, was a man of sterling 
honesty, and by his early patient toil and energy was able to spend his last 
days in plentiful ease. 

Another who attended the first sale of lots in Brookville, June 30, 1830, 
was John Dougherty, a native of Donegal, Ireland, where he was born in 
1800. He landed in 1823 in Baltimore, with only twenty- five cents in his 
pocket. Mr. Dougherty came over from Ireland in the same ship with Robert 
Mcintosh, one of the first settlers in the Beechwoods, and Rev. Boyd McCul- 
lough says of them: " He, Mr. Mcintosh, always spoke of the prominent Ro- 
man Catholic with the greatest kindness, and Mr. Dougherty never mentioned 
the Presbyterian elder but with the highest respect." 

Soon after his arrival in this " land of the free," he went to work on the 
Erie Canal at Buffalo, N. Y., and here had the misfortune to "fall among 
thieves ;" for the contractor for whom he worked absconded and he got no pay 
for his labor. From Buffalo he went to Freeport, where he worked for a while, 
attending school at night, — the only schooling he ever received. As soon as 
he had saved enough money, he bought a pack of goods and set forth to ped- 
dle ; then he got a horse and wagon, and was known all over this region of 
country as " Cheap John." In 1829 he started a store near Millville, in Arm- 
strong county, at the " Red House." He was the first Catholic to locate in that 
locality, and it is related of him that when he first came there he stopped with 
Mr. John Mohney. It was on a Friday, and on his refusal to partake of the meat 
and sausage offered him, Mr. Mohney asked him whether he was a Jew. 
" No," said he, " I am a great deal worse than a Jew ; I am a Roman Catho- 
hc." 

At the sale of lots in Brookville he bought quite a number, and in 183 I he 
removed to Brookville and built a small log house on the lot corner of Main 
and Barnett streets, where he lived until he built the frame hotel on the corner 
of the same lot. This house he kept for five years. It was a popular hostelry, 
and for a long time his sign of " Peace and Poverty, by John Dougherty," at- 
tracted the attention of travelers. In 1840 he was appointed postmaster at 
Brookville, very much against his wishes. 

Mr. Dougherty had married Miss Grace A. Kerr, of Westmoreland county, her 
home being abou! three miles from Mount Pleasant, in October, 1 830, and the fol- 
lowing year brought her to Brookville. In 1 832 he moved his store from Millville 



41 8 History of Jefferson County. 

to Brookville, into a small building which stood upon the site now occupied 
by the American House. In 1836 he left the hotel and moved into a small frame 
house opposite the American, built by Joseph Sharp. He owned the ground 
now occupied by Marlin's opera house, and in 1840 built a large brick building 
there, in which he resided until 1871, when he moved to the property adjacent 
to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Kate D. Marlin, where he had built a home 
for his old age, and where he died September 18, 1875, in the seventy-fifth 
year of his age, and his estimable widow followed him November 15, 1879. 
They are both buried in the Catholic cemetery at Red Bank, Clarion county. 

When Mr. Dougherty first came to Brookville he purchased a tract of land 
east of the borough limits, and sold half of it to Dr. James Dowling. The 
agreement was, that the doctor was to divide the land and then Mr. Dough- 
erty was to have his choice of the divisions. This was done, and Mr. Dough- 
erty selected the west half, and the doctor the portion adjacent the borough, 
where he made his home. 

Mr. Dougherty was a man of strong opinions, and ardently wedded to his 
religious and political beliefs. The history of the Catholic Church relates how 
much he did for its establishment in Brookville. Mr. Dougherty was always 
a rigid temperance man, and while working at Buffalo, soon after his arrival in 
this country, he frequently suffered on account of his abstemious habits. The 
rest of the workmen would " get on a spree " on Saturday, after they quit 
work, and because of young Dougherty's refusal to join them he would fre- 
quently receive a thrashing at their hands. 

The upper rooms of his house were also used for jury rooms, until the 
court-house was erected. An unswerving Democrat, he was exceedingly out- 
spoken in his views, as was also his friend, John J. Y. Thompson, who, a few 
years later, resided across the street in the American House, and many and 
bitter were the arguments in which these two indulged. Thompson was just 
as strong a Whig as Dougherty was a Democrat, and it was no unusual sight 
to see the latter pacing up and down the pavement on his side of the street, 
loudly proclaiming his views of the political situation, bringing his cane down, 
frequently, b)' way of emphasis ; while on the opposite side, Judge Thompson, 
with his thumbs in the armholes of his vest, and bare headed, was just as elo- 
quently arguing his side of the question. Each would be determined not to 
yield until he had the last word, bufit generally ended b}' the judge indig- 
nantly exclaiming : " Dod dang it to dangnation, Dougherty, I'll not to talk 
to such a man as you," and then he would stride into his own door. But for 
all this " war to the hilt," on political subjects, and their frequent abuse of one 
another, they were warm friends, and when Mr. Dougherty heard of Judge 
Thompson's death he shed tears of sorrow and regret. A man of strong dis- 
likes, and just as strong in his friendships, his sterling honesty detested shams 
of all kinds. 



History of Brookville. 419 



Thomas McElliany Barr came to Brookville in 1830, and was one of the 
first citizens. He was born in 1803 in Dauphin county, near Harrisburg. 
When he was quite young his father, Alexander Barr, who had emigrated 
from the north of Ireland, removed to Laurel Hill, Indiana county, and from 
that place to Preble county, O. About the time Thomas M. became of age, 
he returned to Pennsylvania and worked at his trade of bricklaying, and came 
to Brookville the year the town was laid out. One of his first contracts was 
for the brick work on the old court-house ; he also done the brick and stone 
work on the old stone jail, the academy, the First Methodist Church, the first 
American Hotel, Railroad House, the Truby residence, now owned by Mrs. 
Sarah Means, the Jesse G. Clark building, now owned by Mrs. Amelia F. Hen- 
derson, and in fact all the older brick buildings in the town ; and to-day some 
of them stand as monuments to his honesty as a mechanic and contractor. 

In 1833 he married Sarah Corbet, the ceremony being performed by Rev. 
Cyrus Riggs, then pastor of the old Bethel Church, already referred to in this 
work. Nine children blessed this union, of whom six survive, two of whom — 
Mrs. Nancy E. Wensell and John E. Barr — reside in Brookville, the latter 
on part of the old homestead property on Water street. 

Mr. Barr first resided in the old " Lucas house " on Jefferson street, oppo- 
site the present United Presbyterian Church, and then built the house on Main 
street, now occupying the site of B. Verstine's building, which he sold to 
Richard Arthurs. In 1847 he built the house on Water street, where he re- 
sided until his death, July 4, 1884, in the eighty-first year of his age. Mrs. 
Barr preceded him to the grave, dying July 5, 1877, in the seventy-first year of 
her age. She was born in Lewistown, Mifflin count}', came to what is now 
Clarion county when but a year old, and in 1832 her father, William Corbet, 
moved to a farm near the present village of Corsica. Mr. Barr was a consis- 
tent member of the Presbyterian Church, where his seat was seldom found 
vacant. A man of sterling integrity, he shunned strife, and it is said of him 
that in all his busy life he was never a party to a lawsuit. 

Gabriel Vasbinder was born in Jefferson county, his father being Henry 
Vasbinder, who came from Tuscarora Valley about the year 1807 and settled 
on the Nathaniel Butler farm in Pine Creek township. The family consisted 
of Andrew, Gabriel, Harmon, Doty, and Jackson, Peggy, Caroline, Nancy, and 
Juliana. 

Henry Vasbinder, of whom mention has already been made, died in 1868, 
at the age of sixty- eight years, and was buried in the grave-yard at the Jones 
school-house. Gabriel Vasbinder's grandfather, John Vasbinder, who came to 
this county in 1802 or 1803, was buried in the grave-yard on the Harris farm. 
Gabriel came to Brookville about the year 1835 and drove stage for Levi G. 
Clover and John Pierce, and afterwards for SmuU, and Benjamin Bennett. The 
route was from Brookville to Bellefonte, three times a week. He also in 1835 
drove the stage from Berlins (in Venango county) to Franklin. 



420 History of Jefferson County. 

The first house Mr. Vasbinder lived in in Brookville was the Thomas Lucas 
house, while he was building his present residence, on Jefferson street, which 
he erected in 1842, and where he has resided forty-five years. Alter his early 
stage driving, he teamed until 1868, when he was awarded the contract for 
carrying the mail between Brookville and Mahoning, and run a stage from 
that time until the railroad was completed, in 1873, since which time he has 
been the proprietor of one of the omnibuses carr3'ing passengers between the 
depot and the town. In 1857, in connection with his son, Isaac, he was in 
the mercantile business until burned out in the fire of 1 871. 

Mr. Vasbinder has seen many of the changes in this county, and can well 
remember the early days of pioneer life. He can recall the Indians, who were 
once quite numerous. On one occasion, when a small boy, he had been sent 
on an errand to his uncle, William Vasbinder, who lived on what is now known 
as the Kerkman farm, and encountered two Indians going in the same direc- 
tion, each with a saddle of venison on his back. Noticing that the little boy 
was afraid, the friendly red men went on their way, and never looked back 
after they passed him. Mr. Vasbinder remembers often being sent to the old 
Knapp grist-mill, on the North Fork, there only being one house between his 
father's house and what is now Brookville. 

William McCullough was the first blacksmith who located in Brookville, 
building a shop and dwelling on the lot now occupied by the Baptist Church, 
in 1830. One of the first improvements was the digging of a well on the 
premises ; and it \vas scarcely finished when his cow fell into the excavation 
and broke her neck, and being unable to get her out, Mr. McCullough filled 
the well up. Mr. McCullough, or " Uncle Billy," as he was called, was an 
original character. He was great on an argument, and would scarcely ever 
yield a point, generally clinching the argument with " By the Jew's eye, sir, I 
know what I am talking about!" He was very fond of the chase, and loved 
to relate his hunting exploits. He was an excellent shot, and was on that 
-account selected as one of Berdan's celebrated sharp-shooters. Mr. McCul- 
lough was a strong Union man, and though past the military age, could not be 
deterred from enlisting. His aim was unerring, and it is said that at the battle 
of Bull Run "he was known to have killed seven rebels, one after the other." 

About 1847 ^^- McCullough exchanged a saw-mill on Little Mill Creek 
for the property on Pickering street, where he resided, and where he followed 
the trade of gunsmith (having quit blacksmithing) until he died in August, 
18S4, aged seventy-two years. Mrs. McCullough, uA' Elizabeth Potter, died 
in January, 1874, aged seventy- two years. Mr. McCullough was ten years 
younger than his wife, but lived ten years longer than she did, making their 
ages the same when death came. 

Thomas Hastings was among the first to locate in Jefferson county. He 
was born in Huntingdon county in 1797, and in i Si 8 he married Elizabeth 



History of Brookville. 421 



Wagner, who was born in the same county in 1799. They removed to Belle- 
fonte, Centre county, in 1818, where he was elected to the Legislature in 1824, 
and in 1827 was elected sheriff of that county. In May, 1831, he removed to 
Brookville, and built the Globe Hotel. In 1835 he removed across the street 
and started a general store, and also engaged in lumbering. In 1837-38 
he was member of the constitutional convention, and established the Back- 
woodsviaii about that time. He served one term each as prothonotary and 
associate judge of Jefferson county. June 6, 1868, Mr. and Mrs. Hastings 
celebrated their golden wedding. Judge Hastings died in 1871, and Mrs. 
Hastings in iSSo. Three of their children reside in the county: Mrs. Sarah 
G. Means and Barton T. Hastings in Brookville, and Captain John Hastings in 
Pun.xsutavvney. The other daughter, Mrs. Ann E. Roundy, resides in Pepin, 
^Visconsin. 

Levi G. Clover, of the firm of Evans & Clover, was a prominent citizen of 
Brookville for a number of years. He was elected two terms prothonotary of 
the county, and also associate judge, which office he resigned to accept the 
position of collector of tolls at Pittsburgh. He was also one of the contractors 
for State work on the Mountain Division of the Portage Railroad, and was one 
of the most prominent politicians and business men of his day. He removed 
to his native county of Clarion, where he died. 

William Clark, sr., arrived at Brookville from Blairsville, Indiana county, in 
October, 1830, and found only two families residing here, and only two resi- 
dences within the limits of the town, one of which was the hotel of Mr. Eason, 
and the other the house of William Robinson, who had built a log house and 
barn on the lot corner of Water and Mill streets, on Water street. Mr. Rob- 
inson was a brother of Mrs. John Long, but how long he resided in Brookville 
is not known. 

Air. Clark set about the erection of a hotel at once, and the hotel history 
of the town given elsewhere will give his record in that respect. He seems 
to have been a busy, go-ahead man, and aided essentially in the first building 
up of the new town. After leaving the Franklin House, in 1836, he removed 
to a farm five miles west of Brookville, which he had purchased of a Mr. 
Quest, but being then sheriff of the county, to which oflRce he was elected in 
1833, he was obliged to return to town to live, as his son, Jesse G. Clark, who 
was acting as his deputy, not being able, or it being illegal for him to perform 
some of the duties of the office. He then lived for a short time in the old jail, 
and in 1835 moved into the Red Lion Hotel, where he ended his official life 
as sheriff of Jefferson county, which office he held six years. In 1839 he kept 
the Jefferson House, and in this house he died about 1843. His eldest son, 
Jesse G. Clark, has already been referred to in the history of the bench 
and bar. 

Another son, William F. Clark, was for many years one of the most prom- 

50 



422 History of Jefferson County. 

inent business men of Brookville. In alluding to his business career Mr. Clark 
says: " I owe much to the encouragement, kind and good counsel of my 
brother, Jesse G. Clark. He took me from school in 1839 and placed me in 
charge of his hotel, the Forest House, which he had erected in the new town 
of Clarion, so that he and his family might return to Brookville." 

Within a year W. F. Clark returned to Brookville with his father and 
mother, and began merchandising in an old building which stood on the corner 
•of Main and Pickering streets, now occupied by the Matson block. He and 
his brother having bought the stock of Elijah and John Heath, to which they 
added new goods, soon had quite a prominent store, under the firm name of 
J. G. & W. F. Clark. In 1842 they moved to a new room, built in connec- 
tion with the Jefferson Hotel. This hotel Jesse G. Clark sold to Simon Frank 
in 1845, and began the erection of a large brick storehouse on the site now- 
occupied by the Edelblute block. Before its completion Jesse G. Clark died, 
in February, 1846, and in August, 1847, W. F. Clark commenced business in 
the new storeroom alone, and he here conducted an e.xtensive business for 
•twenty years, single handed and alone, as he says, " with a root hog or die 
■purpose, and determination to succeed." Mr. Clark emyloyed no clerks, save 
occasionally the services of his wife. In August, 1867, his health failing, due 
in part to the death of his youngest son, Jesse Griffith Clark (whom he had 
named for his brother Jesse, and for his mother, Susan Griffith), a bright boy 
of seventeen years, who died in 1867. He then sold his stock of goods to 
Vasbinder & Trimble, of Warsaw township, and about the same time his store- 
house and lot to N. G. Edelblute. 

No business man in Brookville has done more to improve the town. In 
1850 he built a 25 X35 brick addition to his store building, and in 1851-52 
built the brick residence on Jefferson street, which he afterwards sold to James 
Neal, and which is now the property of Calvin Rodgers. He purchased of C. M. 
Garrison, and greatly improved the property on the corner of Main and Har- 
nett streets, which he sold to K. L. Blood, and which is now the residence of 
Mrs. A. L. Gordon; after which, in 1869-70, he bought from W. W. Corbet, the 
lot immediately west of the corner above mentioned, for $4,000 and erected 
upon it a bank and residence at a cost of $9,000 each (both war prices). This 
property passed by deed to his son Norman Farquahr Clark, who, dying with- 
out will, passed it to his sons Norman F. and Jerome. From this house, as Mr. 
Clark says, his " best of wives, and her dear son Norman were carried to their 
last resting place." Mrs. Clark's maiden name was Maria Schrader. \Villiam 
F. Clark now resides in Maquoketa, Jackson county, Iowa. His mother died 
at his home in Brookville in 1861. Of the other members of the family, 
Matilda, who married Daniel Smith, and Jane, the wife of J. P. George, both 
reside in Brookville. Calvin B., the other son, died in 1875 ; none of his 
family, except his widow nee Mary Clayton, reside in Brookville. 



HiSTdRV OF BrOOKVILLE. 



423 



Daniel Smith came from Peiin's Valley, Centre county, about 1822, being 
then only eight }ears of age. He first went to Port Barnett where he re- 
mained for some time with Joseph Barnett, and from there to Judge Gillis's 
place, at Montmorenci, and then, after Brookville was laid out, he came back and 
lived in the famih- of Judge Heath, and attended school. He then went into 
the store of Evans & Clover, as a clerk, and afterwards bought them out. He 
first kept store in a building that stood on the site of the old Evans block. In 
1846 he built the brick block, now the propert\' of H. Matson, where he kept 
store for a number of years. Besides mcichandising, Mr. Smith was actively 
engaged in lumbering for many years. He served one term as treasurer of 
the count)', and was the first agent at Brookville of the Allegheny Valley 
Railroad. In 1S39 he was married to Matilda, daughter of William Clark, 
who, with her two sons, Levi Clover and William Clark, reside in Brookville. 
Mr. Smith died in 1882. Few men were more closely identified with the 
early business of Brookville, or led a more busy life. 

Alexander McKnight, one of Brookville's earliest citizens, and one of the 
first justices of the peace, was treasurer of the county at the time of his death, 
in 1837. He is said to have been quite a prominent and dignified man. He 
located on the lot now owned by Thomas L. Templeton. He married a sister 
of John J. Y. Thompson, who afterward became the wife of John Templeton. 
But two of the family, Dr. William J. McKnight and Thomas L. Templeton, 
survive; both residents and prominent business men of Brookville. 

Robert P. Barr was one of the first on the ground after Brookville was 
laid out and became a town. He made the brick on the ground, and with 
Thomas M. Barr, built the old court-house, the academy, H. Matson's, W. F. 
Clark's dwelling and store, dwelling of J. G. Clark (now residence and store of 
Mrs. A. F. Henderson). He was one of the associate judges in 1851. He 
owned the mill and timber lands now the property of T. K. Litch & Sons, 
which he sold to the late T. K. Litch in 1850. Mr. Barr was a conscientious, 
just man. He moved to Clinton county, Iowa, where he died about 1870. 

Joseph Sharp was the first shoemaker and the first constable, and lived in 
a little house on the site now occupied by the Marlin Opera House. He re- 
moved to Ohio in 1833 or 1834. 

William Rodgers came with his parents in 1830 from Blairsville, and was 
the second merchant to open a store in Brookville, keeping quite a creditable 
stock of goods for the time and population. His store was located in the 
southeast corner of William Clark's hotel, on Jefferson street. Subsequently 
he and Joseph Chambers (uncle of Samuel Chambers, of the present firm of 
Kennedy & Co.) formed a co-partnership and opened a store in a room on the 
lot now owned by N. G. Edelblute. Mr. Rodgers was also postmaster. His 
father and mother died as early as 1832 or 1833, and were buried in the " old 
grave-yard." Mr. Rodgers married Sarah Clements, and has for many years 
resided just beyond the borough limits in Rose township. 



424 History of Jefferson County. 

William Jack was one of the early and prominent business men of the time, 
who came to Brookville in 1831. He was a man of polished, gentlemanly 
manners, and of very dignified bearing, having traveled much and visited Lon- 
don and the continent. He had been a contractor and builder in Mississippi, 
where, with Richard Arnold, of Kittanning, he built a canal. He was the 
member of Congress from the district composed of Jefferson, Armstrong, and 
Butler, in 1844, and was a fellow-member with Henry Clay. Subsequently 
he was associated in the mercantile business witli D. B. Jenks, as Jack, Jenks 
& Co. Mr. Jack married Harriet Eason, a cousin of David Eason. He was 
boarding at the Red Lion Hotel, and Mr. Eason, his host, who was going to 
Indiana county to visit his old home, asked Mr. Jack if he did not want him to 
bring him (Jack) a wife. He replied in the affirmative, and in a short time Mr., 
Eason returned liome, accompanied by his niece, and a few days after his 
return he happened to think of his joking remark to Mr. Jack, and told him 
that he had kept his promise, at the same time introducing him to his niece. 
They were mutually pleased with one another, and in a few weeks after were 
married in the parlor of the Red Lion. 

In 1846 Mr. Jack returned with his family to his native place, Greensburg, 
where he soon after died. His wife afterwards married Hon. William H. 
Koontz, at the time member of Congress from that district. 

Jacob Wise came to Brookville at the same time, from Greensburg. He 
was unmarried, and is said to have been rather dissipated, but very sociable 
and companionable. He spent much of his time in an office attached to the 
old store-house, on the site of the Matson block, where he sawed away upon 
an old fiddle. Wise was quite small in stature, but a great military man, and 
having some connection with the militia, was called " Colonel." Hugh Brady, 
a prominent lawyer of the day, was also a prominent militia man belonging to 
the Jefferson Greens. 

On one occasion Brady and Wise had some dispute, and decided to settle 
it by fighting a duel, and both hied away to their respective offices to don 
their regimentals. Wise conceived tiie idea of surprising his adversary, and, 
donning his sword, crept behind a large stump that stood on the corner now 
occupied by the Central Hotel. This stump, from which a large tree had 
been broken off in some storm, was as tall as an ordinary man, and Wise se- 
creted himself behind it, intending when Brady came opposite to suddenly 
prsent himself, and demand his foe's surrender. Soon he descried Brady, who, 
with his gun in hand, with head erect and soldiery tread, came marcliing down 
the opposite side of the street. When he gained the corner opposite to where 
Wise was concealed, he wheeled about in true militarj' style and marched 
across the street, when suddenly, just as he came opposite the stump, and be- 
fore Wise had time to execute his brilliant coup dc main, he came to present 
arms, and cocking his gun, presented it down over the stump, and in stento- 



History of Brookville. 425 



rian tones called upon Wise to surrender. He had seen the ruse of his oppo- 
nent, but no one who witnessed his march down the street would have dreamed 
that he was cognizant of it. ' After a hearty laugh by the bystanders, in which 
the discomfited colonel joined, peace was declared between the combatants. 

Mr. Wise returned, after a few years, to Greensburg, where he died. 

The Arthurs family was one of the first to settle in Jefferson county. John 
Arthurs, who was born in Jack's Creek, in Mifflin county, March i, 1783, 
came with Joseph and Andrew Barnett and Samuel Scott, in 1795, and helped 
erect the first mill. Mrs. Graham says, " a man named Arthurs came with 
them, when they erected the mill." His son, Richard Arthurs, says his father 
came to Jefferson county in 1S06, so that it is probable that he returned with 
Joseph Barnett when he went back for his family, as there was no other white 
man with Andrew Barnett but Samuel Scott, when he died. In 1806 John 
Arthurs again appears in the county, and we next hear of him going down 
into what was then Armstrong county, to find a wife, where in that year he 
married Miss Joanna Roll, who was born in Penn's Valley, now Centre county, 
June 15, 1786 ; and lived with her parents on what is now the farm owned by the 
heirs of Samuel F"ranipton, two miles from Strattanville, Clarion county. They 
were married by Samuel C. Orr, esq. Mr. Arthurs bought what is now known 
as the Ferguson farm, near Clarion, where he lived until 181 1 or 1812, when 
he moved to Port Barnett, where he lumbered, and assisted Moses Knapp to 
build his mill on what is now the Five Mile Run. In 18 13 Mr. Arthurs 
moved to Tidioute, in Warren county, where his father's family had removed 
from Jack's Creek, and here, in the winter of 18 14, he was pressed into the ser- 
vice, and hurried to Lake Erie, where he spent the winter, but in the spring of 
1815 the treaty of Ghent was concluded and he was allowed to return home, 
the war being over. 

The Roll who is mentioned as locating on the farm now owned by John S. 
Barr, in Pine Creek, and who made such a perilous journey to get to Port 
Barnett, with Van Camp and Sbultz, was Mrs. Arthurs's grandfather. He 
was also the father of the aged Mrs. Mason, who resided upon the farm some 
years afterwards. Three large apple trees that he planted there are still standing. 
He died many years ago, and is buried in the Anderson graveyard in Clover 
township. Mrs. Roll died in 1822, and is buried in the McFadden graveyard 
in Clarion county. His son, John Roll, exchanged his property in Boallsburg, 
with General Potter, for two hundred acres of land in what is now Clarion 
county, the Frampton farm referred to, and here, in 1811, Richard Arthurs 
was born. He was a bouncing boy of thirteen pounds in weight and has al- 
ways kept up his weight. In 1830 we find him at the .sale of the first lots in 
Brookville, and in 1832 he located here, and went to work m the cabinet- 
shop of McDonald, a sixteen by forty structure that stood on the old Plvans 
property, now owned by Guythur and Henderson. In a short time he pur- 



426 History of Jefferson County. 

chased the tools, etc., and removed the shop to a building on the opposite- 
side of the street in what was known as "Snyder's Row," where Samuel Craig 
set up the chair-making business, Mr. Arthurs occupying the south room with 
his cabinet and carpenter-shop, and Mr. Craig the north room with his chair- 
shop. Mr. Arthurs says one of the first articles of cabinet ware he made was 
a cradle, for the late John Jack. In 1834 he sold out to James Craig, a brother 
of Samuel, and commenced the study of law with Cephus Dunham. He had 
had the advantage of very little schooling, — three months being all that he ever 
devoted to grammar, but he made a very successful, and was for many years 
one of the leading attorneys at the Jefferson county bar. When he com- 
menced work in Brookville he had no means, but lie was always ready for any 
odd job that turned up, and made from one dollar to one dollar and twenty- 
five cents per day. His boarding cost him tvvent)'-five cents per day, and in 
two years lie had saved six hundred dollars, and was ready to read law, the 
goal for which he had been striving. 

He has been very successful in business enterprises, and now owns some of 
the best business houses in the town. In 1882 he purchased the Commercial 
Hotel, and in 1876 built the Central Hotel, and in 18S6 built the large brick 
block on Main street. He also owns the large dwelling house on west Main 
street, formerly owned by Joseph E. Hall, John King and R. J. Nicholson, 
where he resides. 

Mr. Arthurs kindly cared for his parents in their old age, bringing them to- 
his home in Brookville from Clarion county, in 1843. This trip was made on 
good sleighing, on the i6th day of April. Mr. Arthurs died in 1847, and his 
wife in 1843. Another son, Samuel C. Arthurs, resides in Brookville, of whom 
mention has been made in the Rebellion Record. 

Another of the pioneers who settled at the county seat was Cjtus Butler, 
who bought a lot in 1830 or 183 i, and built one of the first houses, in which 
the first Methodist prayer meeting was held in Brookville, and which was, for 
years, the stopping place of the itinerant preacher, and where they always 
found a cordial welcome. This house Mr. Butler occupied for many years, 
until 1859 or i860, when he removed to Litchtown, and sold the old home- 
stead to Christopher Fogle, who afterwards sold it to David Larry, and from 
his heirs it was purchased by C. C. Benscoter, who, in 1887, tore it down for 
the purpose of erecting a more modern dwelling. Mr. Butler was married to 
Mary, daughter of Elijah Sartwell, a most estimable Christian woman, who 
died November i, 1S68, aged seventy- four years. Mr. Butler died a short 
time after his wife. They had but two children, of whom one, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Wilson, is dead, and the other, Mrs. Esther Reynolds, resides in Kittanning. 

Mr. Butler was of a very excitable disposition, and always " spoke his mind." 
He was an ardent lover of his country and took a deep interest in the progress 
of the war, and many of our citizens can recall his transports of joy and his 



History of Brookville. 427 

shouts of " hallelujali" when a great union victory was announced. While act- 
ing in the capacity of court crier, which he filled for many years, on one occa- 
sion when a certain suit was on trial, the court ordered Mr. Butler to call one of 
the witnesses whose name was Ami Sibley, and who was not in the court room 
when his testimony was needed. Mr. Butler proceeded to the door and called, 
" Ami Sibley, Am-i Sibley." A wag of a fellow, Abial Frost, who was stand- 
ing near the door, said: "No, you are not Sibley." This disconcerted the 
old gentleman, who thought he had made a mistake in the name, so he called 
again, " I am Sibley." " No," said Frost, " you are not Sibley, by a damned 
sight." This was followed by a roar of laughter by the bystanders, but the 
victimized crier was in no laughing humor, and the wag had to make himself 
scarce. 

On another occasion Mr. Butler was told to call another witness who re- 
joiced in the euphonious name of " Oramel Thing." He proceeded to the 
court-house door and called in stentorian tones, " Horrible Thing! Horrible 
Thing !" 

Another amusing episode in the early history of the courts of Jefferson 
■county, was the trial of Butler B. Amos, who was accused of stealing a hog 
from Moses Knapp. Judge Burnside, who presided at the trial, after listening 
patiently to the testimony, which is said to have been extremely ludicrous, or- 
dered the prisoner to be released, saying that Amos was from the same county 
that he was, and that he could not possibly be guilty of the alleged theft, as 
no one coming from Centre county would be guilty of such a deed. This man, 
Butler Amos, who figures in the early history of Washington township, seems 
to have been a very contumacious fellow, as his name appears quite frequently 
on the pages of the early dockets as plaintiff or defendant in different actions. 

James Corbet, who was appointed, in 1830, by Governor Wolf, the 
first prothonotary, register and recorder, and clerk of courts for Jefferson 
county, moved from his mill in Rose township to Brookville, in the spring of 
1 83 1, and built the log house on Main street, on the site now occupied by the 
property of the heirs of Norman F. Clark, deceased. Soon after he moved to 
Brookville he engaged in store-keeping, and the firm of Corbet & Barr sold 
goods in a little tenement that stood on the lot now embraced in the American 
House block. Mr. Corbet was prominently connected with the official affairs 
of Jefferson county, and for many years a respected citizen of Brookville. In 
1853 he was appointed postmaster, and also held the office of justice of the 
peace. He was the son of William and Sarah Corbet, and was born in Mifflin 
county March 19, 1794. His father moved into Armstrong county (now 
Clarion), in the spring of 18 14. Mr. Corbet came to Jefferson county in 1S24. 
He was a resident of Brookville for the first thirty-five years of its existence. 
His death occurred October 24, 1866. Three of his children, Colonel Wake- 
iield W. Corbet, Mrs. W. P. Jenks and Mrs. K. L. Blood, yet survive and re- 
side in Brookville, or its suburbs. 



428 History of Jefferson County. 

In the fall of 1830 Jared B. Evans, who was residing at Port Barnett, 
where he was engaged in keeping store and attending to the post-office for Mr. 
Barnett, moved his store to Brookville, and was appointed postmaster, the 
office also being changed to Brookville. His was the first store in the town. 
Mr. Evans was for many years a prominent citizen of Brookville. In 1850 he 
was appointed associate judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge 
Jenks, and was elected at the election ensuing. He built the large brick block 
on lot No. 65, Main street. This property was for many years in litigation in 
the courts of the county. It was first conveyed to John Pickering and Timo- 
thy Pickering by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by patent dated May 
24, 1830. Warrant No. 394. 

This building was destroyed in the disastrous fire of November 20, 1874. 
Judge Evans also built the house owned by James H. Maize, on Jefferson 
street. He is said to have been the first to embark in matrimony in the new 
town, having married Miss Jane McCreight, a niece of Benjamin McCreight. 
Since 1859 he has resided at Rockdale Mills and although in the eightieth year 
of his age, is still a hale, hearty man^ His son William C. Evans resides in 
Brookville. 

In 1832 Hugh Brady, esq., removed to Brookville. Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, 
his daughter, and the only remaining member of his family, says that she well 
remembers their journey from Indiana to Brookville, and being lifted out of the 
big covered Conestoga wagon in which they traveled, and carried half asleep 
into the hotel kept by Thomas Hastings. They arrived about the beginning 
of the May court, and Mrs. Craig was sent out " into tlie country " to stay at the 
house of Joseph McCullough, on account of the scarcity of bed-rooms at the 
hotel. 

Samuel Craig came to Brookville in 1832 and started the first chair-making 
shop in Brookville. About 1840 he engaged in the mercantile business with 
Samuel H. Lucas, as Craig & Lucas, and in 1841 was elected treasurer, being 
the first person elected to that office in the county. From 1851 to 1854 he 
was engaged in the mercantile business with Enoch Hall. In 1854-56 he 
served as deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Mitchell. In i860 he formed a partner- 
ship with Parker P. Blood, in the general mercantile business, from which 
he retired in 1865. In 1871 he embarked in the grocery business, in which 
he associated his son, W. F. Craig, which continued as " Craig & Son," until 
his death, October 10, 1865. He was seventy-seven years of age at the time 
of his death. Mrs. Craig, nee Margaret Park, died August 9, 1881, aged 
seventy- three years. 

Mr. Craig was a man of sterling honesty and worth, and one of the most 
useful members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he had been for many 
years a ruling elder. Of his family, two sons, W. F., already referred to, and 
Captain S. A., and three daughters, Mrs. Agnes Stuart, and Misses Mary and 



History of Brookville. 429 



Madge, reside in Brookville, the two latter occupying with their brother, W. 
F., the old homestead erected on Jefferson street by their father in 1833. John, 
the eldest son, resides in Memphis, Mo., and Mrs. Jane Allison, the eldest 
daughter, in Punxsutawney. 

Another of the pioneers of the town was John Ramsey, who was born in 
the north of Ireland in 1803, and came to the United States in his twenty- 
second year. For the first ten years he lived in Centre count\', and then re- 
moved to Brookville in 1834, having been married that year. He located on 
Jefferson street, built a little house and a wagon-making shop, and went to 
work to help build up the new town. Mr. Ramsey was one of Brookville's 
most worthy and respected citizens, and almost a life-long member of the Pres- 
byterian Church. He died January 26, 1870, aged sixty-seven years. The old 
house gave place a few years ago to a beautiful modern residence, where Mrs. 
Ramsey, and three of her children, Wilson, R. Louise and Cecelia still reside. 
Two other daughters, Mrs. Roswell P. Blood and Mrs. H. C. Litch are also 
residents of Brookville, and another, Mrs. Joseph P. Taylor, resides in Du Bois. 
The eldest daughter, Mrs. Mary McDowell, died in Clearfield countj' some 
years ago. 

Samuel Truby was born in Greensburg, Westmoreland county, June 13, 
1808, and when only four years of age his parents removed to Kittanning. 
He learned the trade of a tinner at Zeilienople, Butler county, and in 1832 
came to Brookville and worked at his trade until 1S33, when he married An- 
nie Sterling, at New Castle, Lawrence county, and began housekeeping in 
Lidiana. They moved to Brookville the 1st of January, 1834, where Mr. Truby 
purchased the lot corner of Jefferson and Pickering, and the adjacent lot on 
Jefferson street, which he cleared off and built a small frame house on Picker- 
ing street, and in 1837 he bought on a store. In 1849 he built the brick house 
on the corner of Jefferson and Pickering, now the property of Mrs. Sarah 
Means, and moved into it in 1850. He kept his store in the basement of this 
building until 1864, when he sold the property to S. G. Fryer, and purchased 
a small farm in Rose township, from Uriah Matson, half a mile from Brook- 
ville, where he built a comfortable and commodious residence. In 1868-69 
he again followed merchandising in the room now occupied by W. F. Craig, in 
the Matson block, since that time he has devoted himself to his farm. 

Mr. Truby was one of those who helped to improve Brookville, and for a 
long time he kept one of the best stores in the town. When he first settled 
here he had to " rough it," like the rest of the early settlers, and Mrs. Truby 
says that it was often very hard to get any butter, or any " spread " for their 
corn and rye bread, and that she one day took a little tin pail and went through 
the woods to Findley's mill to get a quart of molasses. After he began store- 
keeping Mr. Truby, when he was fortunate enough to secure any butter, eggs, 
or other produce, would blow a horn to let the neighbors know the fact, and 

51 



430 History of Jefferson County. 

the housewives of the place would then hurry to his store to get a share of 
the eatables. 

Mr. Truby's family consisted of six children, of whom the oldest son died in 
infancy. Of the others, Mrs. C. M. Matson, and Samuel C. reside in Brook- 
ville, Sarah, with her parents, Mrs. Caroline Robinson, at Parker City, and 
Mrs. Mary Clark, at Kittanning. In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Truby celebrated 
their golden wedding. They are now serenely enjoying the evening of their 
life. 

Mathew Dickey was one of the first merchants in Brookville, having 
started a store in partnership with Benjamin McCrieght in 1832 or '33, and after- 
wards conducted it in his own name. He was born in County Derry, Ireland, 
in 1800, and came to this country in 1817, where for a number of years he 
followed school teaching in Armstrong county, and where in 18 19 he married 
Elizabeth Templeton. In 1831 he removed to Jefferson county and settled 
on the farm, in what is now Clover township, which he cleared from the dense 
forest, and where he resided until his death, in 1881. Mr. Dickey was one of 
the sterling men of the county, and a prominent member of the United Pres- 
byterian Church, to which his family still adhere. His sons, James and David, 
reside in Clover township, and William in Brookville. 

The Hall family, whose early emigration to the wilds of Jefferson county is 
related in the history of Rose township, have been largely identified with 
Brookville. Enoch Hall, who is the only one residing in Brookville, came 
here in May, 1836, and November 31, 1837, married Martha A., daughter of 
Elijah Clark. He worked at cabinet making, and was engaged in lumbering 
and merchandising for a number of years; is now engaged in the planing-mill 
business. 

Joseph E. Hall, another brother, for many years largely identified with the 
lumbering interests of the county, removed from Brookville to Paxton, 111., in 
the spring of 1867, and died there December 7, 1885. Two sisters are yet 
living — Mrs. Priscilla Moyer, at Butler, Pa., and Mrs. Cordelia Lucas, at 
Denver, Col. 

Joseph Henderson, or "Judge Henderson," as he is familiarly called, is one 
of the pioneers of Jefferson county. He came to Punxsutawney in 1831, and 
clerked four years for William Campbell. In the fall of 1836 he was elected 
sheriff of the county, and served three years. In 1 840 he was appointed assistant 
United States marshal, and completed the census of the county. In 1841 he 
removed to Dowlingville and kept a small tavern there for a few months, and 
in 1842 removed to Brookville where he kept the F"ranklin House for about a 
year and a half In 1842 he was elected treasurer. In 1848 he was a partner 
with John J. Y. Thompson in the mercantile business. In 185 i he purchased 
Mr. Thompson's interest and continued in the business until 1855. In 1856 
he was elected associate judge. He then served as clerk to the county com- 



History of Brookville. 431 

missioners from 1857 till the fall of i860, when he was elected prothonotary. 
In 1870 he was elected justice of the peace and served five years. Since 1865 
he has been engaged in the stove and tinning business. Very few men have 
taken a more prominent part in the business and politics of the town and 
county than Judge Henderson. Of his seven children all are living but one, 
and all but one are residents of Brookville, six of his sons being prominent 
business men. 

Andrew Craig came to Brookville in 1838, and went into the shop of his 
brother, James, and learned the trade of cabinet-maker. He purchased the 
business in 1843, and moved the shop down to the lot, where he afterwards 
erected the dwelling house now owned by G. E. Brown, and in 1859 vacated 
this shop to take up his quarters in a new building erected at the foot of Jeffer- 
son street, where he formed a co-partnership with E. H. Wilson, as Craig & 
Wilson, which continued for twenty years, Wilson selling his interest to Mr. 
Craig in 1879. He is now managing the furniture warerooms of his son, H. B. 
Craig, and with the exception of one term as justice of the peace, has been con- 
tinuously engaged in the furniture business, covering a period of almost forty- 
five years. He is the veteran undertaker of the town, and has since January 
I, 1874, to August I, 1887, buried one thousand and two persons. Prior to 
that time he kept no record of interments. 

Robert Darrah was one of the first lumbermen to locate in Brookville. He 
was the descendant of Revolutionary patriots ; his father, John Darrah, who 
was born in Scotland, having emigrated to Massachusetts, and served in the 
War of the Revolution. His wife, Sivia Mitchell, was the daughter of Charles 
M. Mitchell, another Scotchman, who also emigrated to Massachusetts, and 
served in the same war. Robert Darrah in 1824 came to Pennsylvania, resid- 
ing for some time in Tioga and Luzerne counties, and came to Brookville in 
December, 1837, and commenced to lumber on Sandy Lick, which business 
he continued until 1855, when he removed to Mecosta county, Michigan, where 
he died in 1S65. 

His sons, Edward H. and W. Robert, were born lumbermen, and have 
never departed from the ways of their father. They both commenced their 
career on Sandy Lick, and have probably been more actively and for a longer 
period engaged in the trade than any of our lumbermen. Neither are now 
engaged in business in Brookville, though both reside here. Edward H. is 
extensively engaged in Forest county, as part owner of a ten thousand tract of 
timber with a saw- mill thereon, also in large lumber interests in Michigan, 
Wisconsin, California and Mexico, while Robert also engaged in Michigan and 
Wisconsin, has pushed his way into the timber region of Washington Territory. 

Arad Pearsall was one of the first to penetrate into the wilds of northern 
Jefferson county, settling first in what is now Elk county in 1827, and remov- 
ing to Brockwayville in 1 830, and from there to Brookville in 1837, where he 



432 History of Jefferson County. 

bought and located upon the property now owned by the heirs of Mrs. Furley, 
on Main street. From there he moved to Warsaw township, then to Port Bar- 
nett, then successively back to Warsaw and Brookville, from there to Walnut 
Bend and Oil Creek in \ enango county, and from there back to Brookville, 
where he died in March, 1866. Mr. Pearsall and his wife were both born at 
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.; the former in 1807, and the latter in 1804. Mrs. Pear- 
sall died in 1875. Of eleven children but five survive ; none of them residents 
of Jefferson county. Mrs. Harriet FuUerton resides at Parker City, Peter at 
Meadville, Myron M. at Bradford, and John and Harvey at Buffalo, N. Y. Mr. 
Pearsall was a blacksmith by trade, and nearly all of his sons followed his call- 
ing for a time. 

Thomns Mabon came to Brookville in 1846, from Indiana county, and 
moved into the house now owned by the heirs of A. J. Brady, on the corner of 
Main and Mill streets. He purchased a quantity of land south of Redbank, 
and laid it out in lots, which portion of the town was called " Mabontown," now 
the "Southside." He erected the large house, on South Pickering street, in 
which he resided for years, and which is now the residence of his daughter, 
Mrs. Harriet L. Ferguson. 

Mr. Mabon built the grist-mill known as the " White mill " in 1849 °^ 
1850, and owned and operated it until 1867, when Henry and John Startzell 
purchased half of the property. He also built the woolen factory, now owned 
by Newcome & Fawcett, which was burned down and rebuilt about 1868, and 
the planing-mill now owned by Anderson & Leech. Mr. Mabon died Novem- 
ber 5, 1884, in the ninety-third year of his age. Mrs. Mabon died in February, 
1887, aged about ninety years. They were both prominent members of the 
United Presbyterian Church, and were respected and venerated by all who 
knew them. Of their four surviving children Emily, now Mrs. Welshouse, 
lives in Westmoreland county; Louise, Mrs. Milliken, in Youngstown, Ohio; 
and Mary A., Mrs. G. A. Jenks, and Harriet, Mrs. Ferguson, reside in Brook- 
ville. 

The Elnglish family came to Brookville in 1846, and have been prominent 
in the business and political circles since that time. Edmund English, the only 
one now residing in the town, is a prominent Democrat, having served one term 
in the Legislature. Since 1850 he has been engaged in the foundry business. 
Daniel English is well known as a prominent architect and builder. He built 
the Brookville school building, and the court-house at Clarion. He removed 
to Allegheny county the spring of 1887, but still owns his residence on Main 
street. 

Samuel C. Espy came to Brookville from Huntingdon county in 1842, and 
moved into a little house that stood opposite the old grist-mill of R. P. Barr. 
This house went off in the flood of 1847. He then lived in a house on Main 
street, which occupied the site of the Pearsall building. He then purchased a 



History of Brookville. 435 

lot on Jeftersoii street, near the old M. E. Churcli, where he resided until 1857, 
when he moved to Corsica and remained there until 1871, when he removed 
to Dakota, and died in Yankton county, January 26, 1887, in the eighty- 
fourth year of his age. Mr. Espy followed merchandising and tailoring. Three 
of his children, Thomas E. and John Espy, and Mrs. Levi Lerch, reside in 
Brookville. 

Robert R. Means, one of the most prominent business men and soldiers of 
Brookville, was born in Mifflin county, April 25, 18 19, and came to lirook- 
ville in 1846 or 1847. ^S- for ^ number of years, principally followed hotel- 
keeping, but during the latter years of his life was engaged in lumbering. His 
record as a soldier has already been given. He was for a number of years one 
of the justices of the peace of the borough, and in 1870-75 one of the asso- 
ciate judges. He was married to Mrs. Sarah G. Clark, widow of Jesse G. 
Clark, esq., who survives him, and with four sons, George W., Thomas H., 
John B. and Harry G., and one daughter, Mrs. George T. Rodgers, reside in 
Brookville. Captain Means died October 4, 1877. 

Thomas B. McLain came from Indiana county in the thirties and settled in 
Washington township. He removed to Brookville about the year 1849, and 
was engaged in merchandising for about twenty years. From 1858 he was 
associated with his son-in-law, George V^an Vliet, until the latter went into the 
army in 1S62. In 1865 the firm of McLain and Van Vliet was again resumed, 
until 1 87 1, when Mr. Van Vliet retired, and Mr. McLain associated his son, 
James B. McLain, with him in the business, until the death of the latter in 
1872, then he conducted the business alone, until 1874, when his store was de- 
stroyed by fire. Mr. McLain was killed by falling from the roof of an out- 
building that he was tearing down, August 10, 1882. He was in the seventy- 
second year of his age. His wife, tice Eliza Hutchinson, died June 14. 1882, 
aged seventy years. All of his six children preceded him to the grave, the 
last one, his daughter Annie, dying a few weeks before her mother. Mr. Mc- 
Lain was one of Brookville's most respected and energetic citizens, and owned 
considerable real estate in the town. 

Among the most respected and useful citizens of Brookville was William 
Erdice, who was born in Ireland and came to this country in 1820, when only 
ten years old. He located in Kinsman, Ohio, and in the fall of 1846 removed 
to Brookville. He was a carpenter and builder, and built twenty-three houses 
in Brookville and vicinity. He died September 3, 1877, in the sixty-eighth 
year of his age. He was a prominent member of the United Presbyterian 
Church, and a man of sterling honesty of character. His wife and five children 
survive him, three of whom reside in Brookville, his son, Laselle R. Erdice, 
being the present postmaster. 

Samuel G. Fryer and family came from Philadelphia to Brookville in 1849 
and commenced merchandising in the Brady building, corner of Mam and 



434 History of Jefferson County. 

Mill streets. He afterwards purchased the Franklin House, which he sold in 
1866, and then bought the Truby property on the corner of Jefferson and 
Pickering streets, selling it in a short time to James C. Matson, and in 1867 
bought the Harry Matson property, in which he resided and kept store until 
the fire of 1874, when his building was destroyed by fire, and he sold the lot 
to N. G. Edelblute. Soon after he removed to Reynoldsville, where he kept 
store until his death in 1886. Mr. Fryer was an Englishman, and a real gen- 
tleman of the olden style. He was a cultivated man, a connoisseur in art, and 
had many rare and valuable paintings. He died July 25, 1886, aged eighty 
years. Mrs. Fryer, who was an energetic business woman, having for years 
the general management of their business, died December 19, 1886. Only 
one of their children, Mrs. Mary G. Brown, who succeeded to their business in 
Reynoldsville, resides in the county. 

Christopher Fogle came to Jefferson county and started a tannery at Heath- 
ville about the year 1825. In 1843 he moved it to Troy, where it was situated 
on the farm of Hulett Smith, to whom he afterwards sold it. After selling out 
to " Yankee Smith," as he was called, he came to Brookville and purchased the 
tannery of A. Colwell, and Judge Heath — the old Henry tannery on Jefferson 
street. He sold tliis property just in time to escape the fire of 1856, and 
moved to the farm, now owned by K. L. Blood in Rose township, where he 
farmed for several years, then came back to Brookville and engaged in the 
harness and saddlery business with his son Daniel. In 1S63 he purchased the 
old Lucas property on Jefferson street, and started a general store. In 1870 
he sold this property to John J. Thompson and built a residence in South Brook- 
ville, where he died June 4, 1874. Mr. Fogle's first wife died in 1858, and his 
daughter Rachel, after an illness of several years' duration, in 1881. His son 
Daniel, formerly associated with him in business, lives in Kansas, and his other 
remaining child, Mrs. Sarah Steel, in Rose township. He married the second 
time Mrs. Jane Milne, nee Brown, who alone of the family resides in Brook- 
ville. Among those who learned their trade of harness and saddlery with Mr. 
Fogle were Christopher Smathers and Charles and Wylie McLain. 

John J. Y. Thompson, whose biographical sketch appears elsewhere, was 
one of the early and for many years one of the most prominent citizens of the 
county, and who was foremost in aiding every public enterprise of his day. 

Philip Taylor, one of the early and prominent lumbermen of his day, located 
in Brookville in 1841, and at once began lumbering on Sandy Lick, building 
the mills afterwards known as the "Tunnel Mills" of I. C. Fuller, which 
he operated until his death. He built the red grist-mill, now the property of 
I. C. Fuller. He was the first president of the First National Bank of Brook- 
ville, and in 1866 ivas elected associate judge. Judge Taylor was a native of 
York county, but at an early age removed to Westmoreland county, where he 
run a boat on the Pennsylvania Canal, taught school and engaged in farming. 



History of Brookville. 435 



and where he married Miss Mary Anne Ogden. The result of this union was 
eight children. Of these one son, Winfield Scott, fell in the battle of Gaines's 
Mills ; the others died in childhood, with the exception of Evaline, who mar- 
ried Captain W. \V. Wise, Reid D., and Philip. Mrs. Taylor died in 1867, 
and in 1869 he again married Mrs. D. E. Dean, ncc Estep, who survives him. 
Judge Taylor died in 1872. The only survivors of his family are his son, 
Reid D., of Michigan, and his grandson, Malcolm W. Wise, of Du Bois. All 
of the family have left Jefferson county, with which they were so long identi- 
fied, except Mrs. D. E. Taylor, who resides in Brookville. On the death of 
his son Philip, the horriestead became the property of his son, R. D. Taylor, 
and James E. Long, the latter now owning the property, and who has enlarged 
the house into a large hotel, which, standing on beautiful and spacious grounds, 
is becoming famous as a summer resort — Hotel Longview. None of Judge 
Taylor's property now belongs to his heirs. 

James R. Fullerton came to Brookville in 1833. He died in 1842, and 
Mrs. Fullerton in i860. The family has been for over fifty years residents of 
the town, Henry R. Fullerton being for many years identified with the busi- 
ness interests of the county as a lumberman, in which occupation he lost a 
limb while working on his mill in Eldred township. In 1869 he removed to 
Parker City, Armstrong county, where he soon took a prominent place in the 
community, and was identified with the leading business projects and public 
enterprises. He died there in 1885. Alexander Fullerton and Mrs. Jane 
Smathers are the only ones of the family who reside in Brookville, Mary, the 
other daughter, making her home in Warren, Pa. 

John Gallagher was for a number of years a prominent citizen and land 
owner of Brookville, being for some time landlord of the hotel " Peace and 
Poverty," and for fifteen years justice of the peace. He returned to Butler 
county, where he died. 

William Furley came to Brookville in 1843 and located on the lot yet 
occupied by his daughter, Mrs. C. E. Clements, and engaged in blacksmithing. 
He died in July, 1850. He was born in Newry, County Down, Ireland, in 
1803. Mrs. Furley, ne'e Barbara Anna Gingery, found herself left with a small 
family of children, and with an energy rarely equalled, set about the task of 
gaining a livelihood for them. She built the home that was hers for so many 
years, and where she kept boarders. She was born in Lebanon county in 
1810 ; died in 1879, respected by all who knew her. Three of her daughters 
— Mrs. Mary A. Carroll, Mrs. Clarissa Clements, and Mrs. Harriet Burns- 
reside in Brookville. 

John Showalter came to Brookville in 1833, and located on the property on 
Mill street where his widow nee Anderson resides. He was a leading gun- 
smith for many years. 

Another prominent lumberman of Brookville was Robert J. Nicholson, 



436 History of Jefferson County. 

who came from Westmoreland county in 1844, and after teaching one term 
of school at Heathville, removed to Brookville, where he taught from 1845 
to 1850. He then engaged in the hmiber business, which he followed exten- 
sively until his death. From 1850 to 1855 he was engaged in the mercantile 
business with S. J. Marlin, and in 1856, in company with William Dilhvorth, 
of Pittsburg, purchased the saw-mill on the Five Mile Run. This mill was 
destroyed by fire in 1857, but was immediately rebuilt and operated until 1868. 
In 1869 he built the large building on the site now occupied by the buildings 
of B. Verstine and G. A. Pearsall, in the second story of which he made a large 
and elegantly fitted public hall. He was engaged with M. M. Meredith in the 
mercantile business in this building until it was destroyed by fire. He was 
also interested in the Carrier and Baum mills, on Mill Creek, and was one of 
the firm of Means & Nicholson, in the Iowa Mills. He built the Excelsior 
mills, now the Wainwright and Bryant mills, on Redbank, which he disposed 
of to Straub & Burkett, in 1883. 

He was a very prominent Democrat, and was three times elected to the 
Legislature from Jefferson county — in 1856, 1878, and 1882 — and there were 
few men who have done more for the upbuilding and advancement of the town. 
Mr. Nicholson died very suddenly on Friday, February 22, 1884, in Buffalo 
township, Caldwell county, North Carolina, where he had gone, in company 
with Mr. E. H. Darrah, to e.xamine pine timber lands, which they had in view 
to purchase. He died on the roadside before his companion and friend real- 
ized that he was really ill. Mr. Nicholson's wife, nee Anna Anderson, pre- 
ceded him to the grave, and now not one of his family remain in Brookville, 
while the extensive properties he once owned are all gone, not any of it belong- 
ing to his descendants. 

The Blood family were early identified with Jefferson county, as will be 
seen in the sketch of Jenks township, where their early history is given. 

Kennedy L., the eldest son, has been for many years actively identified 
with the business and politics of the town and county, being one of the ac- 
knowledged leaders of the Democratic party. In 1846 he was appointed 
deputy-sheriff, serving under Sheriffs Wilkins and St, Clair. In 1848 he was 
defeated for sheriff", and in 1858 elected to the State Senate. In 1850 he 
formed a co-partnership in the drug business with Dr. C. P. Cummins, and the 
latter retiring, he, in 1854, associated his brother, Parker P. Blood, in the busi- 
ness with him. In 1853 he was appointed postmaster. For the last two or 
three years he has not been actively engaged in business. 

Parker P. Blood, who was a partner in the drug store with his brother, K. 
L. Blood, in 1856 was appointed postmaster by President Buchanan, and in 
i860 embarked in the dry goods business with Samuel Craig. In about si.x 
years Mr. Craig retired, and Mr. Blood conducted the business alone until 
1870, when he sold his store to Nicholson & Meredith. In 1863 he was 
■ elected treasurer of the county. 




^ " ly SEiShT!: Sc^ X<^ '^'^ 



dd^a^M^sii^^yS^ 



History of Brookville. 437 

Mr. Blood has always made lumbering his principal occupation, but since 
1882 has added two large livery stables and two extensive carriage and wagon 
warerooms to his business. He has contributed largely to the building up of 
the town, building in 1875—6 the large three-story brick building on the west 
half of the Evans lot on Main street. 

Among others of the old citizens who came into the town at an early date, 
were Robert Stewart in 183S, R. R. Brady in 185 i, George Laflin in 1852, 
Bernard Verstine in 1S51, William Melchoir in 1855, F. Boylan in 1852, P. 
McTafte in 1854, John VVann 1856, John Butler 1858, Peter Helmheckle 1852, 
John Mills 1831, R. P. Blood 1854, C. Smathers 1846, Darius Ingraham 1852, 
Alexander B. Paine 1855, Wilham Goss 1849, A. B. McLain 1852, George 
Vanvliet 1856, Rev. T. S. Leason 1858, David Banks 1850, Joseph Wallace 
1850, Martin Sadler 1853, E. Snyder 1857, Edward Kirkman 1852, James 
Tate 1840, Edward and Daniel English 1846, Henry Pride 1841, James Mit- 
chell, S. W. Smith, Daniel Burns, Charles Sitz, James P. Black, J. P. Lucas, 
Edward Bleakney, Reuben Hubbard, Peter Miller, Thomas Goodar, Casper 
Endress, Peter Van Milders, William Woods. 

Early Enterprise. — The first produce was sold in Brookville by the late 
Samuel Sloan, of Clarion county. Mr. Sloan was engaged in hauling from 
Bellefonte, " over the pike," which passed through what is now Brookville. 
One day when he was about starting on one of these trips, his mother asked 
him to take some butter with him and sell it to some one on his way, as she 
had more than she knew what to do with. He also put a few hams and some 
bags of flour in his wagon, and when he came to the pnpsent town of Brook- 
ville, which was being surveyed before the lots were sold, he was hailed by 
Mr. John Eason, who had put up a little house in the woods and was boarding 
the surveyors, who had noticed the flour bags, etc., in Mr. Sloan's wagon, and 
wanted to know whether he had anything eatable to sell. On Mr. Sloan re- 
plying in the affirmative, a bargain was soon struck and Mr. Eason bought all 
the flour, hams, and butter, remarking : "' Mr. Sloan, you can say that you 
sold the first produce in Brookville." 

Mr. Sloan narrated this incident to two of his nieces, Mrs. G. H. Kennedy 
and Miss Amelia Clark, of Brookville, a short time before his death, which oc- 
curred in April, 1887. 

The first tannery was built on Jefferson street, about 1S31, by David 
Henry. It occupied the present site of the American House stables. Mr. 
Henry sold to Heath & Colwell. Mr. Henry removed to Perrysville, where 
for many years he was engaged in carrying the United States mail. He was 
one of the early Methodists of Jefferson county. He has been dead for a num- 
ber of years. 

The first gunsmith in Brookville was Isaac Mills, who came in 1831 or 
1832. His shop was located near the site of the Baptist church. He re- 

52 



\ 

438 History of Jefferson County. 

moved to Corsica and died many years ago. The first contractors and build- 
ers were David Elgin and Robert P. Barr. The former, who owned and built 
the Franklin Hotel, lived in Brookville for a short time.. 

All the other early industries have been noted in the sketch given of the 
early settlers. Of the first buildings erected in Brookville, a portion of the 
Red Lion Hotel, the old Globe, or Jeflerson Hotel, the building erected by 
William Clark, for a hotel, corner of Mam and Mill streets, the house built by 
Thomas Lucas and now owned by John J. Thompson, on Jefferson street, the 
house built by D. B. Jenks, and now occupied by Thomas Wesley, on Picker- 
ing street, and the Craig homestead on Jefferson street, are all the old land- 
marks remaining. 

Of the early citizens who came in the early thirties, only Richard Arthurs, 
Samuel Truby and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, Mrs. Ramsey, Mrs. Sarah Eng- 
lish, Mrs. Matilda Smith, Barton T. Hastings, Mrs. Sarah Means, William 
J^odgers, and perhaps one or two others, remain in Brookville and its vicinity. 

The first piano that made its appearance in Brookville was one purchased 
iby Colonel Jack for his daughter, Mrs. D. B. Jenks, soon after which Mr. 
Dougherty bought one for his daughter Kate. These instruments were con- 
sidered great curiosities, and Mrs. S. J. Marlin, who yet has the piano her 
father purchased for her in her childhood days, says she remembers that peo- 
ple would come for long distances to see and hear the wonderful instrument, 
and that one old gentleman called it a " harpsichord." This piano has had 
quite a remarkable career, for besides giving out the sweet tones that first marked 
the musical era on Main street, while it stood in the " best room " in the oW 
" Peace and Poverty " hotel, it served, when properly draped, as the first altar 
upon which the rites of the Catholic Church in Brookville were dispensed. 

Since that time great changes have taken place, and the pianos are now 
counted by the hundred, in Brookville ; while there is scarcely a house in 
which a musical instrument of some kind is not found, and Brookville has be- 
come noted for the many fine players and vocalists she has produced. Among 
the former it is fitting to notice one who had gained unusual prominence, — 
Miss Mary R. Jenks, the eldest daughter of Hon. William P. Jenks, at a \'ery 
early age gave promise of becoming a musician of more than common order, 
and no pains or expense were spared by her parents to develop this talent. 
After studying under the best teachers this country afforded, she spent two 
years at the Conservatory of Music at Leipsic, Germany, and one year in Ber- 
lin, where she studied under the best teachers in the world, and received first 
honors for proficiency in instrumental music. On her return from Europe she 
engaged in teaching her beloved art, and soon became famous nil over the 
country on account of her brilliancy and proficiency as a performer; but just 
in the zenith of her fame she was suddenly stricken by a fatal disease, a sar- 
coma cancer appearing upon her right arm ; and though all that skill and love 



History of Brookville. 439 



could do was done to arrest the dread destroyer, — amputation being resorted to 
— her Hfe could not be saved, and death put an end to her sufferings at the 
residence of her parents, December 18, 1884. She was equally gifted in other 
respects besides music ; thoroughly educated, and of a bright, social disposition, 
she was an ornament to any circle. A sincere Christian, she met death bravely 
and uncomplainingly, her only solicitude being for the dear ones she was leav- 
ing behind. 

In 1857 the first medical society was organized in Jefferson county, and a 
meeting was held at the September court. Drs. McKnight, Heichhold and 
Simons were the committee on speakers for the occasion ; Dr. A. J. Johnston 
being one of the speakers invited to address the society. Drs. James and 
Hugh Dowling, W. J. McKnight, J. G. Simons were instrumental in organiz- 
ing this society, but owing to the small number of physicians then residing in 
the county, and tiie difficulty in coming together, it soon ceased to exist- 
Another attempt was made to organize a society of the physicians of Jefferson 
and Clarion counties at a meeting held at Strattanvillc, January, 1865, but this 
failed as far as Jefferson county was concerned ; Clarion county, however, or- 
ganized a county society. 

Thirty-five years ago a sewing-machine was unknown in Brookville, and 
the women of that day had to wearily stitch, stitch, by hard work, the needed 
garments for their families. An advertisement in the Jeffersoiiiaii o{ A.-pn\ 30, 
1857, reads: " One of the curiosities of the day may be found at the store of 
J. S. King & Co., in the shape of one of Wheeler & Wilson's sewing-machines. 
It would pay any person to call and see it." 

The first agent for the sale of these machines was, we think, a man named 
Merrick, who, with his wife, first learned the ladies of Brookville to manipulate 
this much-prized article of domestic use. Since that time nearly every house- 
hold has secured one, and the great improvements that have been made has 
thrown the old " Wheeler & Wilson " entirely into the shade. 

In all other respects the change has been as great. In those early days a 
housewife felt very proud and above her neighbors if she was able to have a 
nice rag carpet for her "best room." " Winsor chairs " were the best the house 
afforded. At the eight by ten paned windows hung the bright green paper 
blind, and the bright patch-work quilt covered smoothly the high feather bed. 
Now all is changed ; the finest velvet, Wilton, Axminster and body Brussels 
cover the floors. The "best room" has become a parlor, furnished with the 
latest style furniture, covered with silk velvets and plushes, elegant oil paint- 
ings, and fine engravings have taken the place of the cherished print that was 
pinned to the wall in former days, and fine textured lace curtains drape the 
windows. All the rude evidences of the pioneer days have vanished. Luxury 
and beauty have effaced the old rough landmarks, which with the olden time 
settlers have sunk into the oblivion of the past. Whether the present age is a 



440 History of Jefferson County. 

better one in every respect, is a disputed question. True, it is, that there is 
more show and silly pretense than in those days when no one was afraid of 
honest toil, nor ashamed to be one of the body of honest toilers. Very few are 
left to tell of Brookville's early days, and some of the young people of the pres- 
ent day cannot realize the straits to which their parents and grandparents were 
put to gain a livelihood, and to build up the homes they now enjoy. 

A noble woman of Jefferson county who was raised amid the toils and pri- 
vations of those early days, was relating some of the struggles and privations 
endured, and the manner of living when the town was in embryo, when her 
daughter exclaimed, " Oh, Ma, I would not tell those dreadful things. Why to 
hear you tell about going in your bare feet, and living in a house with no car- 
pet, and having no silver spoons or any thing, one would think you had been 
awfully poor. Don't tell it any more." And the disgusted belle went to drum- 
ming on the piano, while the mother who bore on her countenance the marks 
of those days of early toil, gave a sigh at the frivolity of her daughter, as she 
' remarked, " Well, the girls do hate to hear of those things that they can't un- 
derstand, but if we were poorer in those days, we were, I think, just as happy. 
We had our good times, and I think we had more fun, and enjoyed it more 
heartily than the young people do now." 

The history of Brookville has now been followed up from its first location, 
and those who founded the town, and who have contributed to its prosperity 
in building up and furthering its business enterprises, have been briefly noticed, 
and in the further record of the improvements that have been made in the fift\-- 
seven years that have elapsed since the first little house was erected, will show 
vfhat progress has been made. It will be seen that in the first ten years the 
town improved but slowly. In 1843 when the academy was built, Jefferson 
street was yet a wilderness. Tall pines and dense underbrush covered the 
ground where the academy was erected. The deer, bears, and even the wolf 
had not yet yielded possession to the white intruder. Indeed, as late as July 
20, 1847, a large crane was shot in Brook\'ille, by John Showalter, measuring 
five feet six inches, from tip to tip of its wings. In September, 1857, ^ large 
rattlesnake with nine rattles, was killed at Wann's foundry; and in November 
of that year a deer was caught alive, while crossing Taylor's mill dam in the 
borough of Brookville. 

In 1853 the only daily mail was from the east to Clarion, passing through 
Brookville, while 'the mail from Brookville to Indiana and to Ridgway, was 
expected to leave on Monday, and arrive on Wednesday, and the mail to Kit- 
tanning to leave on Thursday and return on Saturday. About the same time 
John J. Y. Thompson commenced to run a daily hack between Brookville and 
Kittanning, and the Jcffersoti Star oi March 8, 1856, says: "The stage from 
Brookville to Kittanning takes passengers to Kittanning in time to take the 
evening train to Pittsburgh, so that persons leaving here in the morning can be 
in Pittsburgh in the evening." 



History of Brookville. 441 

Who of the old or middle-aged citizens does not remember what that trip 
was, especially when the roads were in bad condition ? Starting from Brook- 
ville at 12 M., or one or two o'clock in the morning, and then the long ride of 
forty miles over the worst of roads, with an upset or two for variety, and the 
male passengers walking up the hills to rest the horses. Then the Allegheny 
Valley Railroad was finished to the mouth of the Mahoning, which shortened 
the stage journey ten miles, and the passengers did not have to leave at quite 
such an early liour, while the journey, which was helped considerably by a good 
■ dinner on the down trip, and supper on the return at Cribb's or Butler's at Mili- 
ville, was not deemed quite so bad, for was there not always the hope, to which 
all clung, that " we will soon have a railroad to Brookville;" but this was not 
realized until 1873, and in all these years, through the mud of spring and fall, 
and summer's heat, and winter's cold, the good people of Brookville patron- 
ized the stage lines run by such jolly sou's as Lightcap and Piper, Cook and 
Stoke, Gabriel Vasbinder, and A. A. and Raymond Stewart. The raftsmen 
generally "gigged it back," as they expressed the manner of their return 
trip after running out their rafts, as there never was enough stage accom- 
modation for them at rafting times, and then they saved money by walk- 
ing. It was no wonder that the first whistle of the iron horse was hailed with 
delight, and that on that bright Sabbath afternoon in June, 1873, there was a 
large crowd gathered down where the old passenger depot stood, to see the 
first cars come in. Many of the children, and a considerable number of the 
aduks, too, had never seen a locomotive, or train of cars, and their wonderment 
gave vent in different forms of expression, as the fiery-headed monster came 
shrieking into their midst. 

The close of the first quarter of a century in Brookville, saw much improve- 
ment, and 'Cn^ Jejfersoti ^/rtr of August 25, 1855, gives the following record 
of the business of the town at that time : "There are 17 stores, 4 groceries, 2 
drug-stores, 5 blacksmith shops, 3 cabinet-shops, 5 churches, 4 tailor-shops, 
I chair-shop, i steam foundry, i carding and fulling mill, 2 grist-mills, i steam 
saw-mill, i huge steam clapboard and shingle-mill, 4 shoe-shops, 6 taverns, 
(two of which have license, having obtained them before the passage of the new 
liquor law), 2 printing presses, I academy, and 3 common schools, 7 ph\'si- 
cians, 13 lawyers, i saddle and harness shop, i water-power saw-mill, i brew- 
ery, I bookbindery, 5 carpenter-shops, I planing- machine, 4 painters, I barber- 
shop, 2 butcher-shops, 2 tin-shops, 2 wagon-shops, i wind-mill establishment, 
I civil engineer." 

The town of Brookville as first laid out, did not cover a very large area. 
The northern boundary was Butler alley, north of the old graveyard, and 
thence to the North Fork on the east, taking in the mills and pond of T. K. 
Litch. On the west the line was Gordon's alley leaving out the Presbyterian 
Church, thence down Gordon's alley to Water street, taking in " Hunt's Point," 



442 History of Jefferson County. 

thence along Vallej' to Pickering, and across the Redbank and out Picker- 
ing street to lot No. 25, taking in the property of Thomas Mabon, thence to 
the Sandy Lick. Several additions, viz.: Bowling's, McCreight's, Dougherty's, 
Mabon's, Taylor's, Litch's and Hastings's have been added from time to time, 
until the present dimensions of the borough are quite extended, covering an 
area of two square miles. The town as it has grown larger has improved in like 
manner, and now with its beautiful residences, and elegant large business 
blocks, is second to no town of its size in the State. The scenery about the 
town is grandly beautiful, and the location an eminently healthy one, epidem- 
ics being almost unknown in the history of the town. 

Among the business firms that flourished in Brookville in the first thirty 
years were: Samuel Truby, Evans & McCall, Gillespie, Wilson & Co., William 
F. Clark, D. S. Deering, Cummins & Blood, Hastings & Thompson, Gillespie 
& Wright, John Clements, S. C. Espy & Co., S. G. Fryer, Matson & Pride, 
Thompson Barr, David Frank, M. Hoffheimer & Co., L. A. Dodd & Co., Pearl 
Roundy, Winsor & Reynolds, P. B. Morrison & Co., P. McTalTe, Benjamin 
Hepler, Matson & Moore, I. N. Fuller & Co., T. B. xMcLain, A. B. McLain, 
Coryell & Co., M. A. Calvin & Co., merchants. Misses Ann Guffey, Ellen 
Butler, S. A. McKillep, millinery. 

M. C. Thompson, C. C. Miller, S. L. Ellis, N. P. Simpson, B. F. Lerch were 
among the early manipulators of the historic "goose." 

A. R. & \V. D. J. Marlin, Hall & Lydick, cabinet and chair makers. 

James T. Carroll, David Larry, John E. Carroll, and Thomas Wesley were 
the veteran shoemakers. 

The pioneer clock and watchmakers appear to have been itinerant as 
William Sirwell came to Brookville at stated intervals to repair clocks and 
watches. Then James Thompson and C. Paulman located here, followed by 
S. M. Tinthoft', who for years resided in Brookville, and Robert Hubbard, who 
also kept a jewelry store in Brookville for over twenty years. 

Dr. A. M. Hills and T. M. Van Valsah visited the town in a dental capa- 
city at an early day. The Chandlers, Thomas and his son W^illiam, were the 
first resident dentists. 

Fires. — Brookville has from time to time been heavily visited by the fire 
fiend. The first " big fire" occurring on the 24th of May, 1856, when some 
$50,000 worth of property, in the heart of the town, was laid in ashes. This 
fire commenced in the stables of the Royal E.xchange Hotel, which occupied 
the site of the present Commercial Hotel, and was owned and occupied by 
John Clements. This hotel and the American House, with the Arcade build- 
ing, and the stables and outbuildings, Lydick's furniture shop on Main street, 
Benjamin McCreight's barn and the Methodist Church (occupying the site of 
the present United Presbyterian Church), the residence of J. J. Y. Thompson 
(known as the Fogle property), and those of D. Dunkleburg and G. W. An- 



History of Brookville. 443 

drews on Jefferson street were destroyed ; in the Arcade, or business portion of 
the American House block, the stores of King & Co., and W. W. Corbet, I. G. 
Gordon's law office (library saved), office of the Jcjferson Star, McEIhose & 
Scott, press, type and all the furniture destroyed ; in the Exchange Hotel 
building, James McCahan's law office,' John Clements's store, Kennedy & 
Dickey's store. Mr. Clements lost two horses. The entire loss was estimated 
at $50,000. Of this the heaviest loss fell upon Judge Thompson, which is set 
down at $16,000, John Clements $8,000, and the Methodist congregation $2,- 
500. Of these only Mr. Clements's property and the church were partially 
insured. The fire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. 

On Sunday evening, November 5, 1871, another disastrous fire broke out 
in the stables of the Clements House, on the identical spot where a little over 
fifteen years before the first fire that ravaged the tov\Ti started. It soon com- 
municated to the hotel, which occupied the site of the old Exchange Hotel, 
and it was destroyed. The fire swept over the entire square from Gordon 
alley to Barnet street, burning down every building except the residence of 
Benjamin McCreight, which again withstood the flames, and was left standing 
alone, begrimed and blackened, but evidently fire-proof 

The losses were as follows : Clements House, Robert Clements owner, loss 
$20,000, Bapr & Matson lessees of hotel, $5,000; McKnight & Bro., drugstore, 
$8,000 ; S. Craig & Son, grocers, $2,000 ; B. McCreight, stable and grain, 
$1,500 ; John Dougherty & Co., old Peace and Poverty, or Black Horse Hotel 
property, $7,000; John S. Barr, $2,500; W. R. Depp, $400. The two latter 
were tenants of Mr. Dougherty. Moore & Co., meat market, $200; G. F. 
Dodd, meat market, $400; John M. Steck, residence and furniture, $2,500; 
Gabriel Vasbinder, store, $1,500; Glenn & Smith, shoe store, $200; C. M. 
& J. N. Garrison, dry goods, $1,000 ; M. Rodgers, dry goods, $1,000 ; dam- 
age to American House, $5,000; Best Salt Company, $1,000; Gordon & 
Bro., law office, $1,000; T. L, Brown, dwelling and meat market, $700; J. 
T. Reed, dry goods, $1,000. 

On the above, Craig & Son, M. Rodgers, C. M. & J. N. Garrison, Gordon 
& Bro., and the American Hotel were covered by insurance. Captain Steck 
had $1,200 and J. S. Barr, $500. On all the other losses there was no insur- 
ance. The entire loss by the fire was estimated at $75,000. 

On the 20th of November, 1874, another large fire occurred in Brookville. 
It broke out about 5 o'clock A. M. in the rear of the Oak Hall Hotel, on East 
Main street, and burned everything on that side of the street from Pickering 
to Mill street. The old Franklin House on the corner of Pickering street, 
which was occupied as a hotel and bank by John S. King, w^as destroyed with 
nearly all its furniture. The large and elegant building of R. J. Nicholson, in 
Avhich was Nicholson Hall, the Masonic Hall, and the general store of Nichol- 
son, Meredith & Co., and the hardware store of Long & Pearsall, the Arthurs 



444 History of Jefferson County. 

property, on which was the residence of R. Arthurs, and the store of C. S. 
Irwin, the Oai< Hall Hotel owned and occupied by M. R. Bell, the store and 
blacksmith shop of Abram and Edwin Snyder, the residence of Mrs. C. E. 
Clements, shoe shop of J. T. Carroll, the old Templeton House and " Snyder 
Row " the property of Ira C. Fuller. 

It then crossed Main street from Nicholson Hall and destroyed the old 
Evans block in which were the stores of K. L. Blood and John Mills, the Re- 
publican office. Dr. Sweeny's office, the Armory, the undertaking rooms of O. 
H. Brown, and the Odd Fellows Hall, and the large brick block owned and 
occupied by S. G. Fryer as a store and residence. 

This was the most disastrous fire that has ever visited Brookville, as far as 
loss of property was concerned, and area burned over. The loss was esti- 
mated at $150,000. 

The last in the list of " big fires," which have visited Brookville, occurred 
on the night of April 25, 1876. This fire broke out about 9 o'clock in the 
cellar of T. B. McLain's store, opposite the Clements House, and was clearly 
the work of an incendiary as there was no fire anywhere near where the flames 
broke out. All the buildings on this side of the street, from Diamond Alley 
to Barnett street, except the storeroom of Judge Henderson, were destroyed. 
The buildings were owned by Joseph Henderson, the Bishop heirs, Edmund 
English, C. M. & J. N. Garrison, and M. Rodgers, and were occupied by Jo- 
seph Henderson as a residence; Edmund English, residence; Mrs. McFarland, 
residence; J. S. King, T. B. McLain, store; Mrs. A. F. Henderson, millinery 
store; Mrs. G.J. Snyder, millinery; Miss L. Gordon, dressmaking; E. C. Hall, 
photograph gallery; W. A. Thompson, tailor shop; B. F. Keck, harness shop; 
Dr. R. S. Hunt, Dr. M. B. Lowry, Dr. C. VV. Stebbins, offices ; A. Spangen- 
burg, meat market. The loss was estimated at $30,000, on which there was 
only $5,000 insurance. 

The Brookville Schools. — The Brookville schools are nine in number, and 
are divided into primary, four; medium, or intermediate, three, and grammar, 
two. For the term ending February 21, 1887, the average attendance was 
413, — male scholars 197, females 216; per cent, of attendance 91. The larg- 
est number enrolled during the term was 478. The schools are graded from 
No. I, up, beginning with the primary department; and the teachers em- 
ployed for the school year commencing September, 1887, are: T. B. Gal- 
braith, principal, $85 per month ; W. S. Trainer, No. 9, $65 ; W. A. Henry, 
No. 8, $55 ; Miss Belle Keyes, No. 7, $40; Mrs. M. P. DeHaven, No. 6, $36; 
Miss Celia Ramsey, No. 5, $36; Miss Lizzie Hastings, No. 4, $36; Miss 
Margery Thompson, No. 3, $36; Miss Essie Calvin, No. 2, %l6\ Miss Martha 
McCreight, No. i, %^(). The school term was fixed at eight months. 

The oldest teacher in the force is Miss Martha McCreight, who has been 
teaching almost continuously in the primary department for the past thirty- 




i'^. 





History of Brookville. 445 

five years. In 1853 the selection of teachers for the Brookville schools are re- 
ported as A. L. Gordon and Misses Freeman and McCreight. Nearly all the 
youth of the town have learned their A, B, C at her hands, and many of those 
who are now middle-aged have been her pupils. She is especially fitted for 
the position she has so long filled. The other teachers have taught from one 
to fifteen years in Brookville. T. B. Galbraith has been principal since 1884, 
having succeeded Professor J. H. Hughes on the election of the latter to the 
county superintendenc)'. The principal, in addition to the general supervision 
of the school, teaches the higher branches: physiology, book-keeping, physical 
geography, rhetoric, geometry and Latin. 

The Brookville schools have only graduated two classes. In the class of 
1886 Margery Thompson graduated in the advanced course, and Carrie Mc- 
Dowell and Ella Hastings in the intermediate. In the class of 1887 Estella 
Galbraith graduated in the advanced, and Mary Paddock, John Ewing and 
Grant Lucas in the intermediate course. 

In 1878 the present school building was erected, the amount of contract 
being $16,222. The builder was Daniel English, and the contractors D. Eng- 
lish and Reid D. Ta\-lor. The architect was D. K. Dean, of Erie, who re- 
ceived two per cent, on the contract price of the building. The heating appa- 
ratus cost $1,855.72, and the school furniture $1,039.90 ; water pipe, cisterns, 
etc., $681.74, making the entire cost of the building, furniture, etc., $20,574.10. 
The material of the old academy, which was torn down, was given to D. Eng- 
lish, for extra work. 

This fine building, which contains ten large, well-lighted and well-fitted 
school- rooms, is situated on the corner of Barnett and Church streets, and is 
surrounded by grounds covering four acres. 

In 1881, Paul Darling, by his will, made the following bequest: "For 
beautifying and improving the grounds of the public schools of the borough of 
Brookville, $3,000 a year for twelve years." 

For some cause no use was made of this munificent bequest for six years 
after it was made, but now, in 1887, steps are being taken to put it to the use 
intended by the generous donor. The grounds are being graded, walks of 
Berea stone are being laid, trees, shrubs and flowers will be planted under di- 
rection of a competent landscape gardener; fountains will be placed in the 
grounds, and if the money is expended judiciously, and with artistic taste, 
" Darling Park," as it should be called, will be one of the most beautiful fea- 
tures in Brookville ; while her school children, as they enjoy the beauties his 
bounty has wrought, will have cause to bless and revere the name of Paul 
Darling, for ages to come. 

Brookville Cemeteries. — The first grave-yard in the town was what is still 
known as the " old grave-yard," and was land donated by Thomas White, 
agent of the Pickering lands. The first person buried there, as far as we can 
53 



446 History of Jefferson County. 

ascertain, was Samuel Craig, who died May, 1832. Among others who were 
early laid to rest in this hallowed enclosure were John Hughes, sr., in 1833, 
John Christ}- and John Anderson in 1835, Israel D. Hughes in 1836, and his 
brother John in 1837, Solomon Gordon in 1839. Those who later were laid 
there were the Barrs, the Findleys, the Hutchisons, the McMurrays, Steels, 
FuUertons, the Wyleys, McCulloughs, McCandless, Bouchers, Stecks, Bishops, 
Lattimores, Arthurs, Huffmans. In some cases whole families lie side by side, 
in long rows of neglected graves. In most instances the graves of the older 
citizens are unrecognizable ; where there have been headstones they have 
fallen down, and in many instances the inscriptions are illegible. 

Near the entrance to this old grave- yard stands the monument (which has 
been defaced by some sacrilegious hand breaking the dove that surmounted it 
away), erected to the memory of " Hon. Robert Porter, of Philadelphia, who 
died suddenly in Brookville in 1842, in his seventy-fifth year. He was a lieu- 
tenant in the Revolutionary War, and president judge of the third district of 
Pennsylvania, twenty years." 

Judge Porter stopped at the Red Lion Hotel one evening, on his way 
from the east, and requested, on retiring for the night, to be called in time for 
the stage in the morning. Not answering the repeated calls in the morning, 
the proprietor of the hotel went to his room, and on trying to enter found that 
while his door was unlocked, it would not open. Forcing it back the vener- 
able stranger was found lying dead against it. He had risen, dressed and was, 
perhaps, about to descend to proceed on his journey, when he was stricken 
down by disease of the heart. He was interred in the old grave- yard, and his 
friends subsequently placed the monument noticed above, to his memory. 

This ground does not appear to have been enclosed until 1843, and since 
that time has been more or less neglected. Nature made it a beautiful spot, giv- 
ing it lavish shade, but man allowed it to be overgrown with weeds and brambles. 
Spasmodic attempts were made from time to time to put it in order, only to 
allow it again to fall into decay. The substantial fence, erected a few years ago, 
was done through the persistent efforts of Mrs. Mary H. Stewart, to whom 
more than any one else are the people of Brookville indebted for keeping this, 
their first " God's acre," from utter desolation. This ground being almost 
filled up with graves, the new cemetery was started in 1863. Since that time 
very few interments are made in the old grave-}'ard, while a great many per- 
sons have removed their dead to the new cemeter}'. 

The Catholic cemeterj- was laid out about 1857, on land donated by John 
Gallagher. It is located on the road leading to Punxsutawney, and comprises 
about two acres. Previous to this the Catholics of Brookville buried their dead in 
the cemetery at Red Bank, in Clarion county, where the family burial lots of the 
Doughertys, Woods and many other prominent Catholic families are located. 

Brookville Cemetery Company — The Brookville Cemetery Company was 
j-ncorporated by an act of the Legislature approved April i, 1863. (See stat- 



History of Brookville. 447 

utes of 1863, page 590). The corporators were: Isaac G. Gordon, John S. 
King, Orlando Brown, John P. Wann, WiUiam Dickey, C. Fogle, D. P'ogle, E. 
Hall, H. Matson, U. Matson, J. E. Hall, J. J. Y. Thompson, Thomas K. Litch, 
H. R. Fullerton, E. H. Darrah, K. L. Blood, Samuel Craig, W. C. Evans, W. 
D. J. Marlin, G. W. Andrews, and A. M. Clarke. 

The first meeting of the association for the purpose of organizing was held 
July 8, 1862, at which meeting C. F"ogle was elected president; U. Matson, 
vice-president; H. Matson, secretary, and O. Brown, treasurer. 

The present officers are : U. Matson, president ; E. A. Litch, treasurer, 
and W. D. J. Marlin, secretary. 

The company purchased of U. Matson fourteen acres of land north of and 
adjoining the borough of Brookville, in woods, and since have cleared off and 
beautified the grounds by laying out and making roads and walks through the 
same, and have built a very comfortable cottage house for the sexton. They 
have also erected at considerable cost at the main entrance four massive stone 
pillars, on which are hung very neat and handsome iron gates. 

In the cemetery are very many beautiful and costly monuments, and in 
the summer time its attractions lead many citizens and strangers to talce a 
walk or drive through the grounds. 

To the foresight, energy, and good taste of John S. King are we indebted for 
the originating and organizing of the company, and the improvements made 
therein up to the year 1875, since which time the grounds have been under the 
more immediate charge of W. D. J. Marlin, who has faithfully performed his 
duties. 

Mr. Richard Bell, an Englishman by birth, has been the se.Kton ever since 
the cemetery was opened, and can tell where every lot, and in fact where 
every grave is located. 

On the 23d of September, 1863, the first interment was made, and was the 
body of James Corbet, esq., a native of Mifflin county, aged sixty-five years, 
two months, and ten days, being an old citizen of the county, who had held 
many offices of trust and profit in the county. 

There has been interred in all since the opening of the cemetery, three 
hundred and eighty- two (up to August 15, 1887), an average of about sixteen 
a year ; but thirty-eight of these were removed from old grave-yards, or died 
from accidents. 

Although a large amount of money has been expended in the purchase of 
land, in the making of roads, fences, building of a house, etc., the company 
are entirely out of debt, and have a surplus in the treasury to make further 
improvements, all the money received from the sale of lots being for the exclu- 
sive use and benefit of the association, the corporators receiving no benefit 
of the same. 

The Soldiers Monnnicnt. — The monument to the memory of the dead 
soldiers of Jefferson county, was erected in the Brookville Cemetery, in pursu- 



448 History of Jefferson County. 

ance of a provision in the will of Paul Darling, by which he bequeathed two 
thousand dollars for that purpose. It is a handsome granite shaft, and stands 
thirty two feet high, surmounted bj' a life-size figure of a private soldier at 
" parade rest." This monument stands in the most commanding position in 
the cemeterv, upon ground donated by the cemetery company. It cost 
$2, 1 GO, and was placed in position by J. S. Moore, of Brookville. The mon- 
ument was dedicated May 26, 1885, by the Grand Army of Jefferson County, 
with appropriate services, Major E. A. Montooth, of Pittsburgh, delivering the 
oration on the occasion. 

The Litch Monument. — The finest monument in the Brookville cemetery is 
that erected in 1883 to the memory of Thomas K. Litch, by his wife, sons, and 
daughter. It was put in place b\- Young & Van Gundon, of Allegheny, and cost 
about $7,000. The monument stands fifteen feet high from its foundation, the 
first base being eight feet, three inches square, and one foot, ten inches high, 
of best Concord granite, fine hammer dressed ; the second base six feet, three 
inches square, and one foot, eight inches high. On this is a die of dark Quincy 
granite, highly polished, three feet, eight inches square, and four feet high, 
continued with a cap five feet, two inches square, and one foot, eight inches 
high, of Concord granite, and plinth three feet, nine inches square, and one foot 
high. Surmounting this is a statue of the deceased, five feet, two inches in 
height. The figure, which has received the most flattering criticisms, as a 
work of art, was designed by Mr. Richard Magamoth, and is given a graceful 
poise, the artist representing the subject seated at a desk or table. The right 
arm rests upon the desk, while in the hand is held a pen ; on the desk are 
compass, rule, and other articles. The left hand rests upon the knee and holds 
a roll of manuscript. Under the desk and beneath the chair are mechanics' 
devices and books. Over the chair a piece of drapery is thrown, which mate- 
riall}- adds to the good eflect from whichever point the statue is seen. The 
figure is cut from a solid piece of granite. The associations thrown around 
the statue are happily chosen as to represent the daily companions of Mr. 
Litch while pursuing his favorite experiments and researches, and in the higher 
mechanics. The familiar countenance and form are preserved to a greater ex- 
tent than is generally believed possible, and are readih' recognized by any who 
knew the deceased in life. The monument, as a whole, is symmetrical and 
elegant, and is one of the greatest attractions in the cemetery. 

The monument of Paul Darling, of dark Quincy granite, elegant in its mas- 
sive simplicity, stands close to that of his life-long friend. 

Stock Raising. — Quite an interest has been manifested during the last few 
j-ears in Brookville, in thoroughbred stock, and very few towns of its size equal 
it in fine horses. Among those residents of the place engaged in the raising 
of improved grades of stock are the following gentlemen, residents of Brook- 
ville : Nathan Edelblute, who was one of the first to start in this business, about 
1869, is the owner of the Red Bank Stock Barns, located on the fair grounds. 




in^f ky ESBdSs jois ^-- -^■'' 



^^'K^^:^^ 



History of Brookville. 449 



These barns will hold about forty horses. Mr. Edelblute has done much to 
improve the horses of Jefterson county. His fomous Red Bank was one of the 
finest horses the county has produced. Among the horses now composing his 
stud are: Maplewood, 1335; black horse, twelve years old, record, 2:40; 
Young Red Bank, bay, three years old, record. 2: 38^ ; Morewood, 4827 ; 
bay colt, Du Bois, 5771 ; brown, three years old. His brood mares are Nellie 
Bank, record, 2:44-^; Stella Bank, brown, record, 2:44; Carrie Maid, chest- 
nut, nineteen years old ; Addie Bank, black, ten years old, record, 3:06 ; Kate 
Wood, bay, eight years old, record, 3:04; Emm Taylor, brown, eight years 
old ; Annie Bank, bay, six years old ; Rosie Wood, bay, six years old, record, 
2:42; Bessie Bank, brown, four years old, record. 2:56; Stella Star, black, 
seven years old, record, 3:01 ; Brooklet, bay, four years old; Broncho Bank, 
four years old ; Woodlet, bay filly, two years old, winner of yearling stakes of 
Pennsylvania State Breeders' Association ; Bonny Bank, chestnut filly, two 
\ears old ; Addie Wood, black filly, one year old. 

Three years ago H. C. Litch started the Brookville Stock Farm, which now 
bids fair to become a grand success. He has about twenty head of mares and 
fillies, six Jersey cattle, and several finely-bred stallions, of which Bourbon 
Boy, a seven-year-old, stands at the head in points of excellence. He is a 
Kentucky bred horse, sired by Strathmore ; dam, Bourbon Girl, by i\IcDon- 
ald's Mambrino. He has a record of 2:34, and won the stallion stakes at the 
meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Trotting Horse Breeders, held in 
Pittsburgh in October, 1886. Mr. Litch also has a young three-year-old stal- 
lion, Brookville Boy, sired by Garthwait ; dam, Lad\- Wellington, b\' Welling- 
ton. He has several promising colts by Bourbon Boy, besides two two-year- 
olds, each of which has a record of 3:01. And one of these carried oft" the 
two-year-old's stakes in 1886 at Pittsburgh. 

In the spring of 1884 S. S. Henderson, proprietor of the Chestnut Grove 
Stock Farm in Rose township, purchased of Mr. Luther Liggett, of Watkins, 
Union county, O., two fashionable bred and registered Short Horn Durham 
heifers; also bought of Nathan Howard, Milford Centre, Union count)', O., 
two registered Short Horn Durham heifers that are equally fashionably bred. 
He brought the Short Horn Durham cattle into our county to improve the 
native stock, and introduced the best beef- producing cattle in the world, our 
county being very much behind some of its neighboring counties in respect to 
its beef cattle. At the same time he purchased two of the largest and finest 
bred Percheron Norman mares that could be found in Ohio. On April 16, 
1884. he bought of Dickinson Brothers, of Ridgway, the registered Percheron 
Norman stallion, " Charles Martel," No. 639; and on March 27, 1885, bought, 
with N. Carrier, jr., " Napoleon, jr.," a highly-bred Percheron Norman stallion, 
sired by Napoleon No. 723 ; dam, a Percheron mare. He has bought a num- 
ber of cattle since his first purchase, a fine bull, "Duke of Red Bank," 69,142, 
being head of his herd. Mr. Henderson is still breeding and raising pure-bred 



450 History of Jefferson County. 

Short Horn cattle and Percheroti Norman horses; also breeding standard-bred 
trotting horses, and Wyandotte chickens. 

In 1885 W. H. Gray, of Brookville, started on his farm the only herd of 
Guernseys in Jefferson county. He bought, in Chester county, two fine heifers 
and one bull from the Fox herd, at a cost of $325. The following spring his 
heifers dropped each a heifer calf, one of them sired by Sir Champion, the best 
Guernsey bull in America. To give an idea of the merits and growing popu- 
larity of the Guernseys, I cite you to the British Dairy Farmers' Association. 
They have issued the second part of the second volume of their journal, con- 
taining, among other papers, a full report of the milking competition at the 
London Dairy Show in October, 1885. The following table gives a summary 
of average extending over seven years, 1879 to 1885 inclusive: 

Lbs. Milk. Solids. Fat. 

55 Short Horn >. 42. Sg 12.69 362 

42.leiseys 27.34 13.70 4.17 

23 Guernseys 27.43 13- 87 4.52 

9 Cross breeds 43.53 12.71 3.57 

It will be seen by this that the Guernseys are slightly in front in quality 
and quanity. The same year he bougiit a pair of choice Chester white pigs, 
and has recently purchased Serpolet, the best Norman Percheron stallion that 
was ever in the county. He is registered both in France and America; was 
imported when one year old. He took first prize at New York State Fair, and 
second at Bay State fair (Massachusetts) in 1886. as the best two-year-old. 

Past and Present Business of Brookville. — William Rodgers started the 
second store in Brookville, just three days after Jared B. Evans moved his store 
from Port Barnett, and opened his stock of goods in the Clark Hotel on Jefferson 
street. This street seems to have been the business emporium in those days; 
the first stores, the first tannery, and one of the first hotels, being located 
there. Mr. Rodgers's ledger, kept in the years 183 1-36, record many of the 
names of the old settlers of the country, and all the early citizens of the town. 
A credit system prevailed and the following is a sample of the accounts re- 
corded in these books, and shows the prices prevailing fifty-si.x years ago: 

1831. John Christy, Dr. 

March 15, To i Testament $ -25 

Apr. 7, To I Testament 25 

" 16, To I Cotton Shawl 62>^ 

Aug. II, To I yd Muslin, per son John 14 

" 16, To I pair combs per son John 25 

Sept. 16, To I oz. indigo per daughter 25 

" 28, To 5 lbs. Coffee 100 

Oct. 29, To I tin bucket 62 '^ 

Nov. 14, To 4 yds. Cassinett 4.00 

Dec. 10, To Sundries 1-39^^ 

Jan. 4, 1832, To Do 71 '4 

" 14, To 5 lb. Coffee i.oo 

" 31, " I Comb per son John 50 

$11.00 
1831, This account is b.alanced as follows : 

April 16, By cash in full 50 

Dec. 10, By 24 bus. oats 6.00 

April II, 1832, " town order for A. Kelly 4- 50 

$11.00 



History of Brookville. 451 

Mr. Rodgers also kept his post-office account in the same book, as the 
post-office was in the same room in which he sold goods, from which it appears 
that the receipts of the office from April i, 1835, to December 31, 1838, inclu- 
sive was $587. 7if. These old ledgers which are in a good state of preserva- 
tion, were kept with the greatest care ; scarce a blot appears on the pages, and 
they are legibly and well written. 

Jack, Jenks & Co., kept quite an extensive store in 1845, o'"" Jefferson street. 
In their day book of that year, is found an account of each day's sales for the 
month of February, which aggregates $158. The merchants of the present 
day can contrast these sales and the prices quoted above, with those of the 
present day. One of the articles kept by every merchant, has disappeared from 
the counter. Charges for whisky in those days appearing quite frequently on 
the pages of the day books of the early merchants. 

H. Matson, dealer in dry goods, dress goods, notions, etc., commenced bus- 
iness in Brookville in 1849, and has been engaged in the mercantile business 
for almost forty years. He opened his present store in 1870. His store is 
located in his own building on Main street. Mr. Matson came to Brookville 
in 1844. 

R. A. Rodgers & Co., dry goods, clothing, notions, etc. This business was 
established in 1862 by Dr. Mark Rodgers, and at his death August 10, 1883, 
the business passed into the hands of his widow and son, R. A. Rodgers, under 
the firm name of R. A. Rodgers & Co. This store is located in the large brick 
block erected in 1871 by Dr. Rodgers, on the property purchased by him from 
Enoch Hall. 

N. G. Edelblute, dry goods, clothing, notions, etc., commenced business in 
1859. After the fire of 1874, he bought the lot owned by S. G. Fr}-er, and 
erected the two-story brick building in which is his store and residence. 

Thomas H. Means, general store. This business was first established by 
Mills and Means, in September, 1879, but since February, 1883, has been 
owned by Mr. Means. 

M. W. Dickey, dealer in dry goods, notions, carpets, etc. This store was 
first started in 1865 by William Dickey, George H. Kennedy and M. M. Mere- 
dith, as Dickey, Kennedy & Meredith, and was located in the old Evans block. 
In 1866 Meredith retired, and his place was filled by Dr. J. H. Wick, under 
the firm name of Dickey, Kennedy & Wick. In January, 1870, Dr. Wick also 
retired, and until the fire of 1877, Dickey and Kennedy continued the business 
in the same place, when they were driven out by the fire, and moved to the 
McCracken building ; they then bought out the store of C. M. and J. N. Gar- 
rison, and moved into the American House block. March, 1878 the firm sold 
out to a son of the senior partner, M. W. Dickey, who has since associated for 
a short time his brother W. W. Dickey and Steele G. Hartman. He is now 
sole proprietor, and is located in the Marlin Opera House building. 



452 History of Jefferson County. 

Guyther & Henderson, dealers in dry goods, foreign and domestic dress 
goods, notions, etc. This business was started in October, 1876, by W. H. 
Gray and John W. Guyther. In July, 1880, D. A. Henderson, became one of 
the firm of Gray, Guyther & Co., and in March, 1SS5, Mr. Gray retired, and 
the firm is now Guyther & Henderson. They are located in their own build- 
ing on Main street, which they purchased from K. L. Blood in 1880. 

George H. Kennedy & Son, general merchandise. This store was started 
in September, 1880, and February, 1882, Mr. Kennedy formed a copartner- 
ship with William Campbell, as Kennedy & Campbell, which continued until 
April, 1885, when Mr. Campbell retired, and was succeeded by Harry H. 
Kennedy ; the firm now being George H. Kennedy & Son, located in American 
House block.'] , 

Charles S. Irvin, dealer in dry goods, dress goods, clothing, etc., estab- 
lished in 1873, first located in Commercial House block, now in new building 
on Main street erected in 1886. 

S. Kaufman, general merchandise, groceries, etc., established in i860, lo- 
cated in U. Matson's building on Main street. 

G. Loebman, general merchandise, commenced business in April, 1873. 
In January, 1881, he associated with him his brother Albert, under the name 
of G. Loebman and Brother, and December, 1885, the latter retired. This 
store is also located in the Uriah Matson block. 

Mills & Connor, dealers in dry goods, dress goods, notions, etc., established 
August, 1885 ; located in Marlin Opera building. 

Albert Loebman, dealer in dry goods, clothing, etc., commenced in March, 
1886; located in Arthurs's block. 

W. M. Nickle. " five cent " store, started April, 1883 ; located in H. Mat- 
son's block. 

Zettler & Hoelsche, dealers in dry goods and notions, established in No- 
vember, 1885 ; located on Main street, in Edelblute building. 

Mrs. Amelia F. Henderson, dealer in millinery and fancy goods, com- 
menced business in 1869. She purchased the property — that erected by 
William F. Clark in 1846 — of R. Arthurs, on east Main street, in 1S82, which 
she has much improved and where she has her store and residence. 

Mrs. S. H. Whitehill, millinery bazar, commenced business February, 1884; 
located in Braden building. Main street. 

Miss Hattie Wilson, milliner and fancy goods, commenced business May, 
1884; located in Edelblute building. Main street. 

The wants of the ladies of Brookville are fashionably catered to by expe- 
rienced dressmakers, prominent among whom are Mrs. C. E. Clements, who 
commenced business in 1867, and is located in the old Furley homestead on 
Fast Main street. Mrs. Mary McLain and Daughter, who conmienced in 1876, 
are located in the Rink building. Mrs. Lina Jackson and Mrs. Louie Scott 



History of Brookville. 453 

are also on East Main street. Misses Laura Sinitli, Lavina Spare, and Mary 
Miller, in South Brookville ; Mrs. L. G. Kahle and Miss Eliza Thompson, on 
Jefferson street, and Mrs. Mary Buell on White street. 

Dr. W. J. McKnight and Thomas L. Templeton, of Brookville, who consti- 
tute the drug firm of McKnight & Bro., commenced business in October, 
1863, in the east room of the Clements House, then occupying the site of the 
house now known as the Commercial Hotel, on Main street. In the fall of 
1 87 1, November 3, they were burned out in the fire which at that time con- 
sumed the hotel property and all buildings on the square, extending from Dia- 
mond alley to Barnett street on the west. In the spring of the year preceding 
this time, on account of the pressing need of greater faciHties for conducting 
their increasing business, they set about the construction of a new brick build- 
ing which they erected on the lot oppjsitethe court-house, formerly owned by 
the heirs of Barclay Jenks, esq., deceased, which they had bought in Decem- 
ber, 1869. This building, which is a large three story and basement, occupied 
on third floor by " Hobah " Masonic Lodge, and on second floor by offices, 
had so far approached completion that every part was ready for occupancy, 
excepting the drug room, so that for the time being they were obliged to oc- 
cupy, — with the remnants of the drug stock saved from the fire — a room in the 
basement of the new building. This, however, was but for a short time, as by 
February term of court ensuing, the new store, which they now occupy, was 
completed, giving them a room in style and finish not excelled by any other in 
the western part of the State. 

Roswell P. Blood, druggist. This business was established in 1867 by 
Eason & Matson. David Eason, in 1868, disposed of his interest to Dr. Hugh 
Dowling, when it became DowHng & Matson. Then, in 1871, Dr. R. S. Hunt 
and R. P. Blood purchased the store, and in November, 1874, R. P. Blood 
purchased the interest of his partner, Dr. R. S. Hunt, and became sole pro- 
prietor ; now located in west room of Rodgers & Clark building, Main street. 

E. B. Henderson, drug store; started January, 1878, by E. B. and S. S. 
Henderson. December i, 1S86, the latter disposed of his interest to his 
brother, E. B. Henderson; located in Endress building. Main street. 

Verstine & Sandt, drug store, started in 1881 ; located in Verstine Hall 
building, Main street. 

E. A. Paine, drug store, managed by Dr. D. L. Paine ; started in August, 
1884; located in Litchtown. 

C. B. Guth, jewelry store; started in July, 1878 ; located in Marlin Opera 
House building. 

Espy & Carroll, boot and shoe store. The partners in this business, 
Thomas Espy and Thomas M. Carroll, bought the shoe shop of J. E. Carroll 
in August, 1858, which was started in 1846, and have been in business ever 
since ; now located in Marlin Opera House building. 
54 



454 History of Jefferson County. 

S. Craig & Son, dealers in groceries. This store was established in 1865 
by Samuel Craig, as a general store, until 187 1, when Mr. Craig associated 
with him his son, W. F. Craig, until his death, 1885, since which time W. F. 
Craig has continued the business under the same firm name. This store is 
located in the Matson block. 

Thomas K. Hastings, dealer in groceries, flour, etc. ; successor to A. B. 
McLain. This store was started in the McCracken building about 1872 by S. 
H. Smith, then moved to the Clements House block, and about 1876 A. B. 
McLain bought out Smith and removed to Central Hotel building. Mr. Mc- 
Lain sold his stock to T. K. Hastings, in February, 1885. 

Joseph Caldwell, dealer in groceries, flour, etc. ; successor to Mrs. Robert 
Clements, who sold to Mr. Caldwell in January, 1884; located in McCracken 
Hall building, on Main street. 

James M. Canning, dealer in groceries, flour, etc. ; established in May, 
1876; located in Marlin Opera House building. 

William F. Wanner, dealer in groceries, flour, etc. This store was started 
in the spring of 1866 by S. J. Marlin, who sold to Mr. Wanner in 1876. It is 
now located in White Hall building. Main street. 

Taylor D. Rhines, dealer in groceries, flour, feed, etc. ; established in June, 
1885 ; located in P. P. ]31ood's building, Main street. 

Joshua Jones & Son, dealer in groceries, flour, fruits, etc. This store was 
started about 1877 by Mrs. C. E. Clements, who afterwards sold to D. Burns, 
and Burns disposed of the business in January, i886, to the present firm ; 
located in East Main street. 

James Braden & Company, dealers in groceries, flour, etc. This firm was 
first James Braden & Brother, who purchased the store from Alpheus Walker, 
in Februar)', 1879. James F. Braden was associated with his father and uncle 
in the business, February, 18S4, and the firm changed to James Braden & Co. 
This store is located in their own building, on Main street. 

J. H. Rhodes & Son, dealers in groceries, flour, feed, etc. This business 
-was established in 1873 by J. H. Rhodes and S. W. Smith, as Rhodes & Smith, 
and after Mr. Smith retired, Mr. Rhodes having associated his son, Harvey. 
with him in 1878, as Rhodes & Son ; located on corner of Barnett and Main 
streets. 

Cummings & Morrison, dealers in groceries, flour, feed, etc. This store 
was started first by Miller & Stevens, who sold to W. P. Sted, who in turn dis- 
posed of the goods to Campbell & McGiffin, in August, 18S5, and in August, 
1886, William Campbell bought the interest of his partner in the business. 
The present firm purchased from Mr. Campbell in 1887; located on Main 
street. 

W. P. Steel, grocery, b.ikery and ice cream parlor; started in 1883 ; lo- 
cated on ]\Iaiu street. 



History of Brookville. 455 

Levi Lerch, dealer in j,'roceries, queensware, flour, feed, etc.; purchased the 
stock of Abram Snyder in 1877, which was then located on East Main street; 
then removed to tlie Doughert)' building, on site of present opera house, and 
from there, in 1883, to the Red Mill south of the iron bridge. 

Daniel F. Hibbard, dealer in groceries, flour, feed, etc.; established in 1877 ; 
located south of covered bridge, in Mabon's addition. South Side. 

George H. Simpson, dealer in groceries, flour, etc. ; started in business in 
November, 1877 ; located in " Litchtown," East Side. 

James P. Black & Son, dealers in groceries, flour, etc ; established in April, 
1882 ; located in Litchtown. 

Charles Sitz, feed store; started in fill of 1881 ; located in Litchtown. 

George Zetler, dealer in groceries, flour, feed, etc. This business was es- 
tablished by James I. Brady & Co., May, 1885, and sold to Mr. Zetler, June, 
1887 ; located at Longview. 

William H. Zetler, grocery store; started in 1886 by D. W. Leitzell and 
sold to Mr. Zetler in June, 1887; located at Longview. 

Joseph Henderson & Son, dealers in tinware and stoves; commenced busi- 
ness in fall of 1866 ; located in his own building, corner of Main and Barnett 
streets; since 1876 the business has been conducted by Mr. Henderson, indi- 
vidually. 

G. A. Pearsall & Son, dealers in hardware, successors to Long & Pearsall. 
This store was started June, 1867. Mr. J. E. Long retired from the firm Jan- 
uary, 1876, and in August, 1 881, Mr. Pearsall associated his son, Elmer E., in 
the business with him ; located in their own building on Main street. 

Kennedy & Co., dealers in hardware. Tliis store was first established by 
William Kennedy and M. H. Hall, under the firm name of Kennedy & Hall, 
in March, 1867. In August, 1873, Mr. Hall retired from the firm, and the 
business was conducted by William Kennedy until July, 1880, when Samuel 
Chambers became associated with Mr. Kennedy, and the firm is since known 
as Kennedy & Co. It was first located in the old Evans block, until the fall 
of 1873 ; then removed to Clements House, then to the present location in 
Marlin's Opera House building, November, 1883. 

George Vanvleit, dealer in stoves, tinware, and hardware ; successor to S. 
T. Dougherty. This store was first started by T. P. McCrea & Bro., in 1868, 
who disposed of it to Mr. Dougherty, in 1879, and the latter sold it to the present 
proprietor, December, 1880. 

Rankin & Dunn, dealers in tinware, stoves, and hardware ; successors to 
John Lutz, from whom they purchased the store in August, 1886 ; located in 
Brady building. East Main street. 

Thompson & Chesiiut, merchant tailors. The business was first started 
January, 1870, by M. C. and W. A. Thompson, the former retiring May, 1873. 
Then W. A. Thompson carried on the business until December, 1879, when 



456 History of Jefferson County. 

he formed a copartnership with J. M. Chesnut, as Thompson & Chesnut; 
located in Bishop building, Main stieet. 

C. P. O'Loughlin, merchant tailor. This business was first started by John 
J. Nyland, in 1876, who closed out in 1879, and worked for some time for 
George Vanvliet ; then the shop was opened by C. P. O'Loughlin, an appren- 
tice of Mr. Nyland, January, 1880 ; located in Matson building. 

T. W. Chesnut, mercliant tailor; established April, 1885; located in 
Bonnet building, Pickering street. 

J. L. Reicheter, merchant tailor; established in spring of 1887 ; located in 
Verstine building, East Main street. 

J. T. Carroll, boot and shoe shop ; first started in 1862 ; located in his own 
building, East Main street. 

Enoch Loux, boot and shoe shop. This shop was started by H. S. Lithgo 
in the fall of 1867, and January, 1884, purchased by Mr. Loux; located on 
East Main street. 

Thomas Wesley, boot and shoemaker; started in November, 1854; located 
on Pickering street. 

John E. Carroll, boot and shoe shop ; started October, 1883; located on 
Pickering street. 

William Smith, boot and shoe shop ; successor to Glenn & Smith ; started 
in September, 1866. Mr. Glenn retired in April, 1886. Located on Main 
street. 

Anthony Bonnet, gunsmith ; first commenced business in Brookville, in 
April, 1865 ; then removed to Clarion, April, 1868, returning to Brookville, 
March, 1882. 

Ferdinand Warner, tannery; built in 1875. The work done is generally 
what is called " sliare work," for farmers ; located in South Brookville. 

Dentists. — Dr. C. W. Stebbins located in Brookville about 1S60 and prac- 
ticed his profession as surgeon dentist until his death in 1882. His wife, now 
Mrs. C. Yeaney, who had mastered dentistry under the instruction of her hus- 
band, has carried on the business since his death. Her office is located in the 
McKnight building, Main street. 

Dr. M. B. Lowry, surgeon dentist, came to Brookville about i860, and has 
practiced here ever since. His two sons have adopted their father's profession, 
one being a graduate of the Philadelphia Dental College, and the other a stu- 
dent of that institution; located in the Guyther and Henderson building on 
Main street. 

Dr. William G. Bishop, surgeon dentist, first located in Reynoldsville in 
1874, and in 1883 established his office in Brookville, retaining his practice in 
the former place until 1885. He is located in the Bishop building. Main street. 

Y. W. Ingraham & Co., general agents for pianos, organs, etc. This 
agency was established November, 1873, by A. H. Steadman, who continued 



History of Brookville. 457 

the business until December 31, when he left Brookville, in order to accept a 
position with Whitney & Raymond, manufacturers of the United States organ, 
and general music dealers of Cleveland, O., aud is now a member of that firm. 
Mr. Steadman was succeeded by F. W. Ingraham and Peter B. Cowan, under 
the firm name of Ingraham & Cowan. October i, 1886, Mr. Cowan retired 
from the firm, and the business is now conducted under the firm name of 
Ingraham & Co., Mr. Ingraham being the manager. Since the agenc)' was 
established, they have sold a large number of pianos and organs ; now located 
in White Hall building, Main street. 

D. C. Whitehill, dealer in pianos and organs, sewing machines, etc.; busi- 
ness established Jul}', 1 886; located in Clark bank building. 

John F. & G. E. Broun, general insurance agents, successors to C. O. Ham- 
mond. This agency was first established by McMurray & Weidner, who were 
succeeded by J. A. Scott. Then J. H. Maize assumed charge and formed a 
co-partnership with C. O. Hammond, as Maize & Hammond, and on Mr. Maize 
retiring from the firm the business was conducted by Mr. Hammond until his 
death, August, 1882, when John F. and G. E. Brown purchased the business, 
from the estate of the latter; located in jail building. 

N. G. Pinnej', general insurance agent, came to Brookville in 1878 to 
solicit insurance for the agency of Samuel G. W. Brown, of Kittanning, and in 
1880 started in the business for himself. He now represents ten large com- 
panies ; located in Marlin Opera House block. 

Hamilton & Reed, general insurance agents, established September, 1882 ; 
office in the old " Red Lion " Hotel building. 

Cabinet Manufactory, started in 1859 by Craig & Wilson. In May, 1879, 
Andrew Craig purchased the interest of his partner, Enoch Wilson. He was 
succeeded in 1881 by Haines Brothers. It is now owned by B. F. Haines, H. 
B. Craig, and Bartlett & Sons ; located at foot of Jefferson street. 

I. Aaron, dealer in furniture, etc. This business was established by O. 
Brown, and purchased from his estate by Mr. Aaron in 1883; located in 
Corbet building. West Main street. 

L. R. Rousseau, upholsterer and carriage trimmer; commenced in 1885 ; 
located in Rodgers block. 

Carroll & Hamilton, harness manufactory. It was first started in 1867 by S. 
G. Newcom and James K. Hamilton, and in March, 1869, James K. Hamilton 
got entire control. Then in 1875 James T. Carroll was associated in the busi- 
ness. Mr. Hamilton has been in the harness and saddlery business since 1863, 
with the exception of three years — 1871-1874 — that he was associated with 
Joshua Williams in the livery business. This shop is located in the old Red 
Line Hotel building. Main street. 

Smathers & De Haven, saddlery and harness. C. Smathers first started in 
the harness business with the late Colonel Charles McLain, as McLain & 



458 History of Jefferson County. 

Smathers, and in 1858 sold to McLain, who mana<,'ed the shop until he went 
into the army. Mr. Smathers has been runnin<j the present shop for about 
eighteen jears, and in 1881 associated with him J> hn H. De Haven ; location 
on Main street. 

Samuel Frank, saddlery and harness making, started March, 1874; located 
in ]5rady building. East Main street. 

The first foundry was built on the northwest corner of Main and Valley 
streets, on site of McCracken Hall building, by a man named Coleman, in 1841, 
who in a short time sold to Evan Evans, who in turn sold to Wilkins & Cor- 
bet, who moved it to the location now occupied by the foundry of Edwin 
English. They operated it for a while and then sold to John Gallagher and 
George McLaughlin who, in 1850, sold to the present proprietors, Edwin and 
Daniel English. Since 1855 the former has owned and operated the property. 
This foundry was first run by water-power, supplied by a dam built for the 
purpose, but the water supply not proving adequate, horse-power was substi 
tuted. 

After the foundry was removed to Water street, Snyder & Adams, in 1857, 
started a blacksmith shop on the same site on Main street, which they con- 
tinued about a year, when Mr. Adams retired, and the shop was continued for 
some time by Mr. Sn\'der. Mr. Wilson Adams, who came to Brookville in 
185 I, carried on the blacksmithing for about twelve years. He still resides 
in Brookville. 

In 1853 the Washington foundry and machine-shop was built by J. P. 
Wann and Patrick McTaffe. Tlie\' conmienced the manufacture of plows, 
stoves, etc, and done mill repairing. In 1857 McTaffe sold his interest to 
Orlando Brown, who, at that time, resided in Angelica, Allegany county, N. 
Y. The same year Mr. Brown came to Brookville with part of his family, 
consisting of wife and two children, Orlando H. and Carrie — now^ Mrs. J. E. 
Long. He brought with him new machinery and men skilled in mechanical 
arts and put new life into the foundry and machine business. The other son, 
James L., came to Brookville in 1858 from the West, and went to work for 
Wann & Brown as an apprentice. The principal business was building circular 
saw-mills and repairing. Having no railroad connection nearer than Kittan- 
ning, most all the goods came by boat from Pittsburgh to Mahoning. At the 
breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, stagnation followed in all branches of 
business. The foundry and machine-shop was closed for six months or over, 
with nothing to do and no men to work, as most every able-bodied man that 
could stand the hardships had enlisted, either in the three months' call for vol- 
unteers or f^r a longer period. The finding of the Seneca oil, or petroleum, 
on Oil Creek, opened up a new industry. The excitement attending the dis- 
covery created a demand for machinery, engine and boiler and boring tools. 
The business, at that time in its infancy, had to be created. Mr. Brown de- 



History of Bkookville. 459 

signed and built an eight-horse-power engine and boiler for the oil trade; five 
and six-horse-power was considered ample to handle the heaviest tools at that 
time and to bore a well to the required depth. 

In 1863 James L. Brown leased Mr. Warm's interest for one year. At the 
expiration of time of lease he bought Mr. Wann's interest in the foundry and 
machine business. In 1864 the partnership of Brown & Son was changed to 
Brown, Son & Co., having taken in Mr. John P. Roth as equal partner. By 
that time the business had increased to justify enlarging their works and by 
putting in new machinery, making a specialty on engines and boilers, gang 
and circular saw- mills. In 1S75 the entire property was destroyed by fire. 
It was rebuilt immediately and put into successful operations, when Mr. 
Brown disposed of his interest to W. H. Jenks, son of Judge W. P. Jenks. In 
1877 the new works were again destroyed by fire, this time consuming the 
entire plant, except the foundry. Messrs. Brown & Roth then sold the relics 
to W. H. Jenks, who rebuilt in 1878, and at the present time is manufacturing 
engines and boilers. The celebrated Hercules Turbine water-wheel, which is 
known all over the world as one of the most powerful wheels of its size ever 
produced, giving the best percentage at part and whole gate, was manufac- 
tured by Brown, Son & Co., where all the minute details were conceived and 
brought out by the patentees — James L. Brown and John B. McCormick. 
The sole manufacturers of the Hercules wheel are the Holyoke Machine Com- 
pany, of Holyoke, Mass., and at Worcester, Mass. The Hercules wheel is 
used in Italy, France and Germany. Mr. Jenks, who is a graduate of Yale 
College, has made mechanics his study. In 1886 he enlarged his shops, which 
are all built of brick in the most approved style. 

Machinery Hall. — C. A. and C. F. Carrier, dealers in all kinds of agricul- 
tural implements, hardware, stoves and tinware, commenced June, 1886; lo- 
cated in the old Rink building. Main street. 

Shoe Manufactory, George W. Stewart, proprietor, established autumn of 
1886; located in Arthur's building. Main Street. The capacity of the manu- 
factorj' is four hundred pairs of shoes per day, employing twenty-seven men. 

Singer Manufacturing Company, J. P. Lucas, agent. This agency was first 
established by A. L. Schnell, who sold the Singer sewing machines from 1866 
until 1879. He was succeeded by W. H. Dunlap, who was in charge until the 
winter of 1885. Since April, 1886, J. P. Lucas has had this agency. Since 
1879 they have sold over twenty-five hundred machines. 

Marble Manufactory, John S. Moore, proprietor; started February, 1872; 
located in his own building, East Main street. 

Carriage manufactory, M. G. Murphy; started in 1874; located in rear of 
Opera House building. Mr. Murphy has worked at his trade in Brookville 
since 1 870. 

Andrew Stefl, wagon-maker, commenced business March, 1864; located 
on East Main street. 



460 History of Jefferson County. 

E. Snyder & Son, blacksmiths. Mr. E. Snyder first began the blacksmith- 
ing business in Brookville in 1857, and has been constantly engaged in the 
same, with the exception of from 1872 to 1876, when he was in the hvery 
business. He associated his son, George W. Snyder, with him in 1876. Their 
shop is located in their own building, East Main street. 

Robert R. Brady, blacksmith, commenced in Brookville in 1851, having 
worked about two years at Port Barnett, where he first located in 1849. W. 
E. Snyder has been associated with him since February, 1885 ; located in Mr. 
Brady's own building, east end of Main Street. 

Abram Snyder, blacksmith, came to Brookville in the fall of 1852 and 
formed a partnership with William Stewart, which only continued about nine 
months. He was in the grocery business from 1865 to 1877, starting the first 
regular grocery store in the town. Since 1877 he has been in the blacksmith- 
ing business; located on Valley street, north end of iron bridge. 

J. C. Snyder, general blacksmith This shop was started in 1873 by D. 
G. Gourley and Charles Harris, J. C. Sn}-der taking the place of Mr. Harris, 
who removed from Brookville in 1880. In 1881 Mr. Gourley also retired, and 
then Mr. Snyder alone conducted it until 1884, when he associated his brother 
with him, and ran the business as J. C. Snyder & Brother until 1886, since 
which time he has had control himself In 1873 M. G. Murphy and J. S. Van 
Buskirk had a carriage manufactory in connection with this shop. Since 1878 
George H. Grove has had charge of the wood work department, while J. S. 
Van Buskirk attends to the painting ; located on Barnett street. 

T. K. Snyder's blacksmith-shop, started in 1858 or 1859, by D. C. Riggs; 
then by Arad Pearsall. In 1862 Samuel \V. Snyder purchased it, and upon 
his death, in Jul)-, 1886, he was succeeded by his son, T. K. Snyder; located 
in Litchtown. 

Warren P. Bovvdish, blacksmith and wagon-shop, started in 1884; located 
in Litchtown. Mr. Bowdish has worked at his trade in Brookville since 1856. 

John Engle, blacksmith and machinist, located in Brookville in 1858, 
formed a partnership in 1867 ™'tli James L. Whitman, under the firm name of 
Engle & Whitman. Whitman retired in 1869, and from 1870 until 1876 he 
was associated in the manufacturing of carriages, buggies, etc., in connection 
with blacksmithing, with Daniel Barns, and since 1886, has been engaged in a 
machine-shop with James Brick, as Engle & Brick. 

A. E. Smith, plumber and gas-fitter, commenced September, 1884. 

D. G. Gourley, blacksmith and wagon-maker, present shop started May, 
1884; location Water street. Mr. Gourley with J. J, Patterson is engaged in 
the sale of the Kramer wagon and buggies. 

Daniel Long, blacksmith and machinist and gunsmith, came to Brookville 
in 1848, and learned his trade with his uncle, William McCullough, and in 1856, 
started a shop of his own, which he ran until May, 1863, when he went to work 



History of Brookville. 461 

in the foundry of Brown & Wann, doing the forging and machine work He 
remained in this estabh'shment during all the changes that took place in the 
management, until 1880, when he started a shop for himself on his own prop- 
erty, corner of Jefferson and Barnett streets. 

Thomas K. Litch & Sons. This is one of the largest lumber firms in Jeffer- 
son county. The first mill on the site of these mills was erected in 1830, by 
Robert P. Barr. The grist-mill was erected in 1833, the carpenter work be- 
ing done by Richard Arthurs, and the roofing by Luther Geer, sr. This was 
the last work of the kind done by Mr. Arthurs, before he commenced to lead 
law. 

In 1850 Thomas K. Litch purchased the property of Mr. Barr, and soon 
erected a new saw-mill. In 1856 both saw-mills were burned down, but were 
almost immediately replaced by a large steam mill, with a capacity of three 
million feet of boards per annum. The grist-mill ivas rebuilt in 1869-70, and 
soon after a tub and bucket factory was erected. The latter is not now in opera- 
tion. Mr. Litch was the indefatigable manager of his own vast business interests 
as long as his health would admit, and at his death, which occurred August 14, 
1882, he was succeeded by his wife and sons in the management of the business. 
The firm which still retains the old name of the T. K. Litch & Sons, is com- 
prised of Mrs. T. K. Litch and her three sons, Thomas W., Harry C. and Ed- 
ward A. Litch. The firm cut about five million feet of lumber each year, and 
at this rate of cutting it will be fully twenty years before they will cause the 
last tree on their land to fall. They work oak, pine and hemlock timber, and 
manufacture lumber, lath and shingles. Bridge and building timber, however, 
is their specialty. Their mills and yards are situated near the mouth of the 
North Fork, where they occupy about ten acres of ground. In 1884, at a cost 
of $25,000, they erected a saw-mill fitted with the finest of modern improve- 
ments, and having capacity for cutting fifty thousand feet per day, it being one 
of two mills in this country having what is called the steam feed, the motive 
power consisting of an 18x24 inch Corliss engine, and a battery of three large 
boilers. The firm ship principally to Pittsburgh, where they have an office un- 
der the management of Joseph B. Eaton, a nephew of Mrs. Litch ; but they send 
a large share of their output to Philadelphia. When Mr. Thomas K. Litch first 
came to Brookville, he brought with him from Pittsburgh, Mr. Silas, Miller, 
who has ever since been the firm's faithful engineer. Among those who were 
for many years in Mr. Litch's employ were John D. Smith, Charles Sitz, and 
William Goss. The large flouring mill is now under the management of Mr. 
B. F. Haines. The biographical sketch of Mr. Litch will be found elsewhere 
in this volume. 

The Blaine Mill, — This mill was built in 1882 by James E. Long and A. J. 
Brady, and has since been operated by Long &jBrady. It is situated at the 
mouth of the Five Mile Run, on Sandy Lick, near Longview, and cuts from 
55 



462 History of Jefferson County. 

three million to five million feet of boards, and one million lath per year, be- 
sides manufacturing fence pickets, etc. The firm controls seven thousand one 
hundred and thirty acres of timber land, upon which there is enough timber to 
supply the mill for twenty-five years. Of these lands five thousand seven hun- 
dred acres is owned by J. E. Long & Son, Charles Corbet and L. A. Brady, 
and the balance by Brady & Long. The mill-site was purchased from R. D. 
Taylor and others. 

The firm of Marlin Brothers, composed of Silas J. and W. D. J. Marlin, 
was formed in November, 1872, at which time they purchased of Newton Tay- 
lor two tracts of land situated in Union and Eldred townships, containing about 
three hundred and fifty acres on which was erected a good steam saw- mill, two 
or three dwelling houses, barns and other buildings ; besides this they also got 
the timber on some other tracts, for which they paid $35,000. They went to 
work that fall and, up to 1886, cut, manufactured and marketed, about one 
million feet of pine and hemlock lumber a year. The price of lumber being 
low, the mill was allowed to stand during the summer of 1886, but was 
stocked and started up in the spring of 1887. They e.xpect to finish up on 
this tract in about two years more. The firm own a valuable tract of timber 
and coal land in Winslow township, the lumber from which they will probably 
manufacture after they are through on Mill Creek, if they don't dispose of it 
before that time. 

The Marlin Opera House building was erected by S. J. Marlin, in 1883. 
Besides the large and elegantly fitted up opera house, with a seating capacity 
of over nine hundred, the building contains six large store-rooms and eleven 
ofiices. 

E. Hall & Son, manufacturers and shippers of rough and dressed lumber, 
etc. Enoch Hall and Charles B. McCain built the planing-mill in the f^dl of 
1869, and commenced working lumber April, 1870. E. Hall bought the in- 
terest of his partner in the establishment in December, 1870, and then formed 
a copartnership with his son, Clarence R. Hall, as E. Hall & Son. This firm 
manufactures lath, shingles, sash, doors, mouldings, etc., and besides their home 
trade ship extensively both rough and dressed lumber. Their mill is situated 
on the old depot road, west of the iron bridge. 

Vanleer Brothers & Co.'s planing-mill. About 1883 the planing-mill 
operated by J. R. Vanleer, W. N. Vanleer and T. A. Hendricks, under the 
title of Vanleer Brothers & Co., was built. It is situated near the passenger 
depot, is large and well constructed, and is fitted with machinery of the best 
and most improved kind for manufacturing doors, blinds, sash, flooring, siding, 
scroll and turned work, etc. The firm handle rough and dressed lumber very 
extensi\ely. Order work is their specialty. Their trade is not confined to 
Jefferson county, as they ship into all the adjoining counties as well as Alle- 
gheny county. 



History of Brookville. 463 

Anderson & Leech, planing-mill. This mill was built by Thomas Mabon, 
and was first operated by Johns & Hubbard, then by Ingraham & Butler, in 
1879. Harry Butler retired in one year, and his place was filled by E. V. 
Richards, and the firm became Ingraham & Richards, until July, 1884, when 
they sold to Solomon Anderson and W. A. Leech. They manufacture sash, 
siding, doors, blinds, flooring, dressed lumber, scroll and turned work. The 
mill is located on the " South Side," near the covered bridge. 

The Brookville axe factory was started May, 1884, by W. J. Sager, the 
proprietor. It is situated on the site of the old Taylor mill, now owned by I. 
C. Fuller. The building is two stories, 72 by 30, with a capacity for 250 axes 
per day; but is now only making two dozen double-bitted axes per day. Mr. 
Sager also manufactures "bark spuds" for peeling bark, and all kinds of edge 
tools, and does general repair work. His trade is local, though he has shipped 
goods as far west as Michigan. 

The "white" grist-mill, which was built by Thomas Mabon in 1849 or 
1850, who disposed of an interest in the property to Henry and John Startzell. 
They sold, in 1S68, an interest to George C. Harvey, and in 1877 John 
Startzell re-purchased the interest of Mr. Harve\^ G. A. Jenks owns a third 
interest in the property. In June, 1887, John Startzell disposed of his share 
in the property to his brother, William, and George L. Reed, who are man- 
aging the concern under the firm name of Startzell & Reed. 

The " Red Mill," I. C. Fuller, proprietor, was built by Philip Taylor and 
John L. Barr in 1857. Barr retired from the firm in 1862 or 1863. It was then 
owned and operated by Judge Taylor until his death, November, 1878. Mal- 
colm W. Wise, who inherited the property by the will of his grandfather, Philip 
Taylor, then took charge of it and sold it to I. C. Fuller, May, 1881. Since Mr. 
Fuller purchased it he has put in the roller process. W. H. McAninch has 
been the miller since 1878. He succeeded J. H. Rhodes. 

N. E. Snyder, shaving saloon. This business was started by Frank X. 
Kreitler, May, 1863, who has conducted it from that time until the spring of 
1887, when he sold out to N. E. Snyder; located in the American House. 

D. W. Gaither, shaving saloon ; started in December, 1876 ; now located in 
Commercial Hotel. 

L. C. Scott, shaving saloon ; started March, 1884; located in Matson Block, 
Pickering street. 

The St. Charles Saloon building, opposite the jail, was erected by Charles 
Sitz in 1859. It was then owned by Jacob Kroh, who sold the property to 
Casper Endress about 1863. Mr. Endress conducted the saloon for a number 
of years, being succeeded by his son, A. L. Endress. Since 1886 the business 
has been discontinued. In 1876 Mr. Endress built the large two-story brick 
structure adjoining the saloon building. 

Jackson Heber, restaurant and ice cream parlor ; purchased from Thomas 



464 History of Jefferson County. 

Cartin, July, 1874; located in his own building, Main street. He also pur- 
chased the bottling business of Joseph Summers in 1872. 

George Heber, bakery and green grocery; started in the spring of 1887. 

J. J. Patterson, livery stable. This business was established by J. S. Mc- 
Connell, and purchased by Mr. Patterson in August, 1875 ; located in rear 
of Commercial Hotel stables. 

Parker P. Blood, livery stables; established in 1882; located on Valley 
street. 

George F. Dodd, meat market; started about 1866; located on Main 
street. 

Robert Breffit, meat market; started in spring of 1869; now located in 
Matson Block, Pickering street. 

W. C. Kuhn, meat market; started September, 1886; located in basement 
of Rodgers building. Diamond Alley. 

Swartzlander & McCullough, meat market; started November, 1885; 
located on East Main street. 

Leander Edwards, meat market. Mr. Augustus Spangenburg, who is 
associated with his son-in-law, Mr. Edwards, is the veteran butcher of Brook- 
ville, having commenced business in 1859. 

North Fork brewerj', S. C. Christ, proprietor. The first brewery was built 
by Mr. Christ in 1861, and was torn down to make room for the present one 
in 1863 

The Spring brewer}-, M. Algier, proprietor; started in fall of 1871 ; located 
at Sand Spring, opposite red mill ; capacity, twenty thousand barrels per year. 

The Hotels. — The hotel business in Brookville dates back to the time when 
John Eason came to Brookville, early in 1830, and built a portion of what was 
afterwards the kitchen and dining-room of the first hotel, the " Red Lion." 
In this he and his wife boarded the surveyors who laid out the county seat, 
and also those who, in June of that year, attended the sale of lots in the new 
town. At the rear of the new " hotel " stood two large pine trees, and after 
the house was built the inmates, fearing that these giants of the forest might, 
perchance, fall upon the little structure and demolish it, cast about for some 
way to fell the trees (which naturally inclined toward the house), in an oppo- 
site direction. This was done by affixing cables to them and then having men 
pull them, after they were partly cut down, in the direction it was desired they 
should fall. 

Mr. Eason kept the house, building an addition to it, until his death, in 
1835, when Mrs. Eason occupied it for a short time, and then William Clark 
kept it in 1837. I" 1838, John Smith, who had married Mrs. Eason, took 
charge of the house and kept it until 1S44. In 1851-53 it was kept by Rob- 
ert Ralston and C. B. Clark, and in 1848-50 Mr. Smith again had control of 
the house. The building, which is still standing, is now the property of David 
Eason and A. B. McLain. 



History of Brookville. 465 

The next hotel was built on Jefferson street, in 1830, by William Clark, 
and kept by him until 1833, when he sold the property to Jared B. Evans, 
who in turn sold it to Dr. Gara Bishop, and the site is now occupied by the 
residence of Hon. A. C. White. 

The Globe Hotel was built on the corner of Main street and Spring alley 
in 1830, by Thomas Hastings, who occupied it as a hotel in May of that year, 
and occupied by him until 1839, when he was succeeded in turn by Job Mc- 
Creight, J. M. McCoy, William Clark, Edward Hutchinson. Then Thomas 
Hastings again took charge of the house, and was succeeded by William Clark 
and Jacob Barkett from 1845 to 1849. Isaac Walker owned and occpuied by 
house from 1849 to 1853, then he sold it to John Yeaney, Charles Sitz and 
Reuben Weiser; Charles Sitz occupying it in 1853-54. In 1855 it was pur- 
chased by Simon Frank who sold it again to John Yeaney. In 1857 C. N. 
Kretz took charge of the house, changed the name to Jefferson House, and 
conducted it until the fall of 1864. Then it was successively kept by Joseph 
Oxeurider, Stoke & Scribner, and Jacob Emery, until the winter of 1883 
when the property was purchased by M. AUgier and L. L. Reitz, and the 
latter took possession April i, 1883. 

In 1832 Peter Sutton kept a hotel on Taylor street, about the site of the 
James L. Moore property in Litchtown. He was also contractor for building 
the bridge across the North Fork. He returned in the thirties to Indiana, 
from whence he came. 

"Peace and Poverty, by John Dougherty." The hotel in front of which 
hung tliis quaint sign, was built in 1831 by John Dougherty, on the corner of 
Main and Barnett streets, who kept it until 1836, when John Gallagher took 
possession and ran it until 1841 ; then S. M. Bell occupied it for a year, to be 
succeeded by George McLaughlin, for the years 1843-47. It was then 
changed to the " Black Horse Hotel," and kept by Samuel Lyle in 1850-51 ; 
then by Daniel Thayer. It was then discontinued as a hotel and rented by 
Mr. Dougherty to private families, until it succumbed to the fire of 1871. 

Then William Clark built another hotel on the corner of Main and Mill 
streets in 1833, which he only occupied for a short time, selling it in 1834 to 
John Erownlee, who had come from Centre county in that _\-ear. This house 
is still standing and is now the property of the A. J. Brady heirs. R. Arthurs 
did carpenter work on tliis house. 

Another old house was that owned by Mrs. Wagley, a sister of William 
McCullough, which stood on the lot next to the Franklin house on the east. 
It was built in 1831 or 1832, and was kept in 1832 by Samuel Craig, and after 
his death by his widow, and by Mrs. Wagley. 

The Franklin House, the first brick hotel erected in Jefferson county, was 
built in 1832 by Daniel Elgin. The first landlords appear to have been James 
M. Steadman in 1833, and William Clark in 1834. John Pierce had charge of 



466 History of Jefferson County. 

it from 1836 to 1839, when James Cochran kept it about a year, being suc- 
ceeded by Joseph Henderson in 1841—43. Then, in 1844, J. R. and R. Ar- 
thurs took charge of it, followed by S. H. Lucas and John M. Turney. Jacob 
Steck took charge of the hotel in 1848, and conducted it for ten years. The 
property was then purchased by Samuel G. Fryer, who occupied it as a 
private residence and store until 1866, when he sold to Henry R. Fullerton, 
who greatly improved the property, adding an additional story, etc. He oc- 
cupied it for a while, and then C. N Kretz purchased the furniture, etc., and 
was landlord from 1869, followed by Carroll & Scribner, then A. S. Scribner, 
until 1 87 1 when it was purchased by J. S. King who occupied it until the fire 
of November 20, 1874, when it was burned down. Mr. King, besides having 
charge of the hotel, was cashier of the Brookville bank, located in same 
building. 

After the fire Richard Arthurs purchased the property, and in 1876 erected 
the large brick hotel known as the Central. He opened it as a hotel and ran 
it for a short time, then relinquished the management to his son, Richard Ar- 
thurs, jr., who occupied the house until January, 1884. Then for about a 
month Richard Arthurs, sr., occupied it, and then it was closed until April i, 
1884, when Jacob Emery took possession and remained until April i, 1886. 
It was again unoccupied until December, 1886, when the present landlord, J. 
R. Emery, took possession. 

The first building on the site of the Commercial Hotel was a little frame 
building, built and occupied by John Clements, in 1833, who, in 1844 or 1845 
built the Royal Exchange Hotel, which he occupied until it was destroyed by 
fire in 1856. Mr. Clements rebuilt, and the new building, which he called 
the Clements House, was ready for occupancy in 185S. In i860 Mr. Clem- 
ents died and the house was managed until September, 1863, by his widow, 
Mrs. E. O. Clements, when it was purchased by R. W. Moorhead, who changed 
the name to the Moorhead House. He kept it until April, 1864, when it 
became the property of Robert Clements, who occupied it for a short time, 
changing the name back to the Clements House, and then C. N. Kretz took 
possession in the summer of 1864 and remained until April, 1869. Then 
Robert Clements again occupied it until W. S. Barr and C. G. Matson took 
charge, but were burned out in the fire of 1871. Robert Clement rebuilt the 
house and it was opened by Alexander S. Scribner, who was succeeded by 
Joseph Freeman. Then M. R. Reynolds kept it as a temperance house for a 
short time. It was then closed for about five years, pending litigation between 
the Reynolds heirs and Robert Clements, when it was purchased by R. Ar- 
thurs and William Dickey, and was opened in January, 1883, by Matson & 
Arthurs, as the Commercial Hotel. After six months Matson retired, and the 
hotel has been in charge of R. Arthurs, jr., since that time, he having, by deed 
of gift from his father, R. Arthurs, sr., become owner of the property in Janu- 
ary, 1887. 



History of Brookville. 467 

The American Hotel was built in 1845 by Elijah Heath, who, in 1846, 
added a business block to it, two stories in height, called the Arcade. D. S. 
Johnson, who did the carpenter work, is said to have been the first to occupy 
this house as a temperance hotel ; and Benjamin Bennett, who kept it in 1848— 
51, seems to have been the first who opened it as a licensed house. In 1852 
John J. Y. Thompson purchased the property and occupied it until it was de- 
stroyed by fire May 23, 1856. He commenced at once to rebuild, and the 
present house was ready for occupancy in 1857, being opened to the public in 
October by his son, W. K. Thompson, who conducted the hotel until June, 
1869, when he removed to Portsmouth, O., and his brother, John J , succeeded 
him in the management of the house. In October, 1864, Captain R. R. Means 
purchased the property and kept the house until March, 1869, when he sold it 
to John J, Thompson and Joseph Darr, and it was run by Thompson & Darr, 
with Mr. Thompson as landlord, until the summer of 1 87 I, when they sold to 
a stock company composed of R. J. Nicholson, M. M. Meredith, Nathan Car- 
rier, jr., W. A. Burkett and P. H. Shannon, and the latter took charge of the 
house until January 16, 1872, when C. N. Kretz purchased the property and 
kept the hotel until May, 1879, when he sold the furniture to A. Baur, who 
kept the house until May, 1880, when he sold the furniture to Thompson & 
Darr, who had again become owners of the property, and who rented it to 
John S. Barr, who conducted the hotel until October, 1881, when A. B. Barr 
rented it from Ira C. Fuller, who purchased it from Thompson & Darr in 1880. 
Mr. Barr associated with him J. B. Cromer, in the management of the house, 
until early in 1885 Mr. Fuller sold the house and furniture to B. K. Fisher and 
F. P. Graf, who are now keeping the hotel. 

The Union Hotel, John McCracken, proprietor. This house was built by 
John R. McCall in 185 i, and called the " Railroad House." It was first kept 
by Benjamin Bennett, for about two years, and then by W. H. Schram and D. 
B. Rouse, successively, until 1856, when it was purchased by R. R. Means, 
who conducted the house until May, 1864, when he sold the property to John 
McCracken, who has since kept it as the Union Hotel, and has also built a frame 
addition to it. 

Mr. McCracken erected a large three-story brick block on the opposite cor- 
ner of Main street from the hotel, in 1868. The lower story contains two stores, 
and the upper a large town hall, while the other rooms are occupied by private 
families. 

The Oak Hall Hotel was built for a restaurant and kept as such until pur- 
chased in 1864 from George Leopold, by John S. Barr, who converted it into 
a hotel, and kept it as the Oak Hall Hotel until 1871, when he sold it to R. M. 
Bell, who conducted it until it was destroyed in the fire of 1874. 

Heber House. — Henry Heber, proprietor of this house came to Brook\-ille 
about the year 1853, and located in a little house near his present home. The 



468 History of Jefferson County. 

house he now occupies was built by T. K. Litch, for a boarding-house for his 
mill hands, and purchased by Mr. Heber in 1S63, who has since kept it as a 
temperance hotel. It is the onh' hotel in the " East End." 

Brookville House, E. Bevier, owner and proprietor. This house was built 
by Andrew Stefl, about 1869, who sold it to Mr. Bevier April, 1876. It was 
kept previous to Mr. Bevier purchasing, b\' Andrew Stefl and John J. Hen- 
derson. 

Hotel Longview. — Work on this hotel was begun in March, 1885. In July 
of that year A. Baur and wife began furnishing the hotel. It was opened on 
September 22, 18S5. When the hotel was first opened no trains stopped at 
Taylor's (as the station opposite the hotel was then called). In one week after 
opening the hotel first-class trains stopped there. In two months after the 
opening, two trains each day stopped for meals, and in eighteen months after 
the opening, all trains were stopped there. All railroad buildings were moved 
from the old station site, and the old station entirel}- abandoned. 

One of the veteran hotel men of Brookville was Jacob S Steck, who re- 
moved to Brookville from Greenburg, March, 1848, and took charge of the 
Franklin House, which he occupied for ten years. In 1852 he was elected 
county commissioner, on the Democratic ticket. He was appointed one of his 
aids by Governor Bigler, with rank of colonel. Colonel Steck died in 1859, 
and his wife, ncc Christiana S. Waltz, died in 1 863. Two of their daughters, 
Mrs. Mary Eason and Mrs Rose Rowe, reside in Brookville. 

Another of the veteran hotel keepers in Brookville was Jacob Burkett, who 
came to Brookville in 1845 from Indiana count)', where he removed from Blair 
county in 1828, settling in Smicksburg. He was "mine host" of the Globe 
Hotel for a number of years, and it was then one of the most popular houses 
in the county. He afterwards removed to Punxsutawney, and then for a time 
resided in Georgeville, Indiana county, and then returned to Brookville in 
1872, and died July 26, 1880, being buried on the ninet\'-first anniversary of his 
birth. His wife, Mrs. Catherine Burkett survived him — dying April, 1884, '" 
the sevent}-- third year of her age. Of a large family of children, nearly all of 
whom grew to manhood and womanhood in Brookville, but one, Mrs. Joseph 
Darr, resides here now. Mr. Burkett was a genial, kindly man, and enjoyed 
the respect of all who knew him. 

One of the best known and most successful hotel men that Brookville has 
ever known, was Charles N. Kretz, who came to the place from Reading in 
1857, and was almost continuously engaged in hotel keeping in Brookville for 
over twent)- years. The different houses which he managed in that time is 
given above, and to all of them he gave a first-class tone during his occupanc}-. 
Mrs. Kretz, his excellent helpmeet, died in the American Hotel in 1872, and 
Mr, Kretz also died in the same house in 1879. Only one of his family resides 
in Brookville, Mrs. A. Baur, the accomplished hostess of Hotel Longview. 



History of Brookville. 469 

Another prominent hotel keeper was Jacob Emery, who came to Brook- 
ville from Philadelphia, in 1863, and was almost continuously, as the hotel 
record shows, in the business for over twenty years. He kept a first-class 
house wherever he was. Mr. Emery died March 10, 1887, aged seventy-four 
years. 

There is probably no one in Jefferson county who has so long and contin- 
uously engaged in the hotel business as John S. Barr, who commenced in the 
Exchange Hotel in Corsica, in 1854-57 ; then he engaged in store-keeping in 
1858 and 1859 in Troy, and from i860 to 1864 kept the Carrier Hotel in that 
place. He then removed to Brookville, and purchased the restaurant of George 
Leopold, in 1864, which he changed into a hotel, which he ran until 1S71, as 
the Oak Hall Hotel, when he sold to R. M. Bell. The Oak Hall was destroyed 
in the fire of 1874. In 1872 he was elected sheriff of the county, and after his 
term of office expired, he bought the American House in Pittsburgh, which he 
ran for two years, when he returned to Jefferson county and resided for a time 
on his farm, in Pine Creek township. Then in 1879 he built the St. Cloud Hotel 
in Du Bois. In 1880 was proprietor of the American House, in Brookville, 
but soon sold out to A. B. Barr, and bought the Red Lion Hotel in Pittsburgh, 
which he ran until March, 1886, when he sold out and again returned to his 
farm, where he remained for a short time, then bought the City Hotel in Punx- 
sutawney. 

TJic Unioji Express. — The express business was first started in the old 
staging days in the American House. John J. Y. Thompson was the first 
agent, being succeeded by R. R. Means, then by Thompson & Darr, who in 
turn handed it over to John Scott, who removed the business to the post-office, 
and has in turn been succeeded by John H. Buell, Parker B. Hunt, Joseph M. 
Galbraith, C. M. Garrison, jr., and the present agent, J. O. Edelblute. 

Western Union Telegraph. — The Western Union Telegraph office was 
opened in Brookville early in July, 1865, Mrs. Berryhill being placed tempor- 
arily in charge, and remained a short time, when S. H. Lane, of Yarmouth, Me., 
succeeded her. He retained the management but a short time, when the 
office was placed in charge of A. Baur, who retained the management until late 
in 1879, when J. S. Carroll, a student in the office for a number of years, was 
placed in charge. Mr. Carroll was succeeded in 1881 by Joseph Breen, and 
the latter by M. E. Sullivan, the present manager, in 1882. 

Brookville Water Works. — On the 28th of July, 1883, W. D. J. Marlin, 
esq., in the belief that a place of the size and importance of Brookville should 
have water works, determined to see what the citizens of the town would do 
toward organizing a stock company, drew up a subscription paper and started 
out to raise five hundred shares at $50.00 per share, or $25,000, for the purpose 
of putting in the works, by evening he had the satisfaction of making a tem- 
porary organization with $23,000 of the stock taken, and on the 30th a perma- 

56 



47° History of Jefferson County. 

nent organization was made with all the stock taken, and every dollar of it hv 
citizens of the borough. A charter was applied for, and on the 25th of Sep- 
tember ground was broken for the erection of the works. By the ist of 
December the compan}- had built a substantial brick pump- house, had placed 
therein a thirty-horse power boiler, and two sets of Worthington pumps, with a 
capacity of pumping one million gallons of water daily, built two wooden tanks, 
each to hold twelve hundred and fifty barrels, erected a substantial frame build- 
ing around them, laid one thousand eight hundred feet of six inch wrought 
iron flange pipe from pumps to tanks, which are situated on the east side of 
Barnett street, opposite the public school building, and laid cast iron supplj' 
pipes on Barnett street to Main : on Main, from White to Mill ; Pickering, 
from Main to Jefferson ; Jefferson, from Barnett to Mill ; Church, from 
Diamond alley to Matson street, and down to W. H. Gray's residence. 

In the summer of 1884 the lines were extended by laying along Matson 
street from Church to Butler ; along a cross street from Matson to Dougherty ; 
from Mill down Jefferson, and over North Fork Creek out Pike to old borough 
line ; from Pike out Rebecca street to Maple alley ; down Pickering street 
across Redbank Creek, and out to B. Verstine's ; down White street from 
Main to Water; along Water from White to E. C. Hall's lot ; along west line 
of E. C. Hall's lot to Troy road ; across it to Susquehanna turnpike ; from 
thence west along turnpike to the borough lines ; along Water street from near 
the bridge to fair ground, to Barnett street ; on Church street from Diamond 
alley to James Brick's residence ; on White street from Main to north line 
of C. M. Garrison's property, and on Mill from Jefferson to Levi Lerch's 
property. 

In the summer of 1886 the companj' increased their capital stock from 
$25,000 to $28,000, and laid a line from Maple alley along Rebecca street to 
Second street, in Litch's addition ; from thence along Second street to Brady's 
avenue ; out Brady's avenue to Central avenue, in Taj-lor's addition ; thence 
down Central avenue to Seventh street ; down Seventh street to Western 
avenue, and along Western avenue to the railroad ; and on Water street from 
Barnett to the western line of lot of Charles B. Guth. 

The company have twenty-six fire hydrants, twelve of which are leased to 
the borough at $25 per year, twelve at $16 per year, and two to individuals. 
There has been one hundred and four taps made into the lines, and the 
company are now supplying one hundred and forty customers. 

The company have laid and are using about 1,900 feet 6 inch wrought 
iron flange pipe ; 5,000 feet 8 inch cast iron pipe ; 15,500 feet 4 inch cast iron 
pipe; 1,900 feet 3 inch kalamain wrought iron pipe; 300 feet 2 inch galva- 
nized wrought iron pipe, or over four and one- half miles of pipe, all of the 
supply pipe being laid from four to four feet six inches in depth. The ground 
being very hard, and in some places rocky, requiring blasting, the labor was 
very expensive. 



History of Bkookville. 471 

The first officers of the company were : Directors, Silas J. MarUn, E, A. 
Litch, Joseph Darr, C. M. Carrier and B. Verstine, Silas J. Marlin being 
elected president. 

In July, 1884, B. Verstine and C. M. Carrier sold their stock, and F. X. 
Kreitler and Jackson Heber were elected to fill the vacancies. 

This board has been retained since said time with S. J. Marlin as president 
up to August 23, 1886, at which time E. A. Litch was elected president. 

W. D. J. Marlin has been elected and served the company as secretary and 
treasurer ever since its organization, and together with the superintendent, 
Wilson R. Ramsey, has had general charge of the business of the company. 

The water furnished by the company is pumped from the North Fork 
Creek, a stream unsurpassed for purity, being fed by innumerable springs 
along its banks, being but seldom unfit to use on being pumped from the 
stream. 

Natural Gas in Brookvillc} — In 1875 the first well for oil was drilled south 
of Brookville, one mile from the court-house, on lands belonging to R. D Tay- 
lor. Mr. R. J. Nicholson at that time was the enterprising spirit in its devel- 
opment, having secured the leases and given contract to have the well put 
down. At the depth of 783 feet sufficient gas was struck to supply the boiler. 
The well was drilled to the depth of 1,620 feet and abandoned, and on account 
of the abandonment it was currently reported that Mr. Nicholson had been 
paid large sums of money by the Standard people for the abandonment. 

In those days, if the people had any cause of suspicion that their neighbors 
were getting along in worldly affairs any better than they were, it was the Stand- 
ard Company that was helping them. Everything was laid to the Standard Oil 
Company — a monopoly that was consuming the earth If in digging a well you 
should be fortunate enough to strike a good vein of water, it would be ex- 
pected that the Standard agent would be around before night to make advances 
on the well. I speak of this as being the first well drilled for oil. Several at- 
tempts have been made, but with light tools and crude machinery, such as were 
used in the early days of the oil excitement. In 1861 John Smith drilled a 
well on the point near Christ's brewery, but owing to such light tools could 
not penetrate our hard rocks very far. William Reed drilled a well at the 
depth of 280 feet at his planing-mill in 1862. The well is situated near the 
creek, below Taylor's dam. It used to flow to the height of three or four feet 
above the wood conductor ; but of late years, owing to the curiosity of boys, 
in putting in stones and other rubbish, it has ceased to flow as a fountain. It 
escapes over the conductor, coloring the rocks in its descent to the creek. It 
has been known as our sulphur spring, the water having a peculiar taste, of a 
sulphurous nature, coming undoubtedly from off a coal bed. 

In 1875 the e.xcitement ran high as to the finding of oil. Every one who 

1 Prepared by James L. Brown, of Brookville. 



472 History of Jefferson County. 

owned a patch of ground could count his weaUh, or at least could locate how 
many wells it would do to have on his lands. The thousands of derricks that 
imagination could picture out, sticking in and around our hills, caused some to 
sell their beautiful homes, because they could not bear the thoughts of living 
in an oil town — such as their imaginations had pictured out — but finally the 
excitement died away and remained so until the gas craze took the country in 
1882. Charter after charter of towns throughout Western Pennsylvania were 
being piled up in Harrisburg, giving to corporations certain rights and a mo- 
nopoly. Every town of importance was seized upon. The struggle for the 
supremacy in Pittsburgh brought out the decision of the Supreme Court, giv- 
ing equal rights to those who were legally incorporated. 

In 1883 the Brookville Natural Gas and Heating Company was incorpo- 
■ rated, a charter being granted to William B. Meredith, V. Neibert, Joseph 
McCullough and George Fox, of Kittanning borough, and James L. Brown, 
of Brookville; but owing to a feeling of jealousy existing among some of the 
citizens of the borough of Brookville, in having our charter controlled by non- 
residents, the Kittanning party sold their interest to James L. Brown and J. B. 
Henderson, from which a new company was organized, comprising James L. 
Brown, J. B. Henderson, S. A. Craig, J. E. Long and Henry Gray. The or- 
ganization being complete, James L. Brown was chosen president, and S. A. 
Craig, secretary and treasurer. A contract was entered into with Shaner & 
McLain to drill a well to the depth of two thousand feet. Drilling was com- 
menced April I, 1884, on a town lot located in the central portion of the town, 
belonging to Mrs. Sebastian Christ. A large vein of salt water was struck at 
230 feet, while at 1,920 feet, gas sufficient to supply the boiler; but, not being 
satisfied, the company concluded to send the drill down deeper ; but, owing to 
poor machinery and too light for the business, 2,430 feet was as far as the con- 
tractors could go. 

Well No. 2 was located seven hundred feet south of No. i, on lot belong- 
ing to the president, James L. Brown. It was drilled to the depth of 1,950 
feet, and abandoned, after putting in a forty- quart torpedo. The torpedo did 
not increase the flow of gas, the supply being somewhat limited. J. L. Brown 
utilized what little there was for his own private use. The company being 
somewhat discouraged, J. L. Brown and S. A. Craig bought the remaining 
stock and piped the gas from No. i w^ell to Main street, making attachments 
to forty fires. A new company was then organized. Brown & Craig selling 
part of the stock to Keatley Brothers, of North Clarendon, T. L. Templeton, 
of Warren county, E. H. Clark and J. N. Garrison, of Brookville. 

A contract was given to Keatley Brothers for a well to be located in what 
was called Ghost Hollow, two and one-half miles from town, west, on the 
Clarion pike. The well was abandoned at the depth of 2,210 feet. A second 
contract was made with Keatley Brothers to drill a well one mile south of 



History of Brookville. 473 

Corsica, on David Simpson's land, to be located on what was supposed to be 
the Anthony's Bend nntichnal. This well was abandoned as a duster at the 
depth of 2,260 feet. The company having been unfortunate in their invest- 
ments concluded to increase the number of shares of stock, many of our citi- 
zens taking stock. 

Well No. 5 was located on lands belonging to Thompson & Darr, three- 
fourths of a mile northwest of town. Drilling was commenced November 16, 
1886, and finished January 25, 1887, at the depth of 2,186 feet. Gas was 
struck at 1,203 feet, but not enough to supply the boiler. A sixty-quart tor- 
pedo was inserted, and increased the flow of gas one-half more ; but after stand- 
ing several months it dropped back to its former condition. The well was sold 
to E. H. Clark and W. D. J. Marlin, at one-third its cost. They then piped 
it into town and now are utilizing the gas for their own use. 

The Brookville Natural Gas and Heating Company have expended over 
$14,000 in trying to obtain gas, in the five wells they have down. If every- 
body's advice had been followed, they probably would have had plenty of gas 
to supply the town. From actual count kept of the different localities where 
they ought to bore for gas, 3S6 wells would have determined the gas question 
in and around Brookville. 

Photogj-apliy. — The first dawn of photographic light diflused its rays upon 
the rural village of Brookville, in 185 I, when Simon Snyder, the "itinerant 
pioneer" of the art, "took your picture for cash in advance" in room No. 2, 
Arcade building. He was followed in 1853, by a Mr. Bridge who, by a side- 
light window of a room in the old court-house, "took the pictures" of Brook- 
ville's pioneers. 

The same year, J. S. Chase in the month of July in the same building, 
catered to the public desire of having an impression of their face and figure in 
shape for future generations to gaze upon. 

W. D. J. Marlin, daguerreotj'pe artist displayed his skill in the profession 
in same building during 1854. 

About 1857 Charles Windsor opened a studio in the second-story west 
room of the Evans block. The new brick "Blood block," now occupies the 
ground. He used the process then known as the melainotype. 

L. C. Dillon and Abram Hall imported a "picture car" during 1858, which 
was located on the south side of the street, in front of the present " Marlin 
block;" made daguerreotypes, experimented with photographs by develop- 
ment, not meeting with much success. 

Ira C. Fuller in 1S59, was the first to use a side and sky-light studio in 
Brookville. It was in the second story of a frame building, on the site of the 
Caspar Endress brick block; he made melainotypes and ambrotypes, in con- 
nection with a book-store on first floor of same building. 

During the summer and winter of 1861-62 Henry Darr occupied the second 



474 History of Jefferson County. 

story northeast room of the Uriah Matson block, as a studio for the produc- 
tion of ferrotypes and ambrotypes on dark purple glass. 

In March, 1862, E. Clark Hall started a studio in the second story over 
Enoch Hall's store for the production of ferrotypes and ambrotypes. In the 
latter part of July he went to Meadville and learned the new art of producing 
photographs on paper. J. D. Dunn of that place was his preceptor. Return- 
ing in September, he rented the Dillon car, located it on Main street, in front 
of Edmund English's residence, and in the spring of 1863 remodeled the 
second story of Enoch Hall's store building, by putting in a large sky and side- 
light, reception and chemical room, using the entire second story. This was 
the pioneer effort of successful working of paper pictures in Jefferson and sur- 
rounding counties. The nearest studio was that of Mrs. DeWolf, in Franklin, 
Venango county. Meadville and Pittsburgh had photographic studios, which 
were the only ones in Western Pennsylvania. In I 863 he re- visited J. D. Dunn, 
at Meadville; from there he went to Newburg, N. Y., on the Hudson, taking 
lessons for one month of Mr. Reynolds, in the improved art of photography 
and porcelain miniatures. At that time Mr. Re\-nolds was one of the foremost 
operators in the profession ; from there he went to New York city, gathering 
information relating to the art in the studios of Sarony, Gurney, Fredericks and 
Kurtz, considered the master hands and minds of the United States in the art, 
and visited the best studios in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, in June, 1866. On 
account of failing health, sold his studio to \V. H. Gray, who had taken in- 
structions of him, and went to reside in Philadelphia. In 1869 Arnold Hoff- 
man refitted the P'uUer studio, and shared the public's patronage with Mr. 
Gray. September 3, 1870, E. Clark Hall returned, bought Mr. Hoffman's 
studio outfit with half interest of Mr. Gray's studio, consolidated the two under 
the firm name of Hall & Gray in 1875. Wilt Brothers, of Franklin, started 
a new studio in a one- story frame building; the new Methodist Church now 
occupies the site; they sold out to Ferdinand Hoffman, who retired in 1876. 

In 1875 E. C. Hall purchased Mr. Gray's interest in the studio, which was 
destroyed in April, 1876, by fire, with all its contents; he immediately leased 
ground on the burnt district from C. M. Garrison, built a one-story temporary 
studio, went to New York, bought an entire new outfit, and commenced work 
again, June i. On the 4th of July a cyclone, which demolished chimneys, etc., 
nearly closed him out again ; water was two inches deep on the floor, and the 
former warmth of his ardor for success was very much dampened. November, 
1878, he moved into the large, commodious and elegant studio in the new 
Rodgers block, fitted w ith large sky and side-light, operating room 20x 58^ feet, 
two chemical rooms 16x20 feet, each adjoining. A rack holding six back 
grounds, sliding into the wall out of the way, all fitted with newest styles of 
interior, palace, forest, park and lakeside scenes, with accompanying accesso- 
ries, chairs, rocks, stumps, bridges, balcony, cottage, rustic fence, iron fence. 



History of Brookville. 475 

gate-stile, etc., making it as complete in its appointments as any of the city 
studios. Cameras, large and small, enamellers of latest improved style, enable 
him to complete work in style and finish up to the times in every particular. 
Mr. Hall has followed the gradual progress of the art for over a quarter of a 
century, keeping posted and wide awake for improvements in every depart- 
ment which tend to produce superior work. Persons who have not visited his 
studio, have no idea of the complete manner in which it is furnished. All 
sizes of work from the smallest locket miniature to the largest portrait, taken 
direct from the sitter, and finished by himself 

Taxables, Population, etc. — The taxables in Brookville in 1849 were 177 ; 
in 1856, 273 ; in 1863, 297 ; in 1S70, 526; in 1880, 689 ; in 1886, 837. 

The population by census of 1840, was 276; 1850, 1,063; i860, 1,360; 
1870, 1,942 ; 1880, 2,136 ; in 1887, it is over 3,000. In i860 there were 346 
dwellings, 383 families and 400 voters. 

The triennial assessment gives the number of acres seated as 378; valua- 
tion, $12,765 ; value per acre, $34.56 ; number of houses and lots, 837 ; valu- 
ation, $189,758; three grist and four saw-mills, valuation, $13,350; acres un- 
seated, 20 ; valuation $250 ; number of horses, 170 ; valuation, $4,243 ; aver- 
age value, $24.90; number of cows, 138; valuation, $1,138; average value, 
$24; occupations, 461; valuation, $11,235; average, $24.37. Total valua- 
tion subject to county tax, $232,739 ; money at interest, %^6,6'ii6 ; carriages, 
62 ; valuation, $2,1 15. 

Elections. — The first election of which there is any record for the borough 
of Brookville, was in 1835, when Joseph Sharp was elected constable, and re- 
elected in 1836. The next entry in the record of elections is tlie following: 
1837, Brookville borough, constable, John McLoughlin ; burgess, Thomas 
Lucas; council, James Corbet, John Dougherty, John Pierce, Samuel Craig, 
William A. Sloan ; school directors, L. G. Clover, Samuel Craig, David Henry, 
C. A. Alexander, William A. Sloan, James Corbet. 

The following comprise the officials of the borough of Brookville for 18S7 : 

Justices of the peace, Robert R. Brady, John W. Walker; constable, J. Mc- 
R. Mohney , tax collector, I. F. Steiner; assessor, Charles J. Hodgkinson ; 
town council, John J. Thompson, Thomas M. Carroll, Thomas L. Templeton, 
Robert Stewart, John N. Garrison, F. W. Ingraham ; burgess, Samuel Cham- 
bers ; high constable, George H. Grove ; auditors, D. A. Henderson, E. A. 
Litch ; school directors, John J. Patterson, Thomas R. Hastings, A. F. Balmer, 
George H. Kennedy, Frank X. Kreitler, Cyrus H. Blood; judge of election, 
Joseph Darr ; inspectors, F. W. Ingraham, B. T. Hastings. 



476 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

HISTORY OF PINE CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

PINE CREEK township was established by act of Assembly in 1806, and by 
some writers is supposed to have been named from the creeks running 
through its bounds, the banks of which were covered with pine trees ; but we 
are inclined to beheve that the name was given to the township by Joseph 
Barnett, who first settled within its limits, and gave it the name from his old 
home, "Pine Creek," in Lycoming county. This township was the mother of 
all the others, and until 181S, when Perry was organized, was the only town- 
ship in the count}' — the only place where any kind of business could be e.xe- 
cuted. So that in writing the early history of the county, that of Pine Creek, 
which for over twenty years comprised all that was known of the county, has 
been written in the foregoing pages of this work. 

No township in the county is more broken by deep ravines and valleys than 
this of Pine Creek. Its surface indeed is a continuous succession of rugged 
hills, forbidding alike to the farmer and miner, because, in the one case tillage 
is extremely difficult, and in the other, the rocks, with few exceptions, contain 
little of value. 

Within its bounds are three of the principal streams of the county which 
unite to form Redbank. These are Sandy Lick, which flows along the southern 
edge of the township. Mill Creek flowing southwest across it, in a ravine no 
less deep than the other, though less wide ; North Fork flowing south along 
the western side. Water level at Port Barnet (where Mill Creek and the Sandy 
Lick come together and make a curious succession of bends in tlie channel 
way) is about 1,225 feet above mean tide, Atlantic Ocean. The highest sum- 
mits on the upland, as for example one especially prominent point on the 
Reynoldsville Road, east of Baum's Hotel, is not less than 1,750 feet above tide. 

The names given to these streams by the Delaware Indians are furnished 
us by Mr. John W. Jordon, vice-president of the Historical Society of 
Pennsylvania. "The North Fork was ' Tangawunsch-hanne,' i. e. Little Brier 
Stream, ' the stream whose banks are over-grown with the green brier.' 
Sandy Lick was called ' Leganwimahoni.' In the Delaware tongue Sandy 
was, or is Legamwi-(a Lick)-mahoni, also Sandy- Legamwi(Creek)-hanne, 
these are for Sandy Lick and Sandy Creek." 

That the Indians inhabited Pine Creek is proved b\- the reminiscences of 
the late Mrs. Graham, given elsewhere. The names given to streams, towns 
and localities by the red men of the forest were generalh' based upon some 
natural characteristic, hence the name given to the Little Brier. 



Pine Creek Township. 477 

Fines for Misdemeanors. — In the early days of the county's history the 
penalties prescribed by the laws of the Commonwealth for any offense against 
any of the statutes was rigorously enforced, seemingly without regard to the 
social standing of the oftender. Sabbath breaking, swearing, and intoxication 
seem to have been the sins most vigorously punished by the arm of the law. 
In an old docket, opened on the 15th day of Januar}-, 18 10, by Thomas 
Lucas, the first justice of the peace of Pine Creek township, are the following 
entries : 

[L. S.] " Jefferson county, ss. 

" Be it remembered that on the Seventh day of May, in the year of our 
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and ten, Gabriel Puntus, of sd County is 
Convicted before me Thos. Lucas, Esqr, one of the justices of the peace in and 
for sd Count}-, going to and from the mill unneasersirly upon the Sixth day of 
May instant being the Lord's day Commonly Coled Sunday at the county 
aforesaid. Contrary to the act of asembly in Such case made and pro\'ide, and 
I do adjudj him to forfeit for the same the Sum of four dollars. Given under 
my hand the day and year aforesaid. 

"Thos. Lucas. 
■" Commonwealth vs. John Dixkson. — Jefferson count}', ss. 
[L. S.] 

"Be it remembered that on the 13th day of January, in the year of otu" 
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twelve John Dixkson, of pine Creek 
township in the county of Jefferson is Convictted before me Thomas Lucas one 
of the justices of the peace in and for sd county of being intoxicated with the 
drinking of Spiritus Liquers and for Cursing one profain Curse in these Words 
God Dam, that is to say this Day at pine Creek township aforesaid Contrairey 
to the Act of general assembly in such Case made and provided. And I Do 
agudge him to forefit for the Same the Sum of Sixty Seven Cents for each 
ofence. Given under m\- hand and Seal the day and Year afore s'd. 

" Thos. Lucas. 

"Justices costs 35 cents. 

"Constable cost 31 cents." 

Lewis Long is also convicted in 1815 for " having hunted an carried the 
Carcis of one Dear on the 23d Day of July instant being the Lords Day Com- 
monly Coled Sunday, up pine Creek township aforesaid" and sentenced to pay 
four dollars penalty. 

The first entry in this old docket is an action for debt. " Thomas McCart- 
ney vs. Freedom Stiles, to recover, on a promisary note, dated June 20, 1805, 
for $4.25." 

The next entry is an action of surety of the peace : 
57 



478 



History of Jefferson County. 



Surity of the peace and good behavour on oath of Fudge 
Van Camp, January 25, 1810. 

Warrant issued January 25, 1810. 



" Commonwealth 

vs. 
Henry Vasbinder. 
yiistzce Costs. 

information 1 3c. 

Warrant 15 

2 recognizants 40 

notice to refferees 15 

I Sum', 3 names 19 

I Sum*, I name 10 

I Sum', 3 names 19 

Swearing 3 witnesses 56 

5 referees 35 

Eenteringruleof renewment 10 

Constable's cost §1.96 

referees 2.50 

Witnesses i . 50 

" We the refferees within named refferees having heard the partis the proofs 
and alligations to wit, we find from Evidence that the run is to be the line 
between Fudge Vancamp and Henry Vasbinder, from the line of the tract of 
land to the corner of by the camp and thence along the old fence 



Fudge Van Camp, principal tent ) 
£.. " 1 to appear, &c. 

Samuel Lucas, (bail) tent 
$100. 



'"! 



to prosicute, &c. 



referred to Sam' Scott, John Scott. Elijah M. Graham, 
Petter Jones and John Matson. 



row to the corner, thence by a direct line the same across the ridge to the run 
and each party to enjoy these clearings till after Harvest, next, Fudge Van- 
camp to enjoy the benefit of his sugar camp till the line is run and John Jones 
and Moses Knap is for to run the line between the parties and eavery one of 
the partis is to move there fence on there one ground Sd Vancamp is to 
leave sixteen feet and a half in the Clear between the stakes of the fences for a 
Lane or outlet between the partis and each party is to give surity for there 
Good Behavour unto each other, there goods and Chatties for the term of one 
year and one day from entring of surity to be entried ameditly if it can be 
had, if not to be had at the present time Bail is to be entred on Tuesday the 
Sixth day of Febuary A. D. 18 10, the plaintiff to pay fifty cents costs, and tlie 
defendant the remainder of the cost of Sute, Witness our hands and seals this 
second day of febuary A. D. 18 10. 

" Samuel Scott [L. S.] 
" John Scott [L. S.] 
" Elijah M. Graham [L.S.] 
" Peter Jones [L. S.] 
"John Matson, [L. S.] 
" Before me, 

" Thos. Lucas." 

The fines for Sabbath breaking, profane swearing and intoxication seem to 

have been rigidly enforced all through the term of office of Mr. Lucas, as we 

find numerous entries, in some instances the fines amounting to twelve dollars 

for one person. Numerous other offences are entered, the most curious being 



Pine Creek Township. 479 



the indictments of the " Commonwealth z's. Francis Godyear and MoUie Tay- 
lor for Poligamy " September 12, 1835. 

In these same old dockets is the account of Thomas Lucas, fees on pro- 
bates on fox, wolf and wild cats, from February 14, 1832, to June 11, 1838. 
Among the hunters are the names of William and Michael Long, Adam, 
Philip, Henry and William Vasbinder, John, Samuel and James Lucas, John 
and Thomas Callen.'lacob Shaffer, James Linn, Ralph Hill, John Wyncoop, 
William Dougherty, Frederick Hetrick, Nelson T. McQuston, William Horam 
and William Douglass. The list embraces thirty wild cats, forty-eight wolves, 
seventy-six foxes and one panther, (shot by Thomas Callen). The justice's 
fee on each probate was twelve and a half cents. 

On the whole, however, the early settlers of the county seem to have been 
a law abiding people, for, with the exception of a few actions for " assault and 
battery," there were no serious breaches of the peace in the first quarter of a 
century that this old docket legally chronicles. 

The first births that occurred in Pine Creek township were those already 
stated of Joseph Barnett's children — Rebecca born in 1802, and J. Potter in 
1803. The first marriage was that of Joseph Barnett's daughter, Sarah, who 
was married to Elisha M. Graham, on the 30th of March, 1807. There was 
no minister or justice of the peace within the bounds of the county at that 
time, so the young couple went to Armstrong, now Clarion county, and at the 
house of John Hindman had the knot tied by John Corbet, esq., an uncle of 
Colonel W. W. Corbet, of Brookville. 

The first minister of the gospel who penetrated into these wilds was a man 
by the name of Greer, who had been a friend and neighbor of Joseph Barnett 
when he lived on Pine Creek, in Lycoming county, and who, as Mrs. Graham 
says, came to visit his old friend in 1800, when he spent two weeks and 
preached to the few settlers then in the county. A year or so after he made 
them another visit, and again dispensed the Word of God. 

The first death we have already recorded, was that of Andrew Barnett, 
whose grave " no man knoweth the place thereof" 

The early settlers of Pine Creek, beginning with the Barnetts, have already 
been mentioned. The first family who followed the Barnetts into this wilder- 
ness was that of Peter Jones, who came from Mash Creek, in the Bald Eagle 
Valley, in Centre county, in 1 80 1. Peter Jones was the son of Swiss parents, 
who came to the United States from Switzerland in the latter part of the 
eighteenth century. His father, Abraham Jones, served for a time in the 
American army in 1 8 12. His son, Peter, was born and raised near Philadel- 
phia, but after his marriage to Rebecca Scott, a daughter of John and Rebecca 
Scott, who had emigrated from Scotland and settled in Dauphin county, he 
removed to Centre county. 

When Peter Jones and his wife first settled in Centre county, the early set- 



48o History of Jefferson County. 

tiers were in almost constant peril of their lives from the sudden incursions of 
the Indians. On one of these occasions the family of Mr. Jones had taken ref- 
uge, with many others, in a stockade fort, built in Penn's Valley, by General 
James Potter. It is said of Mrs. Jones, that "she worked with a will in making 
cartridges for the men to use in defending the fort." Peter Jones resided in Pine 
Creek township until 1 817, when he removed to Armstrong county (now 
Clarion) and settled near Strattanville. Of his sons, John, Samuel and Isaac, 
the latter alone survives, and now resides in Corsica. John Jones is men- 
tioned by Mrs. Graham as being a frequent companion of Jim Hunt in his 
hunting excursions, and Samuel was the father of Joshua Jones, now a resident 
of Brookville, Jared of Polk township, John of Clarion and Sarah, wife of 
John Clark, Mrs. Isaac Lyle, of Warsaw township and Mrs. James Harris of 
this township. 

Among the early settlers was Lewis (or Ludwig) Long, who settled in 1803 
on the farm now owned by David McConnell. Mr. Long, at an early day, re- 
moved to the State of Ohio, but his sons, William, Michael, Daniel and John 
remained, and lived and died amid the scenes of their early exploits. They 
were all great lovers of the chase, the two former, especially, being hunters, of 
whose deeds of prowess and woodcraft a volume might be written. The tragic 
death of Daniel has already been noted. John was the other member of the 
family who was, for more than half a century, connected with the histor_\' of 
Pine Creek township. Though a farmer he was as fond as his brothers of 
hunting, and on one occasion, while on a bear hunt with his brother Michael 
and John Vasbinder, had quite an encounter with one of these animals. They 
had separated, — Mike, with the dogs, was on top of a ridge, the other two on 
the flat below him, when Vasbinder came across some bear cubs. He shot one, 
and the little thing cried out with pain, which brought its mother to the rescue. 
As she bounded past John Long, he called for Mike to let the dogs loose, 
and soon bear and dogs were rushing pell-mell down the hill. The infuriated 
animal was just reaching for Vasbinder's heels when he jumped over a large 
log, which the bear, not seeing, ran against, and b\- the time it recovered itself 
the dogs had hold of it, and the hunters soon dispatched the animal and saved 
Vasbinder's life. 

Mr. Vasbinder lived to be an old man, but nothing could induce him to go 
bear hunting again. Another time, while camping out, John Long's dogs 
treed a bear, and he started with his rifle to shoot it. A trait in a bear is, that 
when pursued it will always run in the same direction, and to see to shoot it 
Mr. Long had to get between it and the rays of the moon ; this always 
brought him in the way of the animal when he shot at it, which he did several 
times, that night. Once in getting out of its way, he lost his hat and the dog 
and bear, in one of their fights, trampled it into the snow, so that he never re- 
covered it. He finally succeeded in killing the^ huge beast. 



Pine Creek Township. 481 



On one occasion, a friend of Mr. Long's, from Ohio, who was visiting him, 
wanted to see a wolf, and they went out in quest of one. Mr. Long could call 
them up by howling as they did, and soon had the satisfaction of showing his 
friend a " big dog wolf," which the latter shot, but on going up to it he found 
that it was only slightly wounded. Mr. Long caught hold of it by the hind 
legs, and when it would snarl and turn around to bite, he would jerk it oft' the 
ground, his friend all the time trying to knock its brains out with the muzzle 
of his gun. The wolf snapped off his ramrod and left the marks of its teeth on 
the iron barrel of his gun, but finally he got in a blow that stunned the infuri- 
ated brute, and Mr. Long, letting go, grabbed up a pine knot and finished 
him. Mr. Long said he never liked to kill these old wolves, as they would 
bring a mate and rear their young upon the same ground, year after year, and 
up to the year 1858 he got cubs every year for which he was paid a bounty 
of ten dollars per scalp. 

The hardest fight he ever had with a wild beast was with an otter, which 
he shot and wounded on the ice. After shooting it he ran up and caught it 
by the hind legs, when it flew around and tried to bite him, and the only way 
he had of killing it was to beat its brains out on the ice ; but the water was 
running over the ice, and he had to keep swinging it around his head and 
bringing it down on the ice, as he carefully made his way to the shore, when 
he dispatched it. At that time otter skins were worth twelve dollars apiece. 
There was nothing the hunters so feared as an encounter with a she bear or a 
wounded buck. 

Mr. Long continued to hunt as long as his age permitted him. The farm 
upon which he resided for so long in this township is now owned and occupied 
by his son-in-law, Edward C. Shobert. 

Among the earliest settlers in Pine Creek township were the Butlers, — 
David, Cyrus and Nathaniel. Their father, James Butler, was a native of Ver- 
mont, and died there in 1 8 1 2, in the seventieth year of his age. He had served, 
during the Revolutionary War, in a cavalry regiment. His wife was Esther 
Wadsworth, niece of that Captain Wadsworth who so boldly saved the charter 
of the State of Connecticut, when it was demanded by Sir Edmund Andros, in 
1685.^ Mrs. Butler died in Brookville, in the house recently torn down by C. 
C. Benscoter, esq. C)n her tombstone, in the "old grave-yard," is this -in- 
scription : "Esther Butler, born in Hartford, Conn., December 25, 1759. 
Died June 29, 1840." She v\'as an estimable woman, a worthy representative 
of the name she bore. 

The Butler brothers came from their home in Connecticut, and after re- 

1 "The lights were extinguished as if by accident; and Captain Wadsworth, laying hold of the 
charter, disappeared with it before they could be rekindled. He conveyed it securely through the 
crowd, who opened to let him pass and closed their ranks as he proceeded, and deposited it in the hoi- 
low of an ancient oak tree, which ret.iined the precious deposit until the era of the English Revolu- 
tion." — Goodrich^ s " History of America.'''' 



482 History of Jefferson County. 

maining some time in tlie city of New York, made their way to Jefferson 
count)'. Cyrus located in Brookville and the other two in Pine Creek town- 
ship. David came to Pine Creek in 18 16. He was employed on the Susque- 
hanna and Waterford turnpike, and as there were no white women in the 
neighborhood except the Barnett famil}', he was cook for the rest of the men 
employed on the section east of Port Barnett. The " Barnett girls," who 
baked the bread for the men, made a calico dress and cap and sent it to the 
pseudo cook, who donned the feminine garments, and while busily engaged at 
his unwonted task and habited in his unwonted garb, was accosted by a trav- 
eler with, " Madam, can you tell me where this road leads to ? " " Yes ; this 
is the right road ; just follow the blaze on the trees," said " Madam," nervously, 
as he saw the stranger glance very suspiciously at the heavy cowhide shoes 
that showed below the rather short dress. 

David Butler settled and cleared the farm upon which his son David and 
his motlier and sister, Mrs. Chloe Wadsworth Hallet, now reside, building the 
present house about fifty-three years ago. He married Catharine Fey, of 
Clearfield county, who now, in the eighty-third year of her age, is the only one 
of those early settlers who yet remain. Mr. Butler died August 12, i860. Of 
their eleven children a daughter died in infancy, and Colonel Cyrus Butler, the 
oldest son, was killed in Clearfield county during the war, (an account of which 
has already been given) ; the rest are all living. Mr. Butler was one of the 
first Methodists in Jefferson county, — one of the pioneers, as will be seen in a 
history of that denomination, and was a good citizen in every sense of the 
word. He also held several offices in Pine Creek township, being elected at 
the election held March 20, 1829, both supervisor and fence viewer. 

Nathaniel, the youngest of the three brothers, on his arrival in this county, 
worked for a while on a saw- mill on the North Fork, situated about the head 
of the present mill dam of T. K. Litch & Sons. In 1827 he was married to 
Rebecca Barnett, daughter of Joseph Barnett, the first white child born in Jeffer- 
son county. He removed to the farm, upon which he resided until his death, in 
1828. Mr. Butler was one of the foremost citizens in the county, and was ap- 
pointed county treasurer in i84i,and in 1830 was elected township auditor. 
Mrs. Butler died June 17, 1875. She was an excellent woman, and took great 
delight in recounting to the younger generation the history of the early days 
of the county, among which she was reared. She remembered the Indians well, 
and told of one poor squaw who sickened and died, and was buried near Port 
Barnett, telling how grateful the poor, dusky stranger was for the delicacies 
that she and her sisters carried to her during her illness. Nathaniel Butler 
died in March, 1878, being at the time seventy-eight years of age. His family 
consisted of five sons, three of whom, Samuel, James and Charles are living, 
all residents of this county. 

In addition to those already mentioned there appears to have been the fol- 



Pine Creek Township. 483 

lowing persons residents of the township, up to 1818 : Jacob Mason, Richard 
Van Camp, Freedom Stiles, George Reynolds, Henry Graham, William 
Brooks, James Potter, Henry Fey, Jesse Kelsey, Samuel Dixson, Elisha 
Dickes, William Lucas, James Monks, Benjamin Carson, Jacob McFadden, 
Samuel States, John Hice, Henry Lott, Joseph Clements, Charles Sutherland, 
Robert Dickson, Innis Van Camp, Frederick Frants, John Mason, George 
Evans, Robert Knox, William Hayns, Izrael Stiles, Hulett Smith, John Tem- 
pleton, Joseph Greenawalt, whose names all appear in the official records of the 
county. 

Farms. — There are some good farms in Pine Creek, which have been re- 
claimed from the wilderness by hard work and sturdy blows by the pioneer 
settlers, and those who came after them. 

One of the first tliat is reached on leaving Brookville, on the Ridgway road, 
is the old McCulIough place, settled by Joseph McCulIough. He was one of 
the first to settle in that neighborhood, and raised a large family of children, 
nearly all of whom settled in Jefferson county. This farm, now owned by 
John, and part by Harry McCulIough, sons of Joseph, are good farms, with 
good buildings. Next comes the farm first settled in 1803 by Lewis Long, 
and then owned by John Lattimer, who sold to Hamilton Moody, and which is 
now owned by David B. McConnell. This farm, which is one of the best in 
the township, with good buildings, formerly contained one hundred and thir- 
teen acres; but since Mr. McConnell became its owner he has sold forty acres 
to Barton Hutchens. One of the features of this place is an excellent market 
garden of over an acre in extent. The land is all cleared, and in an excellent 
state of cultivation, except thirty acres of woodland. 

The Nathaniel Butler farm, on which Mr. Butler settled in 1828, is now 
owned by Elijah H. McAninch. This farm contains about two hundred acres, 
all cleared. It is under good cultivation, and has good orchards. Mr. Mc- 
Aninch has erected good buildings, and much improved the property since it 
came into his possession. He raises some of the finest stock in the township. 

Then we come to the place where Mr. Graham says " Fudge Van Camp 
built his cabin." This man, who was the first of the colored race to set his foot 
within the bounds of Jefferson county, that cold wintry day in 1800 when he 
and his companions almost perished by the way, seems to have been a provi- 
dent sort of a fellow, for it is recorded of him that he brought apple seeds with 
him and planted them upon this place from which was raised the first fruit ever 
grown in Jefferson county. This farm soon passed into the hands of Samuel 
Jones, a son of Peter Jones, and at his death became the property of John 
Clark, whose wife is a daughter of Mr. Jones. The farm originally contained 
two hundred and eighteen acres, but about twenty years ago it was divided, 
and Joshua Jones, a son of Samuel, became owner of one-half, Mr. Clark re- 
taining the old Jones homestead. The buildings are old, but in good repair. 



484 History of Jefferson County. 

These two farms are both good, and yield good crops of grain and hay, with 
good orchards of fine fruit. 

The ne.xt farm is where WilHam Vasbinder settled in 1S02 or 1803, and 
which for many years has been known as the Kirkman homestead. Mr. 
Thomas Kirkman has sold it to his son-in-law, Charles Frost. This is an ex- 
cellent farm of over two hundred acres; buildings good. 

The Harris place, for a great many years the home of Thomas Harris, sr., 
was first settled in 1802 or 1803 by Adam Vasbinder. It is a good farm of 
eighty acres, well cultivated. James Harris purchased this farm of his father a 
year or two ago. Thomas Harris, now one of the oldest citizens of the 
county, was born at Clithero, Lancashire, England, June 29, 1S05, and em- 
igrated to the United States in 1842, locating in Philadelphia in April of that 
year. The sea voyage consumed six weeks. Mr. Harris remained in Phila- 
delphia until 1849, when he removed to Brookville, where he lived two years, 
until he purchased the farm now owned by his son James. His wife, ncc Ellen 
Whitaker, was also a native of England, and was born in Yorkshire October 
22, 1806, and came to this country with her husband and family in 1842. She 
died on the farm in Pine Creek, January 17, 1878. Of their eight children 
John died in Brooklyn, N. Y., and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery; Mrs. 
Anna Fetzer resides in Greenville, Mercer county ; Mrs. Mary McLain in 
Brookville ; James on the old homestead ; Mrs. Sarah Kirkman in Brookville ; 
William in Ringgold ; Mrs. Ellen Carrier in Brookville ; and Thomas R. in 
Warsaw township. Mr. Harris now resides with his daughter, Mrs. McLain, 
in Brookville, and is in the eighty-third year of his age. In a grove of pines 
on this firm is an old grave-yard, where some of the old settlers were buried. 

Just beyond the borough limits, on the " Creek road," is the place known 
as the " Cummins farm," where Dr. C. P. Cummins resided during his residence 
in Brookville, as pastor of the Presbyterian Church. It formerly belonged to 
William Jack, and is now owned by the children of Ira C. Fuller. 

John S. Barr owns the ne.xt place in this vicinity. It is the place settled at 
an early date by John Roll, then owned by Peter Ostrander and Da\id Mason. 
Mr. Barr, since he purchased the property, has greatly improved it, and it is 
now, with its good buildings and pretty lawn, one of the nicest farms in the 
township. Three large apple trees planted by Mr. Roll, are still living. 

The Jacob Hoffman farm was first improved by Charles Sutherland. Mr. 
Hoffman, whose age will not allow of such active work as farming, has retired, 
and the farm is now in the hands of his sons, John and Ferdinand. 

Parliament Hutchins owns the farm originally settled by Joseph McCul- 
lough. He has it under good cultivation, with excellent buildings. 

The L. S. Geer place, now owned bj- A. L. and C. M. M. Geer, was or- 
iginally settled by Daniel Long, who was residing upon it when he was killed 
by the Greens in 1843. 



Pine Creek Township. 485 

John Geer owns a good farm with good buildings, and in this neighbor- 
hood is to be found the farms of Wadsworth and Perry Butler, Jeremiah Oiler, 
John Alford, J. Dunham, Joshua and William D. Knapp, G. Wank, J. Miller, J. 
McMillen and Cornelius Stahlman. Mr. Stahlman owns a tract of timber 
land also in this part of the township. Henry Parker's farm adjoins that of 
John Clark, and is well improved, with good buildings. 

Leaving Port Barnett by the pike going eastward, we first come to the farm 
of Oliver Brady, containing one hundred and fifty acres. It is one of the very 
best farms in the township, with good buildings. It is part of the Barnett 
property, and was first improved by Andrew Barnett. IMr. Brady has resided 
here since 1855. Adjoining this is the old Long place, already mentioned, 
then comes the Baum farm, first settled by a man named Talmadge, who sold 
to John Baum. It is now owned by Mrs. Joanna Baum. C. G. Baum, Mrs. 
Hatten and W. A. Andrews own small farms in this vicinity. William D. 
Kane, the present county treasurer, owns the farm improved by his uncle, 
Quinton O'Kain, in 1843. It contains ninety-five acres, the last of the orig- 
inal purchase of four hundred acres. Mr. Kane raises excellent fruit. George 
Ossewandle, sr., Andrew Ossewandle and George Ossewandle, jr., own farms 
in this neighborhood. 

The " Mile Hill " property is one of the prettiest located places in the town- 
ship. It is just one mile west from Emerickville, and derives its name from the 
traveler being able to see all the road for that distance. It was originally a 
portion of the Jeremiah Parker lands, and then became the property of the 
Portland Land Company, who in turn sold three hundred and seventj* acres, 
comprising this property, to Joseph E. Hall and E. H. Darrah, in June, 1857. 
It was heavily timbered with magnificent pine, which the new firm at once 
began operations upon. The first boarding-house was kept by Samuel Lyle, 
who was succeeded by Mrs. Julia Darling. In 1865 Joseph E. Hall sold his 
interest in the property to W. R. Darrah, and then E. H. Darrah sold the east 
half of the tract to Henry Buzzard, who resides upon it. W. R. Darrah sold 
his half to B. F. Taylor, who in 1887, disposed of it to Mrs. Hettie Haines. 

Benewell Kroh owns one of the best farms in the township, upon which is 
one of the finest orchards to be found in the county. The George Ford place, 
on the Warsaw line, is also an excellent farm, with good buildings and excel- 
lent fruit. D. Mason and Henry J. Kroh own farms in this part of the town- 
ship. The Patrick Smith farm, that of \\'illiam Ohls, and Joseph Stahlman, 
are all situated north of Five Mile Run. 

West of Emerickville there is quite an area of waste land, so rugged and 
utter!)' unfit for cultivation that no one has ever been hardy enough to attempt 
to settle upon it. There is considerable unseated land in the township, the 
principal tract being the Sulger lands, which contains .over three thousand acres. 
P. P. and H. W. Carrier, James Humphrey and Clark & Darrah are the prin- 
cipal owners of the rest of the unseated. ^ 



486 History of Jefferson County. 

The first to settle in the vicinity of Emerickville was Isaac Packer, who 
located on what is now the Peter Baum place about 1 830. He erected a log 
house and kept a hotel in primitive style. Henry Vasbinder was also one of 
the first to settle in this vicinity, on what is now the John Emerick farm. 

The principal farms around Emerickville are: John Emerick's, which was 
cleared by Hance Vasbinder, then owned by John Emerick in 1834. Mr. 
Emerick has now twenty acres of this farm, and Emanuel Schuckers one 
hundred and twenty-four acres, upon which he has good buildings. The land 
is under excellent cultivation, and yields good crops of hay, oats, corn, etc. 

E. Weiser farms fifty- eight acres, with good buildings thereon. It was 
cleared by Weiser and Jacob Weidner, in i860. Good spring crops and a fine 
yield of hay are raised on this farm. Joseph Schuckers in 1882 purchased the 
farm originally cleared by Artemus W. Purdy. It was successively owned 
by Robert Darrah, John K. Smith, John Emerick, Charles Murphy and E. 
Schuckers. Mr. Schuckers has since he purchased it added to it si.xty acres 
purchased from Sarah P. Moore in 1886. The improvements are good, and 
this is one of the best farms in the township. The James V. Moore farm, now 
•owned by his daughter, Sarah P. Moore, was cleared by Mr. Moore about 
1830. It is a good farm of over one hundred acres, with a good house. The 
William Moore farm, cleared and improved by Archibald McMurray, in 1840, 
and sold by him to James F. Moore, is also a good farm, with pretty good 
buildings. The James Murphy farm, now owned by Mrs. Susannah Emerick, 
was cleared and improved by Mr. Murphy in 1840. The farm of Joseph Zim- 
merman, first improved by his father, Joseph K. Zimmerman, who came to the 
place from Schuylkill county, in 1845, is a good farm with good buildings. 
George Zetler now owns the farm cleared in 1845 t>y David Ishman, who sold 
it to George Ossewandle. It is under e.xcellent cultivation, with good build- 
ings. The John Cable farm, improved by Daniel Cable, the Gerson Doney 
farm first settled by John K. Smith, the farm of Mrs. Emeline Fails, the Levi 
Cable farm, the Milliron farm, the Ishman farms, August Huntzinger's place, 
and that of Perry Brittoii, are all in the neighborhood of Emerickville. 

John Emerick, now in the cight\'-fourth }'ear of his age, came to this part 
of the township in 1847, and bought the farm originally improved by Hance 
Vasbinder. Mr. Emerick only owns a small portion of this place now. Sarah 
Emerick owns seventy acres and Henry Emerick forty-two. The farm im- 
proved and owned for a number of years by Jacob Kroh, which is one of the 
best in the county, is now known as the Peter Baum property. Izrael Snyder 
owns a good farm near Raum's 

All the farms in the vicinit\' of Emerickville are well tilled, and show thrift 
and good management on the part of the owners. The apple seeds planted by 
Fudge Van Camp, and the three trees that sprang up from seeds sown by his 
fellow-traveler, Roll, on the spot now occupied by Adam Miller, followed soon 



Pine Creek Township. 487 

after by the fruit trees planted in the flat by the Barnetts, where James Hum- 
phrey's orchard now is, have yielded an hundred fold, for Pine Creek is famous 
for its excellent fruit ; on all its farms where there is any pretense made in the 
way of living, are to be found good orchards and apples, pears, plums, cher- 
ries and grapes are raised in profusion, and of excellent varieties, while every 
hillside, woodland pasture and ravine furnish blackberries in luscious profusion. 

The stock in Pine Creek is generally native or common, very few thorough- 
bred animals being found, John Clark, E. H. McAninch, David Butler and W. 
H. Miller being the only ones who have improved stock. Some fine Jersey 
cattle are to be found on their farms. 

Geology of Pine Creek. — The most noticeable feature of the geological for- 
mation of Pine Creek township is the massiveness of the Homewood and Con- 
noquennessing sandstone. The former is extensively quarried for building 
purposes, and is found over fift\'-five feet thick ; the latter, of a greyish white 
color, and micaceous, is found seventy feet thick in the cut at Garrisons; un- 
like the Homewood, it is irregularly bedded, and in weathering breaks into 
small fragments. 

By some the first coal discovered in Pine Creek is said to have been dug 
out of a run on the Harry McCuUough place, by a colored man named Doug- 
lass, while it is also claimed that it was first found by David Butler, on his 
farm. The principal coal banks in the township are those of William Carberry 
(first opened by Nathaniel Butler). This vein is from 3' 2" to 3' 6" thick, with 
a hard slate roof, and fire-clay floor. The David McConnell bank is said to 
be 5' thick, with an upper seam from 2' to 3' thick. John McCullough's, 
David Butler's and P. Hutchen's banks are about the same in size and quality 
as the others. The coal is the Brookville seam, and the coal is all of a fair 
quality, good for home consumption, but containing too much iron pyrites to 
make it of value for shipment. 

The most extensive coal operations in Pine Creek were made a few years 
ago by the Jefferson and Rocky Bend Coal Companies and by Abel Fuller, 
in the vicinity of Fuller Station. These works were first opened about the year 
1872, by Perkins & Co., of New York, on land owned by Lindsay Moore, part 
of the Holden tract. It was then purchased by Captain John M. Steck, of 
Brookville, and Corydon Karr, of New York, and was run by Adams & Moul- 
ton, of Buffalo, N. Y., for about two years, then leased to Elias Rodgers & Co., 
with Howard Nicholson, manager. 

The coal first mined was bright, firm and black, and was analyzed by the 
Buffalo Gas Company, as follows : Gas, 9,000 cubic feet ; coke, U bushels ; 
candle power, 13.6. The coal was about 5' thick, and is pronounced by W. 
G. Piatt in his geological report to be the Mercer upper coal. After getting 
the mine in good order, and admirably arranged for shipment, the coal was 
found to not realize the expectations formed by the outcrop, the bed being 



488 History of Jefferson County. 

found " faulty," and the coal hard to mine and yielding rather indifferent fuel, 
and the mine was abandoned. It is still owned by the Rocky Bend Company. 

The Abel Fuller mine on the right bank of Sandy Lick was the same in 
every respect as that described above. 

The Freeport lower coal is twice opened on the Reynoldsville road in the 
vicinity of Peter Baum's hotel, where it was found 5' thick. 

There are very few e.xposures of limestone in the township, and it has not 
been used to any extent. Iron ore is found on the Joshua Knapp farm, but it 
has not been investigated. 

Valuable deposits of excellent fire-clay are found in Pine Creek, along 
Sandy Lick. James L. Brown, of Brookville, made the first shipment of fire- 
clay from Jefferson county. In 1878 William French picked up, in the cut 
near the railroad at Bell Port, a substance resembling in texture a Turkish 
whetstone. He took a sample to James L. Brown, who pronounced it fire- 
clay. They then sunk a shaft on the hill at Bell Port, and were rewarded for 
their labors by going through a five-foot solid vein of fire-clay. Air. Brown 
then purchased the property of Mr. Crawford and commenced develop- 
ments, and soon other discoveries were made, the result of which was a sale of 
a half- interest in the property to James Erskine, of Youngstown, O., and 
John McMath, of Clearfield. Improvements were made, giving the firm of 
Brown, Erskine & Co. capacity for mining and shipping tweh'e carloads of clay 
per w eek. New openings have been made and the firm is now shipping from 
three different mines. The clays vary in thickness from two to eleven feet. 
These deposits are very uncertain and limited to a small area. In the Bell 
Port mine there are four qualities of fire- clay. Experience alone determines 
their use. We give below an analysis, by Mr. McCreath, of Harrisburg, of 
their No. i hard clays, which, with proper mixtures and well manufactured 
fire-brick, finds a ready market for the steel trade: 

Silica 44.220 

Alumina (by difference) 38,151 

Proto.\ide of Iron 510 

Titanic Acid 2, 150 

Lime 020 

Magnesia 234 

Alkalies 035 

Water 14,680 

100,000 

Lumber and Saw-mills. — Pine Creek has been the scene of some of the 
most active operations in the lumber trade of the county, and no part of it has 
produced finer timber. In all the j'ears of her history lumbering has been the 
principal occupation of her citizens, and since the little mill was erected on 
Mill Creek, by the Barnetts, in 1795, many such structures, gaining in utility 
and importance with the progress of the county, have been erected upon the 
streams within her borders. 



Pine Creek Township. 489 

The next mill built after that of Joseph Barnett is said to have been erected 
on the North Fork in 1800, by Moses Knapp, near the head of the present 
Ltich dam. Mr. Knapp, after building several other mills in different localities, 
returned to the North Fork in 1836 and built one about a mile from the pres- 
ent " Company mill." This he sold in a short time to William Paine who in 
turn sold it to his brothers, Alexander B. and Sinton Paine, and Leonard 
Walters, of Pittsburgh, and Sinton Paine also sold out to the latter and re- 
moved to Kentucky. A. B. Paine and Leonard Walters, after remodeling the 
mill somewhat, ran it until about 1878, when the machinery was taken out and 
the mill abandoned. The mill-site has since been sold to C. M. Carrier. 

The next mill on the North Fork was erected by HoUenbeck, Coryell & 
Co., of New York, in 1855. This company owned five thousand acres of land 
in Jefferson county, four thousand acres of which were heavily timbered with 
pine, situated in Pine Creek and Warsaw townships. C. M. Garrison super- 
intended the building of this mill. Mr. Garrison was a lumberman of long 
experience, having been engaged extensively in the business in Apalachian, 
N. Y., from whence he came to take charge of the new enterprise of Messrs. 
Hollenbeck, Coryell & Co. 

In 1861 this firm sold to Carrier, Jackson & Co., of which latter firm Mr. 
Garrison was a member, and made the purchase from Hollenbeck, Coryell & 
Co. The firm was then changed to Jackson, Moore & Co., and then known 
for several years as Jackson, Verstine & Co., and for the last ten years as Car- 
rier, Verstine & Co. Some question having been raised as to the capacity of 
the " Company mill," as it is called, Bernard Kline, then sawyer on the mill, 
claiming that he could cut 30,000 feet of good, merchantable boards in twelve 
hours, the 2d day of August, 1865, was set apart for the trial, and in the time 
specified he sawed 44,325 feet of good boards, R. J. Nicholson measuring the 
same. Only one saw was used. 

During the first years the firms operating this mill shipped large quantities 
of square timber, but in the last fifteen years the principal shipments have been 
boards and bill stuff, amounting to about 4,000,000 feet per year. 

The present firm is composed of Cassius M. Carrier, Bernard Verstine and 
Bernard Kline. They own over 5,000 acres of land in Jefferson county, sit- 
uated in Pine Creek, Rose, Warsaw and Eldred townships. 

In 1837 James C. Matson built a saw-mill on the North Fork, which was 
burned down in 1844. 

In 1865 Mr. Matson erected a portable mill on Little Mill Creek, which 
was also destroyed by fire September 12, 1867. On this there was no insur- 
ance, and Mr. Matson's loss was very heavy. The mill, however, was at once 
rebuilt. 

William McCullough built a mill on Little Mill Creek in 1837, which he 
afterwards exchanged for the property on Pickering street, in the borough of 



490 History of Jefferson County. 

Brookville, owned by D. B. Jenks, esq., and where Mr. McCuIlough resided 
until his death. 

In 1839 James S. McCuIlough built a mill on Big Mill Creek, above Port 
Barnett, which he afterwards sold to Parliament Hutchens. Mr. McCuIlough 
also built a mill on Little Mill Creek in 1847 or 1848, which he afterwards 
sold to H. H. Parker. 

Matson Knapp built a mill on the Geer or Knapp Run about the year 
1848, and Joseph Knapp built one on the same run shortly after. 

George Ford built a mill on Little Mill Creek about 1858, two miles above 
the Parker mill. 

About the year 1865 John Carrier and Andrew Baum built a steam mill 
on Big Mill Creek. In the spring of 1871 Nathan Carrier, jr., purchased John 
Carrier's interest in this property, and after running it about a year removed 
the machinery to the new mill erected by him on Red Bank. 

The " Iowa" mill, on Sand}' Lick, was built in 1847, t>y Elijah Clark & 
Sons (Samuel K. and Charles B.) and Joseph E. Hall. It was named " Iowa," 
(which name it has always retained) by Rufus Kent, of Maine, a cousin of the 
Clarks, as a joke at the expense of the younger Clarks and J. E. Hall, who had 
for some time entertained their friends with their plans and intentions for em- 
igrating to the West and locating in the State of Iowa. 

In July, 1850, Joseph E. Hall sold his interest to the Clarks, who ran the 
mill as Clark & Sons until November 5, 1850, when Elijah Clark died, and 
then it was managed by the Clark Brothers until July, 185 1, when E. H. 
Darrah, who had been working on the mill as a sawyer, purchased a third in- 
terest in the mill and the tract of seven hundred and seven acres of timber 
land belonging to the property, which had been purchased from the Portland 
Land Company, by article of agreement dated February 10, 1847. Novem- 
ber 22, I 85 I, Samuel K. Clark died while down the creek with lumber. 

Mr. Darrah, after the death of Samuel K. Clark, became an equal partner 
in the property with Charles B. Clark, and the business was conducted by 
Clark & Darrah, until they sold to James Neal in 1853, who owned it until 
June 21, 1871, when he sold to Robert R. Means and Robert J. Nicholson. 
In 1877 Mr. Means died, and the business was conducted by Mr. Nicholson 
and the heirs of Captain Means, until February 22, 1884, when Mr. Nicholson 
also died, and the business passed into the hands of the Means heirs and the 
e.xecutors of R. J. Nicholson, Mr. Thomas H. Means having the management 
of the business. During all this time the firm was known as Means & Nich- 
olson. In 1886 the property was sold to A. D. Deemer, of Emerickville, who 
is now operating the mill. The capacity is about 15,000 feet per day. 

The first mill built where Bellport now is, was erected some time in the 30's 
by Benjamin Bailey. It was carried away by a flood after only one log had 
been sawed. Then, in 1838, John J. Y. Thompson built another mill on the 



Pine Creek Township. 491 

same site. It was built by Samuel Baird, and was called a double mill, having 
a saw at both ends of the building. Mr. Thompson sold the mill to Alpheus 
Shaw, who in turn sold to Amos Austin and Josiah Rodgers, two restless, 
Yankee lumbermen from New England, who on the lookout for a more pro- 
ductive lumber country, had wandered down into the Southern States, and on 
retracing their steps, struck the Sandy Lick region, and bought the mill from 
Shaw, in June, 1841. Rodgers, after a few years, returned to New England, 
but Mr. Austin, who had voted for Harrison for president, one day in New 
Hampshire, left the next day, and has never since beheld the granite hills of 
his native State. He cast his lot in with the people of Jefferson county, and 
has for many years been one of the most respected citizens of Brookville. 

In 1848 the m.ill burned down, and was rebuilt in 1849; and in 1854 Mr. 
Austin sold the property to F. D. Lake, who in 1856, sold it to Hon. Alfred 
Bell, of Rochester, N. Y. The present mill was built in 1868 ; the machinery 
is propelled by water power, and the production has averaged something over 
two million feet per annum, or about sixty-five million feet since the property 
came into the possession of Judge Bell. According to his estimate, however, 
only about one-fifth of the stock cut at this mill was the product of Jefiferson 
count)', the balance coming from his lands in Clearfield county. The pine 
timber on Judge Bell's lands in the two counties is exhausted, but he has some 
twelve million feet of hemlock timber on land owned by him in Washington 
township. 

The late E. D. White and his sons, G. W. and A. A. White, now of Ken- 
tucky, were for a number of years in charge of the Bellport mill, and were well 
known lumbermen. For the last eight years it has been ably managed by Mr. 
John B. Campbell. 

Next comes the " Garrison mill " upon the site of which a portable mill was 
built in 1863, but it being burned down shortly after, the present mill was built 
by Garrison, Fuller & Co., in 1864. This co-partnership continued for about 
ten years, when Mr. Sidney Fuller retired, and the firm was changed to C. M. 
& J. N. Garrison, under which title it continued until 1882, when C. M. Gar- 
rison retired from active business, and the business passed into the hands of 
his sons, John N. and Lorenzo S. Garrison, under the firm name of J. N. Gar- 
rison & Brother. This is one of the most extensive lumber establishments in 
the county, fully five million feet being cut per annum. 

Cornelius M. Garrison, the pioneer of this and of the " Company mill " on 
the North Fork, was always kind and thoughtful for the welfare of his em- 
ployees, and when his death occurred August 18, 1886, there were three men 
in the employ of the firm who had worked for^him for thirty years. These are 
still working on the same mill for his sons, and are Reuben B. Lyle, Joseph 
Plyler and David D. Demott. 

The shingle mill of Sidney Fuller, is also situated at Garrison Station. It 



492 History of Jefferson County. 

was built about four years ago, and turns out ten thousand shingles per day; 
the shingles manufactured are eighteen inches in length. 

Mr. Fuller has a well cultivated farm of seventy-five acres here, with good 
house and other improvements. This was his residence until a few years ago 
when his increasing lumber business, obliged him to locate in Pittsburgh. The 
farm and shingle mill are now superintended by Mr. Fox. Mr. Fuller cleared 
his farm, and made the first improvements at Garrison. 

In the neighborhood of Emerickville are a number of saw-mills; the E. 
Weiser mill was built on land owned by Weiser, by J. C. Wilson, in 1 886. The 
capacity of the mill is about nine thousand feet per day. 

The Frederick Starr mill, on land of J. Klepfer, was built about ten years 
ago. The mill cuts about one million feet per year. A good deal of custom 
sawing is done. 

The steam saw-mill of John Rhinehart, on land of Emanuel Shuckers, was 
built in 1886. This mill replaced a water-mill built by Benjamin Schwartz, in 
1859. This mill saws about five hundred thousand feet per year. 

Shobert Brother's (James and John) mill, on a one hundred acre tract, 
owned by Daniel Rhodes, saws about one million feet per \'ear. The timber 
is owned by Shobert Brothers. 

The steam saw-mill of Orr, McKinley & Co., was built in June, 1886. The 
capacity of this mill is about ten thousand feet per day. It is built upon land 
of B. P. Bell, of Indiana county, containing four hundred and seventy-six 
acres of hemlock and hard wood timber. 

The pine timber is almost a thing of the past in Pine Creek, and it will take 
but a few years to exhaust the hemlock. The grand forests of magnificent 
trees that caused Joseph Barnett to locate in this region, have all fallen before 
the lumberman's axe. 

Schools. — The first school in the township was that one built of logs, and 
with greased paper windows, and the huge chimney at one end, that Mrs. Gra- 
ham tells about. It stood on what is now the McConnell farm, and in con- 
trasting it and the primitive kind of instruction then imparted, with the ad- 
vantages of tiie present da\', we may well rejoice in the greater advantages 
in this respect now enjoyed by the school children. 

In 1886 there were eight schools in Pine Creek ; average number of months 
taught, five ; male teachers, five ; female, three ; average salary of teachers, 
thirty-five dollars per month ; number of male scholars, one hundred and 
sixty-five; females, one hundred and forty-four; average number attending 
school, two hundred and forty; average per cent of attendance, eighty-five; 
cost per month, ninety-three cents. Tax and rate per cent, number of mills 
levied for school purposes, thirteen. Total amount of tax levied for school and 
building purposes, $1,391.25. Total expenditures for schools, buildings, etc., 
$1,681.33. 



Pine Creek Township. 493 

The number of churches in the township are three ; Methodist Episcopal, 
Protestant Methodist and Lutheran. 

Cemeteries. — The first graveyard started in the township or in the county, 
was located some place near the forks of the road between Brookville and Port 
Barnett, and here the first who died after Andrew Rarnett, were buried ; but 
all trace of its locality is lost, and the lowly mounds have long since disap- 
peared, and are now covered with dwellings, and the careless passer-by treads 
unwittingly over the spot where repose the early dead of the township and of 
the county. 

The next graveyard was the one laid out on the farm of Nathaniel Butler, 
and in which his son, Winfield Scott Butler, a boy of only two summers, who 
died February 28, 1842, was buried, Mr. Butler then setting apart the spot 
that is now known as the " Butler graveyard," and where the parents of the 
little boy, and Samuel Jones and his wife, and many of the other old settlers 
of Pine Creek, and their children and children's children, are buried. 

At Emerickville the Lutheran graveyard was laid out in 1858, Daniel 
Shuckers being the first laid therein. The Methodist graveyard, on the Moore 
farm, was laid out on ground donated by James F. Moore, about 1862, and a 
child of Russell and Emeline Vantassel, and grandchild of Mr. Moore, was the 
first interred, followed soon by Willie Britton. Since then Mr. Moore and 
many others have laid down in this silent spot by those little ones to " rest 
from their labors." There are three monuments in this cemetery ; one of 
granite, erected to the memory of James F. Moore, who died October 2, 1881, 
and one of marble over the daughters of Abel Fuller, also one of marble 
erected by George Zetler, to the memory of his son. 

Port Barnett, 

Port Barnett, the little hamlet where the first settlers of Jefferson county 
first found a home, the history of which has already been given in former 
chapters, was originally the property of Joseph Barnett and Samuel Scott. 
The records of the county describe this property as follows: 

" The Port Barnett property containing two hundred and fifty-six acres and 
one hundred perches — One part conveyed to Samuel Scott by Jeremiah Parker 

by deed dated i6th day of 1818 ; recorded in Lidiana County in Deed 

book No. 2, Page 727, and by Sundry Conveyances to Andrew Barnett. Other 
moiety conveyed to Joseph Barnett by Jeremiah Parker, by deed dated 26th 
June 1821, Recorded in Indiana County, in deed book No. 4, page 482, and by 
will of Joseph Barnett, devised to Adrew Barnett." 

The Barnetts kept store and hotel at Port Barnett for many years, beside 

running their mills, and part of the old hotel is still standing. After the death 

of his father Andrew Barnett continued to reside upon the property until about 

the year 1850, when he sold the property to Andrew J. Brady and Irvin Long, 

59 



494 History of Jefferson County. 

and removed to the West. The hotel, which was for a long time the only one 
in the county, after it passed out of the hands of the Barnetts was kept by 
several parties, one of whom was Joseph Shobert. In 1850 A. J. Brady as- 
sumed charge of it, and we find quite an extensive advertisement in the papers 
of that day of the "Port Barnett Hotel," under his management. In 1852, 
Mr. Brady sold to Jacob Kroh, who was the last man to play mine host at the 
first hostelry in the county. Joseph Shobert, now of Brookville, is the only 
one living who was its landlord. 

The auditor general's report for 1831 gives the following record of licenses 
in Jefferson county: 

" Andrew Barnett, tavern license, $33.44, Andrew Barnett, dealer in for- 
eign merchandise, $31.69." 

The records of the county show that tavern licenses were granted in Pine 
Creek township to Andrew Barnett for 1833-41, at Port Barnett ; Isaac Packer, 
for 1834-42, where Peter Baum now lives; Jacob Kroh, for 1842-47, at Port 
Barnett; George S. Mathews, 1846; George Leitner, 1840. 

The first store was kept by the Barnetts and Samuel Scott, who, in 1826, 
was succeeded by Jared B. Evans, who removed it to Brookville in 1830. 

William McMannigle, who still resides at Port Barnett, came there in 1834 
from Westmoreland county, at which time there was no house between Port 
Barnett and Reynoldsville, except the log hotel of Isaac Packer on the Peter 
Baum place.^and a log house occupied by Hance Vasbinder, where Emerick- 
ville now is. 

The first mill erected by the Barnetts was replaced in 183 i by a new one 
erected by Andrew Barnett, and this in turn ga\e way to the present steam- 
mill erected in 1870, and remodeled in 1882 by James Humphrey, who 
purchased the property of Jacob Kroh. While building the dam for the 
present mill the workmen came across the timbers of the first mill, which were 
in a good state of preservation considering the length of time they had lain in 
the water. The logs had huge wrought iron spikes firmly imbedded in them. 
The present grist-mill was built in i860. 

Port Barnett is still the property of James Humphrey, wlio, in connection 
with his mills, has a store under the management of his son, W. N. Humphrey. 
Their saw-mill does a large business. Nearly all the houses in the place be- 
long to Mr. Humphrey, and are occupied by his workmen. He resides in the 
residence built by Jacob Kroh, jr., on the Brookville road, west of the mills. 
In 1880 the census gives the population of Port Barnett as seventy. 

E.MERICKVILLE. 

This little village is situated on the " pike," about six miles east of Brook- 
ville, and has aboutjj^one hundred inhabitants. The census of 1880 gives its 
population as_fifty-seven,[showing, according to the population now claimed by 



Pine Creek Township. 495 

the citizens, an increase of almost one-half more. It contains one hotel, two 
stores, one blacksmith shop, and twenty dwellings. The hotel, which was built 
about the year 1S43 by Jacob Kroh, is now kept by Emanuel Weiser, who 
came to the township from Northumberland in 1852, and engaged in lumber- 
ing and merchandising. He started his present store at Emerickville in 1870. 
The other store is owned by George Zetler, jr., who removed to Emerickville 
from Philadelphia in 1848. His father, the late Edward Zetler, when he came 
to the place with his fcimily in that year, found it impossible to find a dwelling 
house, and was obliged to move into a school-house on the Moore farm until 
he could erect a house. 

The blacksmith shop is owned by E. Weiser. The first blacksmith^was 
George Gray, who rang the anvil in 1858. The shop is now run by George 
Raymer. 

There are two churches, the Lutheran Church, on the Bliss farm, and the 
Methodist on the Moore farm. There is also a new church being built by the 
denomination known as the Church of God. 

Fuller's Station. 

Fuller's Station, on the Low Grade Division of the Allegheny Valley Rail- 
road, is situated at the eastern end of the township, on Sandy Lick Creek. It 
contains about one hundred inhabitants, and is the principal shipping point for 
lumber, bark, etc., for that section of the county, about one hundred cars of 
lumber being shipped per month, averaging 10,000 feet to the car, and in the 
fall months the shipments of bark are over ninety cars per month, averaging 
nine cords to the car. 

The Fuller saw-mill was built in 1862 by Abel Fuller, after whom the place 
and post-office are named ; its capacity is from 15,000 to 20,000 feet per day. 
In 1868 the aggregate business of this mill was over 2,100,000 feet of boards. 
Mr. Fuller has 265 acres of timber land, on which there is yet some 20,000 
feet of timber, principally hemlock. This mill was remodeled, and new ma- 
chinery put in about two years ago. Mr. Fuller also has a store at this point, 
which was started in 1876. The post-office is kept in this store. Mr. Fuller 
cut the first stick of timber, and made the first improvements in this part of 
the township. Abel Fuller is a son of Salmon Fuller, one of the first settlers 
of Clover township, who settled there in 1829. He was a native of Duffin's 
Creek, Upper Canada, but removed to Painesville, O., where his son Abel was 
born in 1S26. He has spent fifty-eight years of his life in Jefferson county. 
Mr. Fuller owns a farm of sixty-five acres, bought eight or nine years ago from 
Henry Milliron, and on which he has erected a good house and barn. He 
raises excellent fruit — apples, pears and peaches. 

Population, Taxables, etc. — The population of the township did not in- 
crease very fast in the first twenty-five years. The census of 18 10 gives it 



496 History of Jefferson County. 

as i6i ; 1820, 561, (which also included Perry); 1840, 628; 1850, 778; 
i860, 729; 1870,941; 1880, 1189. 

The taxables in 1807 were 23 ; in 1814, 35 ; in 1821, (including Perry), 
161 ; in 1828, 60 ; in 1835, 103 ; in 1842, 98 ; in 1849, 1 5*5 ; in 1856, 125 ; 
in 1863, 183 ; in 1870, 247 ; 1886, 368. 

The triennial assessment for the year 1886, gives the number of acres 
seated as 10,872, and the valuation $44,004; average per acre $4.46. Num- 
ber of houses and lots 118; valuation $8,537. Grist and saw-mills 7 ; valua- 
tion $9,613. Unseated lands 5,936; valuation $18,171; average per acre 
$3.06. Number of horses 186; valuation $7,714 ; average valuation $41.47. 
Number of cows 255 ; valuation $2,850 ; average, $1 1. 18. Occupations 164 ; 
valuation $5,500 ; average $33.84. Total valuation, subject to county tax, 
$96,434. Money at interest $24,122. 

The basis of taxation adopted in all the townships of the county is one- 
fifth of the real value on real estate, and one-third on personal property. This 
would make the real value of real estate in Pine Creek township, for the year 
1886, $1,908,000, and of personal property $150,000. 

The assessed valuation of real estate in the township for 1886 is $381,600; 
personal property $50,000. 

Elections. — The first elections in Jefferson county, which were also the first 
held in Pine Creek, have already been given. We give below the last election 
held before Perry was organized : 

" 1817, Pine Creek township. At an election held at the house of Joseph 
Barnett in said township on Friday, the 14th day of March, A. D. 1817, the 
following persons were duh- elected : Constable, Elijah Graham, 22 votes ; 
John Dixson, 13. Supervisors, Joseph Barnett, 25 votes; Thos. Lucas, 28. 
Overseers, Henry Fey, 9 votes ; John Matson, 6. Fence appraisers, Moses 
Knap, 7 votes; William Vasbinder, 7. Town clerk, Elijah Graham, 22 votes. 
Signed, Adam Vasbinder, Walter Templeton, judges." 

The last election, held in February, 1887, resulted in the election of the 
following persons to fill the various offices in the tov\nship : Justice of the 
peace, Z. T. Chambers ; constable, John Cable ; supervisors, S. R. Milliron, 
Calvin Hutchins ; school directors, A. H. Yost, John Carberry ; poor over- 
seer, E. C. Wilson ; auditor, A. D. Deemer ; tax collector, Charles Wetzel ; 
judge of election, Frank Grady; inspectors, Joseph Dempsey, Frank P. 
Plyler ; assessor, William DeMott ; town clerk, Z. T. Chambers. 

The justices of the peace in Pine Creek now are George Zetler, jr., and 
Z. T. Chambers. The members of the school board previously elected are 
Michael Mowry, John Cable, Thomas Montgomery, and Barton Hutchins. 



Perry Township. 497 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 
HISTORY OF PERRY TOWNSHIP. 

PERRY was the second township organized in Jefferson count)', being taken 
from Pine Creek in 1818. It embraced the whole of the county south 
of Little Sandy, and the dividing line was for a long time called the " Mason 
and Dixon line of Jefferson county." It was organized soon after the brilliant 
victory gained on Lake Erie, by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, and was 
named for him. Perry township, until 1826, was bounded on the north by 
Pine Creek township, on the east by Clearfield, west by Armstrong, and south 
by Indiana county. 

The township now contains about twenty- eight square miles, or 18,000 
acres, principally good farming land. Its shape is nearly square, with boun- 
dary lines running due east and west, and north and south. 

The surface is mostly elevated. With the exception of Mahoning Creek 
the streams are small and flow through narrow ravines. The Mahoning Creek 
flows in. a tortuous course through a deep, wide valley extending along the 
southern border of the township. A narrow divide, trending east and west, 
crosses the northern portion of the township and separates the waters of the 
Mahoning from those of the Little Sandy. Frostburg is at the summit of this 
elevated plateau. 

The fiirst settler in what is now Perry township, was John Bell, who was 
born in Virginia on the 28th of January, 1770, and when but an infant was 
taken by his family to Cumberland county, and subsequently to the Sewickly 
settlement, then in Westmoreland county, where he resided until 1800, when 
he moved to the vicinity of what is now the town of Indiana, where he was, in 
1805, on the formation of Indiana county, elected the first constable in that 
county. In 1809 he decided to penetrate still further into the wilderness, and 
settled upon the farm about one mile north of the Big Mahoning Creek, and 
made the first improvement in that part of Jefferson county. Until the year 
18 1 2 his nearest neighbors were nine miles distant, in Indiana county, and 
the nearest, in what is now Jefferson county, were those living in the Barnett 
Settlement, over twenty miles north of him. 

For a long time after Mr. Bell took up his abode in this wilderness his ri- 
fle, in the use of which he was an adept, was the only source of subsistence for 
himself and family ; and in hunting and clearing off his heavily timbered land 
the first years of his residence in this wilderness were passed. As a proof of 
his skill as a hunter it is stated, on creditable authority, that during his resi- 
dence in Jefferson county John Bell killed two panthers, ninety-three wolves, 
three hundred and six bears and over six hundred deer, to say nothing of 



498 History of Jefferson County. 

wild turkeys, which were then very numerous, and other small game. The 
red men, too, yet lurked in the forests, and though we have heretofore had 
nothing but their friendly actions towards the early settlers to chronicle, it is 
stated that on one occasion Mr. Bell, who had been to Port Barnett on busi- 
ness, and was obliged to camp out for the night on his way home, saw an In- 
dian taking aim at him from behind a tree. In relating this incident he re- 
marked, " that Indian was never seen afterwards ;" from which it was easily 
inferred that the savage fell before his unerring rifle. 

In l8i8 Governor Findley appointed him justice of the peace, an office 
which he held for twenty- five years, and in which his jurisdiction was honest 
and creditable. He was known all his life afterwards, all over this region of 
country as " Squire Bell." One of Mr. Bell's strongest characteristics was his 
love of truth and his sterling honesty. He would call no man friend whom he 
could not respect, and he disdained to conceal his opinions or dislikes. For 
those whom he professed friendsliip he would make any sacrifice of personal 
convenience. He was a true type of the earh' American pioneer. 

But while he was famous as a hunter and woodsman, he did not neglect his 
farm, upon which he worked so zealously that he soon had it under a good 
state of culture, and long before he was obliged to relinquish the oversight of 
it he had made it productive, erected comfortable buildings and planted one of 
the finest orchards in the count}' ; and when the evening of his days came he 
was able to " sit under his own vine and fig tree ;" to look out over the fertile 
fields which he had reclaimed from the dense wilderness, and enjoy the fruit 
from the trees of his own planting. This farm, still one of the best in Jefferson 
county, is now the property of Robert Hamilton. 

Mr. Bell was married twice. His first wife died, leaving him with three 
children, John, Hugh and Mary; (the latter married David Postlethwait), and 
he then married Jane Potter, a daughter of the first settler of Reynoldsville, 
who survived him for a number of years. The only child of the second mar- 
riage is Mrs. Rachel Weaver, of Perry township. He died on the 19th of May, 
1855, in the eighty-si.xth year of his age, having resided in Jefterson county 
for forty-six years. 

He was one of the most widely known citizens cf the county, and his home 
was for many years the resting place of the wayfarer, no one ever being turned 
away from his hospitable door. For over twenty-five years the members of 
the Indiana county bar made his home their stopping place on their way to 
and from their attendance at the courts held at Brookviile, and among his 
warmest friends were Judge Thomas White, and Messrs. Banks, Stannard, Car- 
penter, Coffey, and others who visited him on those occasions. 

The ne.Kt settler who came into what is now Perry township was Archibald 
Hadden, who located about a mile southeast from John Bell in 18 10. Mr. 
Hadden also came from Westmoreland county. He built the first grist-mill in 



Perry Township. 



499 



Perry township, near the present town of Perrysville. Mr. Hadden died a 
number of years ago. His son, Wilham Hadden, is now the oldest resident of 
OHver township. 

Then came Hugh McKee, a soldier of the War of i8i2, from Westmore- 
land county, who settled on a farm about half a mile from where Perrysville 
now is. Mr. McKee was a prominent citizen of this portion of the countj' 
during the few years that he resided there, and held the office of auditor and 
supervisor. He was killed in 1822 by falling from the roof of a log barn he was 
building, and was the first adult buried in the grave-yard at Punxsutawney 
(then in Perry township). A daughter of Hugh McKee, Mrs Susannah Hall, 
died in Brookville, May 4, 1887, aged eighty-one years. She came with her 
parents to Jefferson county when a little child, and lived within its limits for 
over seventy years. The only remaining member of the family, William Mc- 
Kee (son of Hugh), resides in Oliver township. 

John Postlethwait came from Westmoreland county in 1818, and settled a 
mile and a half northwest of Perrysville. Near the same time the family of 
John Young settled two miles west of the present town of Perrj'sville. 

Another of the pioneer settlers of Perry township was Reuben Hickox, 
who came in 1822. He was a great hunter, and in less than three days caught 
six bears, and in about three months had killed over fifty of these animals. 
He trapped and hunted principally for bears and wolves, as the skin of the 
wild cat and other animals were of little or no value. Deer, wild turkey and 
wild ducks supplied his family with food. Mr. Hickox was born in New 
Haven, Conn., his father being a soldier in General Washington's own com- 
mand, for several years during the Revolutionary War. He was married in 
18 1 8 to Catharine Williams. Mr. Hickox died about 1884, aged over ninety 
years. His son, Charles Hickox, and others of his descendants, still live in 
Perry. 

William Johnson came to Perry township in March, 1830, from Mahoning 
township, Indiana county. He put up a little shanty to live in while he 
hewed logs to build a house, and one day when he came to the shanty he 
found the tracks made in the ashes by a large bear which had visited it in his 
absence. When his house was ready to raise, James McCombs, John Hender- 
son, William Neal, James McHenry and James Chambers came from Indiana 
county to help at the " raising." They came to give this assistance in com- 
pensation for similar services rendered them by Mr. Johnston prior to that 
time. He occupied this house for seven years, and then built a large frame 
house, in which he yet resides. He had, in the meantime, built a large frame 
barn, which is yet standing. Thomas Hopkins, late of Shamoka, did all the 
carpenter work of these buildings. 

When Mr. Johnston was engaged in grubbing his second field, he saw a 
large bear coming towards him. He ran to the house for his gun and shot it. 



500 History of Jefferson County. 

The animal showed fight, but soon became exhausted from loss of blood, and 
crept into some bushes near by and died. While he was following the bear 
into the thicket, a young fawn sprang up in front of him, and, frightened at the 
unwonted visitor, sped swiftly away into the recesses of the forest. 

When Mr. Johnston was thirteen years of age he worked for a while for 
" Squire" John Bell. One day Bell's horses ran away, and after a long time 
spent in hunting for them he met Andrew Barnett, who was on his way to 
Indiana, who informed him that he had heard the bell, which the horses wore, 
when he was going through the woods through the Gomper's improvement, 
which consisted of a patch of buckwheat sown in the woods, on land now 
owned by William J. Smith. Mr. Johnston took a small sack of salt and a 
bridle and started after the runaways, and after traveling through a wilderness 
infested with wild beasts, and where danger lurked in every thicket, he found 
them where the farm of George Ickes now is, in Oliver township, and five 
miles from home. The boy took the horses safely home, and to use his own 
words, thought he had " won as great a victory as Columbus did when he dis- 
covered America." 

It was while making this trip that Mr. Johnson's attention was called to the 
piece of land which pleased him so much, and which he afterwards bought, in 
1829, from Charles C. Gaskill, agent of the Holland Land Company, paying 
him one hundred and forty dollars and twenty- five cents for two hundred and 
ten acres. This tract was surveyed by John J. Y. Thompson, of Brookville, 
and on which Mr. Johnston made the first improvement between John Bell's 
and Port Barnett. 

This property which Mr. Johnston selected when a bo\-, is still his home, 
and is one of the finest farms in Jeffeison county. He done all the work of 
clearing and farming his land until the spring of 1873. While repairing his 
barn he had his left foot bruised very severely, which caused hiin months of 
the most intense suffering, and terminated at last in his having his foot ampu- 
tated and then the limb three different times. Since that time he has been 
unable to help himself, but has spent his time in a wheel chair. He is now in 
the eighty-third year of his age, and is respected and esteemed by all who 
know him for the good he has done. 

Mr. Johnston's wife, who was Miss Mary Postlethvvait, daughter of David 
Postlethwait, has been dead for a number of years, and as they had no chil- 
dren, a nephew, Mr. Levi Postlethwait, resides with him. 

In 1822 David Postlethwait purchased land in the Round Bottom from 
Benjamin McBride and William Stewart, who had settled there a year before, 
and cleared a few acres Samuel Newcom, James Wachob, Isaac Wachob, 
Stephen and Isaac Lewis, Joseph Croasman, James Stewart, Nathaniel Foster, 
Isaac London, John 'Van Horn, Thomas Gourley, William Marshall, George 
Blose, David and James Hamilton were among those who first settled in Perry 
township, and their descendants are still among the foremost and best citizens. 



Perry Township. 501 



Thomas S. Mitchell was for many years a prominent citizen of Perry town- 
ship, and kept a general store at Perrysville. In 1854 he was elected sheriff. 
He has been dead for a number of years, but several of his family still reside 
in the township. 

James McCracken, another prominent citizen of the county, was born in 
Count)' Down, Ireland, in 1816. His parents came to Philadelphia in 1823, 
and from there removed to Schuylkill county. Mr. McCracken came to Jef- 
ferson county in 1839, and in 1848 was elected sheriff of the county. Since 
his term of office expired he has resided on his farm in Perry township. He 
has engaged in lumbering and farming. In 1839 he was married to Martha 
Lyon, of Port Carbon, also a native of Ireland. Of their ten children three 
daughters and one son are dead. Hugh, the eldest son, resides in West Vir- 
ginia, James resides on the homestead in Perry township, and William L. is 
practicing law in Brookville. The three surviving daughters are all married to 
citizens of the county. 

Charles R. B. Morris was three years old when his father, Obed Morris, re- 
moved to Jefferson county. In his youth he taught in the common schools of 
the county in winter, and worked on the farm or lumbered in the summer. 
He was twice elected county commissioner. In 1863 he removed to a farm in 
Perry township, where for a number of years he was engaged in merchandis- 
ing at Frostburg, a little village located on his farm. 

The Means, Depps, Jordans, Ruths, Baths, Travis, Weavers, Dilts, Palmers, 
Hopkins, Niselys, Groves, Mosiers, Smiths, Kellys, Crissmans, Reddings, Galls, 
Kinsells, Whitesells, Neels, Swabs, Shillings, are also among the old and prom- 
inent families in the township. 

Perrysville is the principal village, and is located at the extreme southern 
end of the township. Its population in 1880, according to the census, was one 
hundred and seventeen. It is situated on the banks of the Mahoning, and 
contains two stores, owned and operated by Mitchell & Neel, and A. L. Gib- 
son, and two hotels, the proprietors of which are Sharp Neel and George Jor- 
don. The post-office at Perrysville was called Hamilton, for Robert Hamilton, 
the first postmaster, and bore that name for thirty-four years, when it was 
changed to Hay, being so called for the late Malcolm Hay, who was appo's'Qv te 
first assistant postmaster-general by President Cleveland. 

There are four post-offices in Perry township, — Hay, Frostburg, Valier 
and Grange. 

Frostburg, the next village in Perry township, is located on the farm of C. 
R. B. Morris and contains a post-office and the store of Swisher & Gahagan. 
The potter)' of the Messrs. Swisher was for a long time located at this place. 

Valier post-office is located in Whitesville, a little village in the Round Bot- 
tom settlement, which is in the midst of a good farming countr)-. 

Grange, the other post-office in the township, is located near Daniel 
Sprankle's. The store of L. F. Sutter is located there. ^^ 



502 History ok Jefferson C(junty. 

The first church in the township was built at Perry in 1835, and the first 
school-house, as has already been stated, was the one built in 1820, of logs, 
near the present site of Perrysville. 

The first saw-mill was built by Elijah Heath on the Mahoning, above the 
Round Bottom. The first hotel was kept in Perrysville by Irwin Robinson, 
and the first store was started near that plate by Alva Pain. 

The first grave-yard was located where Perry church was afterwards built, 
and Robert Stunkard was the first buried tliere, about 1830. There many of 
the first settlers of the south side and their children and children's children have 
been laid in later years. 

There are now seven churches and nine school-houses in the township with 
cemeteries attached to each church. There is only one grist-mill in the town- 
ship, that of William White, on Big Mahoning Creek. There are five black- 
smith shops, three furniture manufactories, two tan yards and one harness shop. 

Perry township is one of the very best farming districts in the county, con- 
taining many large and well-improved farms, among the best of which are 
those of J. H. Lewis, S. Neel, C. R. B. Morris, J. M. Jordon, L. Gourley and 
D. Hamilton. 

But little attention has been paid to raising thoroughbred stock. The 
township is admirably adapted to fruit culture, and the best varieties of apples, 
peaches, plums, quinces, pears, cherries, grapes and strawberries are raised. 

In 1823, according to the "Collector's Duplicate for the Township," 
Charles C. Gaskill, being collector, there were the following taxables in Perry 
township: Jesse Armstrong, Joim Bell, James Bell, S. M.,^ Rev. Charles Bar- 
clay, Joseph Bell, S. M., John Bell, jr., George Baker, Philip Bowers, John 
Bowers, Joseph Grossman, Daniel Cauffman, Benijah Corey, Isaac Condon, 
Isaac Carmalt, Elizabeth Clawson, Mathias Clawson, Benjamin Dike, Peter 
Dorman, S. M., Charles C. Gaskill, Samuel Genoa, Daniel Graffius, Adam 
Gearhart, David Hamilton, James Hamilton, S. M., Archibald Hadden, Jacob 
Hoover, John Hoover, Elijah Heath. Stophel Hetrick, Peter Henry, William 
Hemingway, James Irvine, Dr. John W. Jenks, Thomas Jackson, John Kuhn, 
S. M., Stephen Lewis, Isaac Lewis, Michael Lantz, Adam Long (cooper), Ad- 
am Long, Francis Leech, John Leas, Isaac McHendry, Elizabeth McHendry, 
James McClelland, James McBride, John McDonald, Isaac McElvaine, Will- 
iam McElvaine. David McDonald, Thomas McKee, S. M., James McKee, S. M., 
John Miller, David Milliron, Thompson McKee, Henry Milliron, Joiin New- 
com, Samuel Newcom, Lawrence Nolf, Conrad Nolf, John Postlethwait, sr., 
David Postlethwait, John Postlethwait, S. M., Thomas Payne, Peter Reed, 
Samuel States, William Smith, James Stewart, John Stewart, Nathaniel Tindel, 
John Vanhorn, James Wachob, Isaac Wachob, Carpenter Windslow, jr., Abra- 
ham Weaver, Carpenter Windslow, sr., James Windslow, Reuben Windslow, 

IS. M., means single ivi.in. 



Perry Township. 503 



Joseph Whitman, Pearlin White, Richard Wainwright, Samuel Wainwright, 
John Young, James Young, S. M., Jacob Young, S. M." 

Statistics of Population, Assessments, and Schools. — The number of tax- 
ables in Perry township was in 1820, 205; in 1828, 88; in 1829, 86, with 
three deaf and dumb, and votes cast at the spring election, were 22, and at 
the general election, 36. In 1829 the number of taxables was 86, and ac- 
cording to Gordon's Gazetteer, the length of the township in 1 83 i was 1 1 miles ; 
breadth, 9 miles; area in acres, 49,280. In 1835, there were 209 taxables; 
in 1849, 325; in 1856, 2o6 ; in 1863, 238; in 1870. 288; in 1 880, 343; in 
1886, 383. 

In 1820 the population of Perry was included in Pine Creek. For the year 
1830 the census returns did not give the population of the townships sepa- 
rately. In 1840 the census gives Perry's population as 1,076 ; in 1850, 1,738 ; 
1860,1,073; 1870,1,222; 1880,1,293. The taxables in 1828, were 88; 1829, 
86; 1835, 209; 1842,251; 1849, 325: 1856, 206; 1863, 238; 1870,288; 
1880, 1,293. 

The triennial assessment for the year 1886 gives the number of acres seated 
as 15,625, and the valuation $74,609; average per acre, $4.77; number of 
houses and lots, 84; valuation, $6,259; unseated lands, 40 acres; valuation, 
$40; number of horses, 275; valuation, $12,349; average valuation, $45; 
number of cows, 351; valuation, $4,071 ; average valuation, $11,31. Occu- 
pations, 99 ; valuation, $2,583 ; average, $25.08. Total valuation subject to 
county tax, $100,191. Money at interest $44,411. The basis of taxation in 
Perry township is one-fifth of the real valuation, which would make the value 
of real estate in the township $500,955. 

The school statistics of Perry township as given in the report of the State 
superintendent of public schools, for the year ending June 30, 1886, is as fol- 
lows : Whole number of schools, eight ; average number of months taught, 5 ; 
male teachers, 7 ; female teachers, i ; average salary of teachers, $31.85 ; num- 
ber of male scholars, 200 ; females, 162 ; average number attending school, 338 ; 
average per cent, of attendance, 95 ; cost per month, 70 cents ; number of 
mills levied on for school purposes, 12. Total amount of tax levied for school 
purposes, $1,373.39. Total expenditures for schools, buildings, etc., $1,477.73. 

Elections. — " Perry township. At an election held at the house of John 
Bell, in said township, on Friday, the 20th day of March, 1818, the following 
persons were duly elected : Constable, David Hamilton had 5 votes, Jacob 
Hoover, 3 ; supervisors, John Bell 5 votes, Hugh McKee, 5 ; auditors. Archi- 
bald Hadden 5 votes, Jess Armstrong 5, James McClennen 5, Michael Lance 
5 ; fence appraisers, Jos. Crossman 5 votes, Adam Long 5 ; overseers, Henry 
Lott 5 votes, Liga Dycus 5. (Signed) Archibald Hadden, Hugh McKee, 
Judges." 

At the next election the voters had increased to eight, and at the last elec- 



504 History of Jefferson Couxtv. 

tion, before Young township was formed, the number of voters appears to have 
been seventy- seven. At this election in 1825, "schoolmen " were voted for, 
John W. Jenks, Charles C. Gaskill and John Bell being elected. This is the 
only record of any such office in the election returns of the county from 1807 
to 1830. Tliese elections were all held at the house of John Bell, and in the 
first ten years he was eight times elected to office, being supervisor, auditor, 
overseer of the poor and schoolman. 

The following persons were elected at the election held February 15, 1887 : 
Constable, William I. Lamison ; supervisors, R. S. Blose, William Doverspike ; 
school directors, Joseph Means, jr., William Smith ; overseers of the poor, 
David Neel, Sharp Hamilton; asses'^or, A. G. Gourley; auditor, Henry Xeel ; 
judge of election, Craig Dilts; inspectors, T. D. Brewer, J. C. Crissman ; col- 
lector, George Gourley. 

The justices of the peace in Perr_\- are C. R. B. Morris, and Daniel Brewer. 
The school directors elected previous to February 15, 1887, are, Aaron Depp, 
W. R Postlethwait, William H. Diltz, A. H. Neel. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

HISTORY OF YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY. 

THE township which completed the first trio, was Young, organized in 
1826, and taken from Ferry township. It was then quite large, embracing 
all the southeastern portion of the county. It was named for Judge Young, 
at that time president judge of the Westmoreland judicial district. The town- 
ship is now bounded on the north by McCalmont, south by Indiana county, 
east by Belle township, and west by Perr)-. It is rectangular in form, six miles 
long by three wide — eighteen square miles, and contains 11,520 acres. The 
Mahoning Creek flows across the township from east to west, in a deep, wide 
valley in which Punxsutawney is situated. South from the creek the region 
is an upland plateau, the top of which is three hundred and fifty feet above the 
creek level, and is but little broken by ravines. The region north of the creek 
is, on the other hand, no less high, is much diversified by hill and vale — a for- 
tunate topographical arrangement for the commercial interests of the town- 
ship, as it makes access easy abo\'e water level to the large and valuable coal 
beds. The small tributary vallej's of which there are four, trend southward, 
and are roughly parallel to one another. The most important of these is the 
Elk Run Valley. 

Geology. — The Freeport Lower Coal is the one which gives value to Young 
township, and nearly all of the township is underlaid with it. The Freeport 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 505 

Upper Coal, though a bed of considerable thickness, j'ields much inferior coal. 
The coal trade of Young township is now second to none in the count)-, as will 
be seen from a report of the Wallston mines given elsewhere. The Freeport 
upper limestone is of very little account in Young township, showing but few 
exposures, and these of an impure character. 

Early Settlers. — Among the olden time settlers of Young township, the 
Carmalts are prominent features. They were of Quaker extraction, and with 
the Gaskills infused into the early life of the south side of the county an element 
that was an important factor in the history of those days of early pioneer 
struggle. 

Isaac P. Carmalt was born in Philadelphia in 1794. His father was a rela- 
tive of William Penn, with whom his ancestors came from England on his 
second voyage to this country. His mother's family was a prominent one in 
North Wales, where, it is said, " they owned an entire township." Isaac was 
a carpenter by trade, but tiring of city life, he started to look up a home in 
the then far West. In company with William Patterson, he left Philadelphia 
in 1818, with a good team of horses and a Dearborn wagon, and in about three 
weeks arrived at their journey's end, a place some twelve miles from Indiana- 
town. His father, not hearing from him for some time, became anxious about 
him, and started, in company with a man named Harvey, to hunt him up. 
Harvey had his family with him, and the journey was a long and toilsome one. 
When near its end their wagon stuck in the bed of a creek. The horses gave 
two or three pulls, but failing to extricate it, balked, and no persuasion could 
induce them to proceed. Fortunately they had sent a messenger ahead to 
apprise Isaac of their coming, and he appeared on the scene with his servant, 
and at once went to work to help them out of their dilemma by unloading and 
prying the wagon out of the hole in which it was imbedded. He persuaded 
Mrs. Harvey, who weighed about one hundred and seventy-five pounds, to sit 
on his neck, with her feet on either side, and he, in this way, carried her to 
the shore. They soon had the wagon out and proceeded to his house, where 
they rested from their toilsome and perilous journey. 

The following incidents of Mr. Carmalt's pioneer experience, as related in 
his own language, were published in Caldwell's " Historical Atlas of Jefferson 
County :" 

'■ I had no grindstone, and so I concluded to go to Squire Bell's, twelve 
miles distant (John Bell, who first settled in Perry township), borrow his mare, 
and go for a rock out of which I could make a grindstone. On my way back 
with the stone in one side of a bag and potatoes in the other, to balance, I be- 
came belated and so concluded to stay over night with the squire. It was a 
moonlight night, and as the mare approached a short turn in the path she 
began to snort. I looked up and beheld something sitting erect, about the 
size of a man, on one side of the path, and on approaching it had the appear- 



So6 History of Jefferson County. 

ance of two balls of fire. My horse instantly sprang, became uncontrollable, 
and away she went. Her colt was following after, and so I looked back to see 
what had become of it. As the colt passed, the animal screamed like a paint- 
er and leaped for it, but the colt barely escaped, and come on at a dead run. 
I soon reached Squire Bell's, it being about midnight, opened the barn door, 
rushed the mare and colt in, fastened the door, and called to the squire for his 
son, John, the big dog, and the gun. The squire raised the window and sa'd, 
' Carmalt, what's the matter?' I replied, ' I want John, the big dog, and the 
gun to go back and catch some big animal.' The old man laughed and said, 
' Carmalt, you must have been frightened by the fall of the limb of a tree. 
There is no big animal there.' ' I know there is,' I said, ' and I want John, 
the big dog, and the gun.' The squire then called John. He brought his gun 
and called up the dog, and we started for the path, and near the place where 
I saw the animal, John said, ' Carmalt, you make a noise like that you heard.' 
I imitated the cry, and the animal answered. I called again and again, and 
each time there came the same scream from the animal. I said, ' John, thee 
had better set the dog on it.' John tried, but the dog refused to go. Then I 
said, ' We'd better go back to the house as soon as we can if the dog won't go.' 
So we went to the house, and soon we were abed asleep. The next morning I 
left the mare and the stone, and started back on foot, as I was afraid that my 
colored man, whom I had left at the cabin, was out of provisions. I walked 
several miles and stopped at a house where they told me that some strange 
animal had driven in all their stock the night before. I told them that it was 
a painter. I again started and walked on through the woods till 1 got to 
another house, and, as it was about dark, I called in. After speaking a few 
words, I started out towards the road, or rather path, with a view to go home. 
The man went with me, and, as we were talking, we saw two objects at a dis- 
tance, coming in the path. On a nearer approach I saw that they were two 
tall hunters, each six and a half feet high, with their guns, hunting apparatus, 
etc., and a big dog. They had coon skin caps on, with the tails projecting in 
front like plumes. They asked the man if tliey could stay over night with him, 
as they had their own provisions and beds, and their wives were coming on 
behind in the path. ' We only want a place to sleep,' they said. ' You can 
stay. You are welcome. We never turn any one away,' the man replied. 
As the women approached, I saw that they were on horseback, and the first 
one had a straw bed thrown over the horse, and the head-board hung on one 
side, and the foot-board on the other. She also had a large spinning-wheel in 
front of her, and a child before and behind. The second one was attired in 
the same manner, riding on a horse. Her spinning-wheel was a small one, 
and she, too, had a child before and one behind. They went into the house, 
and I concluded also to stay over night. Pretty soon a neighbor woman came 
running in and said, ' a woman's cow's entrails have been torn out, and the 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 507 

cow came home dragging them on the ground.' The hunters hstened to the 
story, and then one of them spoke and said, ' There's the fellow that will take 
him,' pointing to the dog. At two o'clock the next morning the hunters and 
the dog were missing. They got on the animal's trail during the day, but 
returned at night without him. The second day at two o'clock they started 
out again. They came on his track and followed it for some distance. All of 
a sudden the dog barked, and the panther leaped on him from a tree and 
escaped without injury. The hunters became very angry, and returned to the 
house again. They said, ' We'll have him if he is in the State, for he's killed 
our dog. They asked the man if their families could stay a few days longer, 
and of course they received permission. The next morning they started out 
again at two o'clock, and traveled till noon. They sat down, ate their lunch, 
and as one was wiping his mouth with his hand, he looked up and saw the 
panther just in the act of springing on them. He never spoke a word, but 
drew up his gun, winked at his brother, aimed at the animal, both firing at the 
same time, and the balls passed each other in the animal's heart. One of them 
called out, ' Now we've got him ! Now we've got him !' They got out their 
knives, skinned him, and one of them wrapped the skin about his body, with 
the head hanging over his shoulder, and the hind parts and tail dragging be- 
hind. I still waited with anxiety for the panther and my colored man, and 
went again and again to the road to see if the hunters were coming. I soon 
saw them coming, one having a long tail dragging behind, and the head hang- 
ing on his shoulder. My friend and I cried, ' They've got him ! They've got 
him!' That evening — a happy man — I started for home. On meeting my 
man, he threw his arms around my neck, and said, ' I'm so glad to see you ! 
I'se had nothing to eat for three days. I knows when you come with the gun 
you'd soon kill a deer, and we'd have a big feast.' The next morning I killed 
a deer, and there was a general rejoicing." 

On account of some dispute about his title Mr. Carmalt found he was 
likely to lose his improvement in Indiana county, and he removed to Punxsu- 
tawney in 1 82 1 and bought a lot, but the following year he purchased the 
tract of land about a mile from Punxsutawney, in Young township, where he 
made his home, allowing a beautiful grove of pine trees to remain about his 
dwelling, and making the Carmalt place one of the most attractive in that 
section. His farm now belongs to the Rochester and Pittsburgh Mining Com- 
pany, and Mr. Carmalt a short time ago took up his residence with his son 
in Philadelphia. He is ninety-three years of age. 

In 1822 Miss Hannah P. Gaskill came to Jefferson county to visit her 
brother. C. C. Gaskill, where she met and made the acquaintance of Isaac P. 
Carmalt, to whom she was married on the 1st of April, 1823, at the Friends' 
meeting-house in Philadelphia. Mrs. Carmalt was born in Philadelphia in 
1788, her father being a merchant, whose counting house was directly op- 



5o8 History of Jefferson County. 

posite that of Stephen Girard, with whom he was on the most intimate terms. 
She had received the best education that her native city then afforded, and her 
mind was of more than ordinary order, but she cast aside all the pleasures of 
belleship and the attractive and congenial society to be found in the city of 
Philadelphia, and became the wife of a Jefferson county pioneer, exchanging 
the gayety of the city for the wilderness, and from that time she was identified 
with the history of the county. 

Some years after her marriage the settlement was visited by an epidemic 
which made sad inroads among the sparse population. Mrs. Carmalt, who 
was skilled in the medicaments then in use, and whose home was a dispensary 
for the sick and afflicted, with Mrs. Heath, wife of Judge Heath, and sister of 
Dr. Jenks, laying aside all fears of contagion, attended daily at the bedsides 
of the sufferers, and to their care and nursing many of those prostrated by the 
disease owed their lives. Mrs. Carmalt lived to a good old age, dying a few 
years ago. 

Another of the pioneers of Young township was Obed Morris, who was 
born in Bucks county December 8, 1792. When he was a year old his family 
removed to Northampton county, where he remained twenty-four years, and 
where, in 1814, he married Mary Bowman. In 1820 he removed to Indiana 
county, settling near the present village of Covode. In 1824 he bought a 
tract of land within the present limits of Young township. Here he labored 
early and late, and by the strictest economy was able to pay for his land and 
add to it from time to time, until he had one of the largest and best cultivated 
farms in the township. He was a whole souled, public spirited citizen, a man 
of strong religious convictions, and temperate in all things. His wife died on 
the 2d of February, 1859. His family consisted of three sons and two daugh- 
ters — James Madison, Elizabeth Bowman, Theodore, Charles R. B., Mary 
Barclay, Joseph Bowman and Moses A. Of these Theodore, Joseph and Moses 
are prominent and influential citizens of Young township. Mr. Morris died 
several years ago. His son, Theodore, resides on the old homestead. 

Daniel Graffius was one of the early settlers of Young township, to which 
he first came about 1818, and removed with his family from Huntingdon 
county in 1823. His descendants are among the best citizens of Jefferson 
county at the present day. His daughter, Mrs. Mary Caldwell, widow of Jo- 
siah Caldwell, now over eighty years of age, is probably the oldest citizen of the 
township. She is yet able to attend to her household duties and is in posses- 
sion of all her mental faculties, and delights to talk of those early days when 
she found a home in the wilderness of Jefferson county. 

The first lumber taken out in Young township was by Jesse Armstrong 
and William Neel, an account of which has already been gi\en. The first coal 
was discovered by Obed Morris and John Hutchinson about 1820. 

There is but one large saw-mill now in Young tow^nship, that owned and 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 509 

operated by the Rochester and Pittsburgh Mining Company at Adrian mines ; 
its capacity is 20,000 per da\'. 

There are two grist-mills in the township, that of James St. Clair, and P. W. 
Jenks's mill, located on the Mahoning, about three and one-half miles below 
Punxsutawney. The stores are those of H. P. Brown & Co., and M. L. Smith, 
at Adrian and Walston. There is no licensed hotel in the township. 

Young township is noted for its fine farms and excellent buildings. Among 
the best improved are those of John North's estate, now owned by his sons — 
S. T. North, Joseph K. North, Thomas North — William Long, Theodore Mor- 
ris, Joseph B. Morris, Robert Law, Irwin Simpson. 

What has been said in regard to fruit culture in Perry township will apph' 
to Young. 

Number of Taxables, Population, and School Statistics. — The number of 
taxables in Young township in 1828 was Ji; in 1829, 70; in 1831, 70; in 
183s, 146 ; in 1842, 271 ; in 1849, 399; in 1856, 381 ; in 1863, 177 ; in 1880, 
293; in 1886, 590. 

The population, according to census of 1840, 1,321; 1850, 1,891 ; 1S60, 
776 \ 1870,954; 1880,909. 

The number of acres seated in the township, according to the triennial 
assessment for 1886,9,600; valuation, $74,300; average per acre, $7.74 ; 
houses and lots 233; valuation $23,990; one grist-mill, $800; 2,645 acres of 
mineral land ; valuation $21,703 ; average value per acre, $8.20 ; number of 
horses, 184; value, $5,167; average value, $28.07; number of cows, 209! 
value, $2,284; average value, $10.93; occupations, 441; value, $10,975 ! av- 
erage, $24.89; total valuation subject to county tax, $139,219; money at 
interest, $10,657. 

Tlie whole number of schools in Young township for the year ending June 
30, 1886, was seven; number of months taught, five; male teachers, six; 
female, one; average salary of males, $34; female, $32; scholars, males, 239; 
females, 219; average attendance, 347; per cent, of attendance, 90; cost per 
month, 72 cents; number of mills levied for school purposes, 13; total amount 
of tax levied, $1,55350; total expenditures, $1,648.49. There were eight 
schools during the winter of 1886. 

Elections. — The first two elections held for the township of Young, after it 
was separated from Perry, as the returns appear in the office of the prothon- 
otary, at Indiana, are as follows : 

" Young townsliip return for 1826. Constable, Joseph Long had 32 votes, 
Jno. Hum, 1 1 votes. Signed Philip Bowers, judge, etc. 

" 1827. — Young township. At an election held at the house of Elijah 
Heath, in Punxsutawney, on the i6th of March, 1827, the following persons 
received the number of votes, to wit: 

"Constables, Joseph Long had 22 votes, Ohed Morris, 13; supervisors, 

61 



5IO History of Jefferson County. 

Nathaniel Tindal, 29, Benoni Williams, 32; auditors, Andrew H. Bowman, 30. 
Josiah Caldwell, 27, Matthias Clawson, 24, Philip Bowers, 18 ; poor overseers, 
Frederick Rinehart, 15, Christian Rishel, 20; fence appraisers, Adam Long 
(cooper), 20, John Hum, 9. Signed, Frederick Rinehart, Joseph Long, Jos- 
iah Caldwell, judges, Mathus Clawson, A. H. Bowman, clerks." 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following township officers 
were elected : 

Young township, north. — Justice of the peace, J. B. Morris; constable, 
Samuel Williams ; supervisors, D. B. Hinton, Jos. W. Long ; school directors, 
S. T. North, Morgan Lloyd ; poor overseer, J. C. Smith; auditor, F. M. Bow- 
man ; judge of election, H. W. Moore; inspectors, A. J. Haymaker, John 
Weber ; assessor, J. C. Smith ; collector and treasurer, A. J. Smith ; town clerk, 
F. M. Bowman. Young, south. — Judge of election, H. E. Clawson ; inspec- 
tors, B. Zeigler, John Hutchinson. 

The justices of the peace are Philip D. Wolf, and J. B. Morris. The 
members of the school board previously elected are, L. S. McQuown, W. C. 
Williams, D. B. Hintor, and M. L. Smith. 

PUNXSUTAWNEY. 

Origin of the Aavic. — We quoted principally from tradition in the prepara- 
tion of the chapter upon Indian history, and some of the statements therein 
made concerning the origin of the name of Punxsutawney, are disproved by 
the origin here given in the journal of Brother Ettewein, the Moravian mis- 
sionary, who visited the place in 1772. 

It has been claimed that the great Moravian missionary. Rev. John Heck- 
weilder, spent "six weeks in the Indian town of Punxsutawney, where he was 
detained by seme of his band having small-pox," but this Mr. Jordon refutes, 
and says : " Among his (Heckweilder's) papers, he has prepared a list of the 
journeys he made, with the number of miles (30,000) between 1762 and 1814, 
and I nowhere find any reference to his visit to Punxsutawney, directly but 
indirectly. He may have spent a day or so on the site of the town, where 
some few Indians yet resided in 1762. In writing his narrative, he refers to 
his visit in 1772, and states that thirty years before it was almost a deserted 
spot." 

About the year 1765, the Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, estab- 
lished the mission of Friedenshnetten, near the present town of Wyalusing, in 
Bradford county. This town, the name of which signifies " tents of peace," 
contained "thirteen Indian huts, and upwards of forty frame houses, shingled 
and provided with chimneys and windows." There was another mission about 
thirty miles above Friedenshnetten, " Tschechschequanink," or as it was trans- 
lated, "where a great awakening had taken place." This latter mission was 
under the charge of Brother Roth. These missions prospered greatly, and 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 51 i 

much good was done among the Indians, until 1768, when the Six Nations by 
the treaty made that year, "sold the land from under their feet," and the mis- 
sionaries encountered so much trouble from both the Indians and whites that, 
in 1772 the brethren decided to abandon these missions and remove to the new 
field which had been planted by the indefatigable Zeisberger, on the banks of 
the Ohio. They therefore started from Wyalusing on the I2th day of June, 
1772, in number two hundred and forty-one souls, mostly Indians, of all ages, 
witli their cattle and horses. Their destination was Friedenstadt.^ near the 
present site of Beaver, Pa. They were under the guidance of Brothers Roth 
and Ettewein, and their course was from the North Branch across the Alle- 
gheny Mountains, by way of Bald Eagle to the Ohio River. Brother Roth 
conducted those who went by water, and Brother Ettewien those who traveled 
by land. In 1886 the Moravian, published at Bethlehem, gave the journal of 
Rev. John Ettewein, and we give the extracts from it of the progress of the 
party through the territory now comprised by southern Jefferson county, with 
the explanatory foot-notes in the Moravian, translated by Mr. Jordan. 

" 1772. 

"Tuesday, July 14. — Reached Clearfield Creek, where the buffalos form- 
erly cleared large tracts of undergrowth, so as to give them the appearance 
of cleared fields. Hence, the Indians called the creek 'Clearfield.' Here at 
night and next morning, to the great joy of the hungry, nine deer were shot. 
Whoever shoots a deer has for his private portion, the skin and inside ; the 
meat he must bring into camp and deliver to the distributors. John and Cor- 
nelius acted in this capacity in our division. It proved advantageous for us 
not to keep so closely together, as we had at first designed ; for if the number 
of families in a camp be large, one or two deer, when cut up, afford but a 
scanty meal to each individual. So it happened that scarce a day passed with- 
out there being a distribution of venison in the advance, the centre and the 
rear camp. (On the route there were one hundred and fifty deer and but 
three bears shot.) In this way our Heavenly Father provided for us ; and I 
often prayed for our hunters, and returned thanks for their success. 

" Thursda\% July 16, . . . I journeyed on, with a few of the brethren, 
two miles in a falling rain, to the site of Chinklacamoose, where we found 
but three huts,' and a few patches of Indian corn. The name signifies ' No 
one tarries here willingly.' It may, perhaps, be traced to the circumstance that 
some thirty years ago an Indian resided here as a hermit, upon a rock, who 
was wont to appear to the Indian hunters, in frightful shapes. Some of these, 
too, he killed, others he robbed of their skins ; and this he did for many years. 
We moved on four miles, and were obliged to wade the West Branch three 

'"The Annals of Friedenschnetten, on the Susquehanna, with John Ettewein's Journal of the Re" 
moval of the Mission to Friedenstadt, 1765 and 1772," by John W. Jordan. 



512 History of Jefferson County. 

times, whicli is here like the Lehigh at Bethlehem, between the island and the 
mountain, rapid and full of ripples. 

" Friday, July 17. — Advanced only four miles to a creek that comes down 
from the northwest.' Had a narrow and stony spot for our camp. 

"Saturday, July 18. — Moved on without awaiting Roth and his division, 
who on account of the rain had remained in camp. To-day Shebosch lost a 
colt from the bite of a rattlesnake. Here we left the West Branch three miles 
to the Northwest, up the creek, crossing it five times. Here, too, the path 
went precipitately up the mountain, and four or five miles up and up to the 
summit — to a spring the headwaters of the Ohio.- Here I lifted up my heart 
in ])rayer as I looked westward, that the Son of Grace might rise over the 
heathen nations that dwell beyond the distant horizon. 

"Sunday, July 19. — As \'esterday, but two families kept with me, because 
of the rain, we had a quiet Sunday, but enough to do drying our effects. In 
the evening all joined me, but we could hold no service as the Ponkis were so 
excessively annoying that the cattle pressed toward and into our camp, to 
escape their persecutors in the smoke of the fires. This vermin is a plague to 
man and beast, both by day and night. But in the swamp through which we 
are now passing, their name is legion. Hence the Indians call it the Poiiksute- 
nink, /. c, the town of the Ponkis.-'' The word is equivalent to living dust and 
ashes, the vermin being so small as not to be seen, and their bite being hot as 
sparks of fire, or hot ashes. The brethren here related an Indian myth to- 
wit : That the aforecited Indian hermit and sorcerer, after having been for so 
many years a terror to all Indians, had been killed by one who had burned his 
bones, but the ashes he blew into the swamp, and they became living things, 
and hence the Ponkis. 

" Monday, July 20. — After discoursing on the dail\' word — ' The Lord our 
God be with us, may he not forsake us' — we traveled on through the swamp, 
and after five miles crossed the path that leads from Frankstown* to Goshgo- 
shink, and two miles from that point encamped at a run. At 5 P. M., came 
Brethren Peter, Boaz, and Michael, with fourteen unbaptized Indians, from La- 
gundontenink, to meet us with four horses, and five bushels of Indian corn, 
also Nathaniel's wife from Sheninga-^ with a letter from Brother Jungmann. I 
thought had I but milk or meat, I would add rice, and prepare a supper for the 
new-comers. But two of them went to hunt, and in half an hour Michael 
brought in a deer to my fire. My eyes moistened with tears. Sister Esther 

1 .\nderson's Creek, in Clearfield county, wliicli tliey struck at a point near the present Curwens- 
ville. 

2 " Probably the source of the North Branch of the Mahoning, which rises in Brady township, 
Clearfield county, and empties into the .■\llegheny, in Armstrong county, ten miles above Kittanning." 

'Kept down the valley of the Mahoning, into Jefferson county. Punxsutawney is a village in 
Young township, Jefferson county. The swamp lies in Gaskill and Young townships. 
* Near Hollidaysburg. See Scull's map of 1759, for this path. 
^ Sheninga is a township in Lawrence county, just above Friedenstadt. 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 513 

hunted up the large camp kettle, and all had their fill of rice and venison, and 
were much pleased. That night and the following morning there were four 
deer shot by my company. 

"Tuesday, July 21. — The rear division came up, and the destitute, viz., 
such as had lived solely upon meat and milk, were supplied each with one pint 
of Indian corn. We proceeded six miles to the first creek. In the evening a 
number of the brethren came to nij' fire, and we sat together right cheerful 
until midnight. Once when asleep I was awakened by the singing of the 
brethren who had gathered around the fire of the friends from Lagundonten- 
ink. It refreshed my inmost soul. 

"Wednesday, July 22. — We journeyed on four miles, to the first fork^ 
where a small creek comes down from the mouth. 

"Thursday July 23. — Also four miles to the second fork, to the creek, 
coming in from the south-east.- As a number of us met here in good time we 
had a meeting. Cornelius's brother-in-law stated that he was desirous of be- 
ing the Lord's ; therefore he had left his friends so as to live with the breth- 
ren, and to hear of the Saviour. 

" Friday, July 24. — The path soon left the creek, over valleys and heights 
to a spring. Now we were out of the swamp, and free from the plague of the 
Ponkis. Also found huckleberries, which were very grateful. Our to-day's 
station was five miles, and about so far we advanced on. 

"Saturday, July 25. — On which day we encamped at a Salt Lick, and 
kept Sunday some three miles from the large creek, which has so many curves, 
like a horseshoe, so that if one goes per canoe, when the water is high, four 
days are consumed in reaching the Ohio, whereas, by land, the point can be 
reached in one day.^ Our youngsters went to the creek to fish, and others to 
hunt ; and at sunset they came in with two deer, and four strings of fish." 

To prove farther that Punxsutawney was one of the Delaware towns, we 
quote from the narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger:* " Marie 
Le Roy was born at Brondrut, in Switzerland. About five years ago she ar- 
rived with her parents in this country. They settled fifteen miles from Fort 
Schamockin. Half a mile from their plantation lived Barbara Leininger, with 
her parents, who came from Reuttingen about ten years ago. 

" Early in the morning of the i6th of October, 1755, while Le Roy's hired 
man went out to fetch the cows, he heard the Indians shooting six times. 
Soon after eight of them came to the house and killed Marie Le Roy's father 

1 A branch of the Mahoning. 

- Query — The creek that comes in and up below Punxsutawney. 

s " The Mahoning, formed by the junction of the East and South Branch, which meets at Nichols- 
burg, in Indiana county. This route to the Allegheny was the same path taken by Post in 1758, when 
returning from his second visit to the Ohio Indians, in that year, and between Chinklacamoose and the 
Allegheny, over the same path traveled by Barbara Leininger, in 1755, when Chinklacamoose and 
Puncksatawney were villages." — yordan. 

* Vol. 7, Petinsylvania Archives. 



514 History of Jefferson County. 

with tomahawks. Her brother defended himself powerfully for a time, but 
was, at last, overpowered. The Indians did not kill him, but took him pris- 
oner, together with Marie Le Roy and a little girl who was staying with the 
famil)-. Thereupon they plundered the homestead and set it on fire Into 
this fire they put the body of the murdered father, feet foremost, until it was 
half consumed. The upper half was left lying on the ground with the two 
tomahawks with which they had killed him sticking in his head. Then they 
kindled another fire not far from the house. While sitting around it, a neigh- 
bor of Le Roy, named Bastian, happened to pass on horseback. He was im- 
mediately shot down and scalped. 

"Two of the Indians now went to the house of Barbara Leininger, where 
they found her father, her brother, and her sister Regina. Her mother had 
gone to the mill. They demanded rum, but there was none in the house. 
Then the}' called for tobacco, which was given them. Having smoked a pipe, 
they said : ' We are Allegheny Indians, and your enemies. You must all die.' 
Thereupon they shot her father, tomahawked her brother, who was twenty 
years of age, took Barbara and her sister Regina prisoners, and conveyed them 
into the forest for about a mile. They there were soon joined by the other 
Indians, with Marie Le Roy and the little girl. 

" Not long after the rest of the savages returned with si.K fresh scalps which 
they threw at the feet of the poor captives, saying that they had a good hunt 
that day. 

" The next morning we were taken about two miles further into the forest, 
while the most of the Indians again went out to kill and plunder. Toward 
evening they returned with nine scalps and five prisoners. 

" On the third da\' the whole band came together and divided the spoils. 
In addition to large quantities of provisions, they had taken fourteen horses 
and ten prisoners, namely, one man, one woman, five girls and three bo}'s. 
We two girls, as also two of the horses, fell to the share of an Indian named 
Galasko. 

" We traveled with our new master for two days. He was tolerably kind, 
and allowed us to ride all the way, while he and the rest of the Indians walked. 
Of this circumstance Barbara Leininger took ad\-antage, and tried to escape. 
But she was almost immediately recaptured and condemned to be burned 
alive. The savages gave her a French Bible, which they had taken from Le 
Roy's house, in order that she might prepare for death, and when she told 
them she could not understand it, they gave her a German Bible. Thereupon 
they made a large pile of wood, and set it on fire, intending to put her in the 
midst of it; but a young Indian begged so earnestly for her life that she was 
pardoned, after having promised not to attempt to escape again and stop her 
crying. 

"The next day the whole troop was divided into two bands; the one march- 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 515 

inc;; in the direction of the Ohio, the other, in which we were with Gaiasko, to 
Jenkiklamuhs,! a Delaware town on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. 
There we staid ten days, and then proceeded to Puncksotownay,^ or Eschen- 
town. Marie Le Roy's brother was forced to remain at Jenkiklamuhs. 

"After having rested at Puncksotownay, we took our way to Kittanny. 
As this was to be the place of our permanent abode, we received our welcome 
according to Indian custom ; it consisted of three blows each on the back. 
They were, however, administered with great mercy. Indeed we concluded 
that we were beaten merely in order to keep up an ancient usage, and not 
with the intention of injuring us. The month of December was the time of 
our arrival, and we remained at Kittanny until the month of September, 1756. 

" The Indians gave us enough to do. We had to tan leather, make shoes, 
moccasins, to clear land, to plant corn, to cut down trees, and build huts, to 
wash and cook. The want of provisions caused us, however, the greatest suf- 
fering. During all the time we were at Kittanny we had neither lard nor salt, 
and sometimes we were forced to live on acorns, roots, grass and bark. There 
was nothing in the world to make this new sort of food palatable except hun- 
ger itself" 

After being prisoners for over three years, these two girls, with two Eng- 
lishmen, escaped, and after innumerable perils, succeeded in reaching Fort 
Duquesne, at Pittsburgh. 

The Mahoning Creek, upon which Punxsutawney is situated, was called by 
the Indians, " Mohulbucteetam,-* /. c, where canoes are abandoned," and is 
one of the historic streams of the country. The signification of the name 
proves what has already been said about the Indians ascending as far as Punx- 
sutawney in their canoes, and then proceeding across the mountain by the 
Chincklacamoose path on foot. 

Some writers have claimed that the name Mahoning meant in the Indian 
tongue, "dancing waters," and "fountain of the clouds;" but both these sig- 
nifications are erroneous. Mr. J. W. Jordan, of the Pennsylvania Historical 
Society, who is familiar with the Indian dialects, says: "The Delaware word 
Mahoni means a lick. This name was a very common one for rivers and 
places in the Delaware country, along which or where the surface of the 
ground was covered with saline deposits or efflorescence provincially called 
licks, from the fact of deer, elk, and other animals frequenting them and lick- 
ing the saltish earth. I may add the following, Mahoni is Delaware for a lick. 
Mahonitty signifies a diminutive lick, and Mahon— haine a stream flowing from 
or near a lick." 

This proves, therefore, that the white settlers discarded the Indian name 
of the stream, " Mohulbucteetam," and merely retained the signification of 

' Chiiiklacamoose, on the site of the present town of Clearfield. 

2 Punxsutawney, in Jefferson county. 

3 Corrupted from Mochoolpakiton. — J. W. Jordan. 



5i6 History of Jefferson County. 



the licks from where it had its source, which has become corrupted into 
Mahoning. 

Early Settlers. — In 1818 Dn John W. Jenks came to Punxsutawney and at 
once began to make preparations for a permanent settlement there, and for over 
thirty years was oue of the most prominent citizens of the county. In 1820 
he built, in connection with David Barclay, the mill on Elk Run. " His first 
house was a small log one built a little north of what was known as Farmer's 
Alley," and he afterwards built a commodious residence where his son Phineas 
now resides. Dr. Jenks kept open house all those early years of his residence 
in Punxsutawney. Travelers from far and near made his house their stopping 
place. His hospitality was dispensed liberally, and without any compensation, 
and it was owing to this hospitality and generosity that he did not become a 
rich man. It was said of him, that while his house was the best patronized in 
the county in those early days, the only difference between it and the hotels 
was that the "Jenks House had no license, and made no charge." 

Rev. David Barclay came with Dr. Jenks in the summer or fall of 1818, 
and selected the land upon which Punxsutawney is now located, for their 
future home. They then returned east for their families and were accompanied 
on their return to the wilderness by Nathaniel Tindle and family, and PLlijah 
Heath. Dr. Jenks on his arrival left his wife and one child, David Barclay 
Jenks, at the house of Carpenter Winslow, while he got his own cabin ready 
for them to occupy. Mr. C. R. White, an aged citizen, of Covode, Indiana 
county, who came with hife parents to this region in June, 1818, says: 

" I went with my father, John White, to the place (where Dr. Jenks was 
building his house), and there were three persons besides Dr. Jenks, and they 
were raising the rafters on the roof of the house, the house had been raised a 
day or two before. There was Johnston Bailes, Dr. Jenks, and I think Daniel 
Graffius, a millwright, father and grandfather of the Graffiuses that live about 
there yet. The other man's name I cannot remember. C. C. Gaskill and 
James E. Cooper came here in the year 1818, and Mr. Gaskill married Eliza 
Weaver, of Freeport, and Mr. Cooper married Molly Brady." 

Mr. Gaskill had been sent by the Holland Land Company to act as their 
agent, in the disposal of their vast tracts of lands in Jefferson and adjoining 
counties. He settled in Punxsutawney in 1821, and his daughter, Cornelia, 
now the wife of Rev. John Graham, of the Erie Conference, was the first white 
female child born in the place. Phineas Jenks being the first child born there. 
Mr. Gaskill remained in Punxsutawney until 1849, when, having sold the 
remainder of the Holland Lands that he had not disposed of to settlers, to an 
eastern company, he returned to his home in Philadelphia, and died at Coop- 
er's Point, N. J., opposite Philadelphia, in 1872. 

Aunt Betsy Gray, as she is familiarly called, is probably the oldest living 
resident of Punxsutawney. She is eighty-seven years of age, and came to the 




I^TLSI^JZ^^T^ 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 517 

town in 1825 from Westmoreland county, making the journey on horseback, 
and carrying her child, Fleming Caldwell. 

Isaac P. Carmalt, John B. Henderson and John Hess, came to Punxsu- 
tawney in 1821. The former purchased a lot, but the following year pur- 
chased the property in Young township, where his history has already been 
given. Joseph Long settled in Punxsutawney in 1824. Then came William 
Campbell, Thomas McKee, John R. Reese, G. A. Mundorft", Ephraim Bair, 
William Davis, George Slaysman, James Torrence, John Drum, John C. Zeitler 
and others. 

Joseph Long was born on the Rhine, at Radenloch, but had become a citizen 
of the United States in time to participate in the War of 1812, being commis- 
sioned an ensign by Governor Snyder, of Pennsylvania. In 1824 he removed 
from his home in Centre county, and settled in Pun.xsutawney, where he built 
a house on the southeast corner of the public square in 1825, occupied at 
present by Captain John T. Bell. In 1829 he purchased the Charles Barclay 
property on the site of the former St. Elmo Hotel, where he died on the 30th 
of November, 1832. 

His son William, who is still a resident of Punxsutawney, was born in Cen- 
tre county in 1816. In 1839 he was elected first lieutenant of a volunteer 
company called the Jefferson Rangers, and was commissioned by Governor 
Porter. In 1840 he was chosen captain of the company, which office he held 
for seven years. His company, which was in the ^Third Battalion, Second 
Brigade, Fifteenth Division of Pennsylvania Militia, offered their services to 
the government during the first engagements in the war with Mexico in 1846, 
but their offer was not accepted by the president, enough troops being already 
in the field. Mr. Long still resides in Punxsutawney. 

James St. Clair located in Punxsutawney in 1831, and lived first in a house 
on the corner of Penn street, north of the public square In 1839 '^e kept the 
National Hotel, but removed from it to Brookville, upon being elected sheriff 
in 1849. After his term of office expired he returned to Punxsutawney and 
resumed hotel keeping, which he continued for fifteen years, when he removed 
to Bell township, residing there until the spring of 1880, when he removed to 
Young township, adjoining the borough of Punxsutawney, where he now re- 
sides. In 1848 he was elected one of the associate judges, and in 185 1 he 
built his grist-mill, which he still operates. Mr. St. Clair is now in his seven- 
ty-eighth year, and is yet active and able to superintend his business. Mrs. 
St. Clair, nee Margaret Mitchell, is but a year or two younger. Of their seven 
children, all are married, and all but one reside in the county. Robert, the 
oldest born, being a resident of Denver, the'others, with the exception of the 
youngest daughter, Mrs. J. A. Scott, who resides in Brookville, live in Punx- 
sutawney. 

William Campbell and his twin brother, Robert, came from Williamsbur<>- 

(i2 



Si8 History of Jefferson County. 

Huntingdon county, in 1832, to Punxsutawney, and engaged in merchandis- 
ing and lumbering. The first lumber they took out they ran to Pittsburgh, 
where they found the cholera so bad that they could not sell, and ran on to 
Cincinnati, where they found the same state of things. There being no sale 
for timber, Mr. Campbell rented a saw- mill and manufactured his timber into 
boards, which he sold before he returned home. In 1833 he brought his fam- 
ily to Punxsutawney, where he continued a prominent and useful citizen until 
his death, March 30, 1868. Mrs. Campbell, nee Martha Siaysman, died Octo- 
ber 12, 1873. Both were members of the Baptist church. Two of their sons, 
Thadeus and George, are prominent business men in Punxsutawney. William 
F., the other son, died August, 1887. Of the daughters, Mrs. Anna Altman 
and Mrs. Martha Stumph reside in Punxsutawney, Mrs. Amelia Murray in 
Gaskill township, Mrs. Margaret Little in Buftalo, N. Y.,and Mrs. Sarah Smith 
in Brookville. 

John Drum came to Punxsutawney in 1832. He was born in 1806 in 
Westmoreland county, where he learned the trade of a carpenter. He was an 
excellent mechanic, and there are many mementoes of his handiwork in the 
buildings erected b}' him in Punxsutawney. He served as county commis- 
sioner in 1844-6, and as justice of the peace for fifteen years. Mr. Drum and 
his wife are both dead. Of their children, only two reside in Punxsutawney — 
Mrs. John Evans, and Mrs. R. C. Winslow. 

The first church was erected in Punxsutawney, a few rods west of the pres- 
ent Baptist Church ; it was built of hewed logs, and was used by the Presby- 
terians ; it was also used for a school-house. The first school-house in the 
locality was built about 1822, of round logs, and was located near the site of 
T. P. Pantall's residence. 

Punxsutawney, though the oldest town in ail this region of country, having 
received its name over two hundred years ago from the Indians who first dwelt 
along the banks of the Mohulbucteetam, and planted their coin in the " Indian 
bottom," and being also the first town laid out by the white man, its history as 
a " white man's town," dating from 1821, when it was laid out by Rev. David 
Barclay, did not improve very fast, and was but a small town until the devel- 
opment of the rich coal fields in its vicinity, and the building of the Buffalo 
Rochester and Pittsburgh railroad wakened it into life, and made it a town of 
importance as a coal center. 

At the same time that he laid out the town, Mr. Barclay donated the 
plot of ground known as the public square, in the center of the town, which 
he had farmed for several years, and thus made it ready for the use to which 
he designed it — a public park. The deed of gift was duly recorded in the 
office of the recorder of deeds of Indiana county, but for over sixty years this 
spot that was no doubt designed by the generous donor to be made a "thing of 
joy and beauty forever," received no attention from the citizens of tlie town. 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 519 

but was allowed to lie unfenced and uncared for, a pasture for the festive geese, 
and the spot where the traveling showman erected his tent, until within a year 
or two a fence has been erected, and trees planted, and a promise is thus held 
forth that the people of Punxsutawney will yet convert this spot to the use for 
which it was undoubtedly intended. 

Fire in Punxsutawney. — On the night of October 9, 1886, Punxsutawney 
was visited by a disastrous fire which destro}-ed the best part of the business 
portion of the town. The most prominent losers were : I. S. Rosenberger, 
large brick block and store goods, $14,000; insurance, $6,800. Mrs. M. A. 
Reese, dwelling and barn ; loss, $4,000 ; no insurance. Mrs. M. J. Stumph, 
millinery store ; loss, $500. F. Hummell, National Hotel; loss, $20,000 ; in- 
surance, $3,500. St. Elmo Hotel; loss, $20,000; insurance, $1 1,000. G. S. 
Campbell, groceries ; loss, $600 ; no insurance. Mrs. John G. Graf residence ; 
loss, $2,500; insurance, $1,500. George M. Graf, furniture dealer; loss, 
$250. First National Bank, $600. Joseph Williard, household goods, $1,500; 
insurance, $500. Barr & Cromer, loss on hotel, furniture, etc., $I2,000 ; insu- 
rance, $4,700. Dr. Joseph Shields, drug store, $I,000. Jacob Zeitler, two 
story brick block and residence, $5,000. 

The Business of Piinxsutaivney. — The first store was started in Punxsutaw- 
ney in 1820 by Charles R. Barclay, where the City Hotel now stands; the 
next by William Campbell, in 1832, who continued in the business of general 
merchandising for several years. The third store was started in 1836 or 1838 
by John McCrea. 

In 1832, according to Gordons Gazetteer of Pennsylvania, Pun.xsutawney 
contained fifteen dwellings, two taverns and a store. 

Since those first small beginnings, merchandising has been conducted by 
various parties, and those operating the difterent business enterprises, in 1887, 
are recorded below, with the changes that have occurred from time to time in 
the respective firms. 

Ephraim Bair, general store; commenced in spring of 1865 ; he owns the 
brick building in which his store is located. 

George W. Zeitler, general merchandise, from 1854 to 1879 ; now engaged 
in the grocery, flour and feed business. 

I. S. Rosenberger has been in the general merchandising business for about 
twenty- two years. 

North & Miller, general store ; dealers in carpets, millinery, etc. This firm 
own a large brick building ; their store, two rooms connected, one hundred 
and sixty feet in length ; started April, 1883. 

Johnson & Fink, general store; established December, 1886; own a large 
brick building. 

Dr. Joseph Shields, drug store ; also dealer in dry goods and groceries ; 
established in 1864; owns building in which he does business. 



S20 History of Jefferson County. 

N. D. Corey, dealer in dry goods, groceries, etc., established by Shields & 
Dinsmore in 1885, then Dinsmore purchased the interest of Shields, and in 
turn sold to N. D. Corey in 1886. 

J. A. Weber, clothing store, established in the fall of 1881. 

St. Elmo clothing store, owned by Loeb & Co.; M. Fishman, manager; 
established in 1882. 

Greer Brothers, hardware store; established IVIay, 1883. 

F. J. Norton, general hardware store; established February, 1887. 

E. N. Wherle, watchmaker and jeweler; established February, 1883. 

W. M. Nickle, five cent store ; established June, 1885 ; Miss Cora Camp- 
bell, manager. 

J. A. Lowry, dealer in tinware and stoves ; established April, 1882. 

Dr. William Altman, drug store ; established May, 1883. 

Dr. W. F. Beyer & Bro., drug store; established April, 1880; owned by 
J. M. Beyer since 1883. 

George S. Campbell, dealer in groceries and confectionery ; established in 
1879. 

Mrs. M. J. Stumph, millinery store; established about 1882. 

Jacob Zeitler, saddlery and harness; established about 1852. 

James C. Shields, dealer in furniture. Furniture factory was started in 1873 
by Morris & Shields, then W. A. Custer bought Morris's interest and it 
was run by Custer & Shields, then by J. C. Shields, then L. P. Graff became a 
partner, and was run by Shields & Graft' for a short time, and then J. C. Shields 
again became sole proprietor. 

William Riddle, shoemaker. 

North & Morris, clothing store ; established in the spring of 1887. 

B. Stumph, shoemaker; established about 1868. 

D. W. Robinson, merchant tailor; established in 1870. 

Miller & Swartz, merchant tailors; established 1886. Mr. A. B. Miller, of 
this firm, has been in the business in Punxsutawney for over thirty years. 

Nancy A. Y. Hoover, millinery store; has been engaged in the business for 
about eighteen years. 

Kate R. Laughlin, milliner)' ; established in 1887. 

Low's music store ; established spring of 1887. 

Thomas Pantall, harness maker; established in 1882. 

F. S. Thompson, Keystone Billiard Parlor; established October, 1885. 
J. W. Brown, billiard parlor; established in 1885. 

George A. Young, meat market ; established about 1884. J. J. Young, meat 
market; established in the spring of 1 88 1. Haag & Co., meat market, 1887. 
John Lanzendorfler, watch maker and jeweler ; established November, 1873. 
W.J. Brillhart, jewelry store ; established in 1887. 
George Graf, dealer in furniture; established in 1884. 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 521 

A. C. Robinson & Bro., marble works; established in 1875. This firm are 
also engaged in tlie undertaking business, having bought out J. C. Shields, who 
had been engaged in the business for fourteen years. 

M. Cohn, boot and shoe store ; established November, 1886. 

E. H. Weiss, grocery and bakery; established September, 1882. 

S. E. Wilson, wholesale liquor store ; established April, 1886. 

Joseph C. Gibson, feed store ; established fall of 1886. 

Frampton & Work, photographers; established, 1883. Mr. J. W. Green 
was engaged in the photography business from i860, until his death. 

A. N. McQuown, dealers in stoves and tinware ; established in 1886. 

J. T. Kelso, flour and feed store; established in 1887. W. F. Zeitler, flour 
and feed store. 

William Ake, grocery. 

C. K. McCartney, news depot and green grocery. 

Samuel Ake, Acme Restaurant; started in 1886. 

Rowe Brothers, saloon and restaurant; established in 1882. 

Joseph McDonald, restaurant and billiard parlor; established in 1877 by 
James St. Clair, since which time it has changed hands several times. Mr. 
McDonald has been in possession since April, 1887. 

Lanzendorffer & McLaughlin, restaurant; started May, 1887. 

Harry North, barber shop, started in 1883; Frank Grosse, about 1874; 
L. C. Smith, 1886; Charles R. Zeitler, 1886; Charles Bilduck, 1882. 

John Cricks, livery stable ; established about 1869; L. C. Myers, livery and 
sale stable, 1885 ; Rishel & Fackiner. 

John Crawford, blacksmith, about 1862 ; John Walton, 1875; J. S. Drum- 
mond, 1885. 

The town of Pun.xsutawney is supplied with natural gas by the Mahoning 
Gas and Heat Company, which was organized November 11, 1884, with the 
following stockholders : H. P. Malone, R. F. Thompson, E. D. Willis, A. C. 
Weill, of Bradford ; John Q. Hoyt, New York ; H. C. Campbell, of Punxsu- 
tawney. H. P. Malone is treasurer, and Christian Miller, of Punxsutawnej', 
superintendent. The well from which the gas is supplied is situated in Canoe 
township, Indiana county, about four miles south of Punxsutawney, and about 
two and a half miles from the Jefferson county line. 

Hotels. — The first hotel was kept by Abram Weaver, who built a log house 
in which he entertained travelers as early as 18 16, and where he got license to 
sell liquor in the thirties. This " hotel " stood just above where the drug- 
store of Dr. Shields is now located. 

The Eagle Hotel was built by Elijah Heath, in the year 1824, and a brick 
addition built to it by Isaac Keck, who \n2a ye landlord for man>' years. Hon. 
James St. Clair also owned and occupied this house in 1839-49. It is now 
known as the City Hotel, and is owned and occupied bv John S. Barr, who 
has had the buildings refitted, repaired and remodeled. 



522' History ok Jefferson County. 

The first building erected on the St. Elmo site, on the northwest corner of 
the pubhc square, was built by Charles R. Barclay, in 1820 or 182 1. It was 
purchased in 1829 by Josepli Long, who died there in 1832. It was then pur- 
chased by James Campbell, who first turned it into a hotel, calling it the Ma- 
honing House. It then passed into the possession of Henry Jennings, and was 
known as the Jenning's House, until his death, when George Kramer bought 
the property, and erected the large hotel known as the St. Elmo. It then be- 
came the property of B. K. Fisher, and was destroyed by fire, in June, 1879, 
who immediately rebuilt in the fall of 1S80, completing it in the spring of 188 1. 
In May, 1886, Mr. Fisher exchanged hotels with A. B. Barr and J. B. Cromer, 
of the American House, Brookville. He taking charge of the American, while 
Barr & Cromer assumed control of the St. Elmo. It was destroyed in the fire 
of October 9, 1886, and has not been rebuilt. Since which time the property 
has passed into the hands of the Mahoning Bank. 

The National Hotel was built in 185 i by Ezra Root, for a boarding house. 
In 1853 John Gilpin purchased the property from Root, who built an addition 
to the house, and made it into a hotel. Since then its landlords have been Jo- 
seph Carr, Jacob Burkett, George Weiss, who in i860 enlarged it, Jacob Her- 
wick, James McHenry, James St. Clair. It is now owned and managed by 
Barr & Cromer, who purchased the property from John Foutz, in the fall of 
1886, after they had been burned out in the St. Elmo Hotel. 

The Washington Hotel was built by John Drum. Those who have had 
charge of this house since that time have been Henry Jennings, William 
Gillespie, Charles Pounds, Isaac Keck, Edwin H. Little and Peter Weaver. 
Frederick Hummell purchased the property in 1869, and about iSSoitwas 
destroyed by fire, and rebuilt by Mr. Hummell, and was again destroyed in the 
great fire of October 9, 1886. Mr. Hummell is now erecting a large brick 
hotel building on the site of the ill-fated Washington House. 

In 1858 J. P. Covert commenced keeping the Temperance House in Punx- 
sutawney, which he continued for several years. Mr. Covert was one of the 
early settlers of Young township, having moved into the Morris settlement in 
1822. He is now dead. 

Statistics of Population, AssessJiients and Schools. — Punxsutawney was or- 
ganized as a borough in 1849. The population by census of i860, was 415 ; 
1870, 553; 1880, 674. The number of taxables in 1856, were 108; 1863, 
105 ; 1870, 245 ; 1880, 205 ; 1886, 380. 

The triennial assessment for 1886 gives the number of acres seated as 40; 
valuation, $5,528; average per acre, $138; number of houses and lots, 259 
valuation, $72,758 ; number of horses, 59; valuation, $2,010; average value, 
$34; number of cows, 40 ; valuation, $515; average value, $13 ; number of 
occupations, 232 ; valuation, $7,680 ; average, $33. Total valuation subject 
to county tax, $88,491 ; money at interest, $62,068. 



YouNc; Township and Punxsutawney. 523 

The number of scliools in Punxsutawney for the school year ending June 7, 
1886, were 4; term 6 months ; number of male teachers, 2 ; females, 2 ; aver- 
age salary of male teachers, $60; females, $32.50; number of male scholars, 
115; females, 108 ; average number attending school, 172 ; average per cent., 
88; cost per month, $1.05; number of mills levied for school purposes, 13; 
for building, 2. Total amount of ta.x levied for school and building purposes, 
$1,403.81. 

Elections. — The first election held in Punxsutawney after it became a sep- 
arate election district, was on the 5th day of May, 1857, when the following 
persons were elected: Constable, William A. Dunlap ; assessor, John Drum ; 
school directors, James Torrence, Ephraim Bair ; overseers of the poor, George 
Miller, Adam Keck. 

The following comprise the elective officers of the borough for 1887 : Jus- 
tices of the peace, John T. Bell, John St. Clair; assessor, J. T. Kelso; high con- 
stable, A. Stockdale ; councilmeii, S. S. Hamilton, William B. Weiss; consta- 
ble, H. H. McHenry ; school directors, I. S. Rosenberger, A. B. Miller; tax 
collector, John Lang; auditors, H. F. Fishman, L. C. Myers; overseer of poor, 
J. M. Beyer; judge of election, W. C. Torrence; inspectors, John T. Mitchell, 
G. A. Weiss. 

The members of the school previously elected are, J. B. Bair, S. C. Allison, 
J. M. Brewer, and W. W. Winslow. 

Clayvili.e. 

Jacob Hoover was the first white man to settle in what is now the village 
of Clayville. He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1793, and spent his 
early days in Baltimore. In 1814 or 1815 he came to the Mahoning Valley, 
and purchased land of the Holland Land Company, comprising what is now 
the village of Clayville. His land extended as far east as the residence of Cap- 
tain Hastings, in Punxsutawney. He built his log cabin a little east of the Gil- 
lespie mill, and then proceeded to build a story and a half log grist-mill 18 x 25, 
in which he used burrs of native stone. He afterwards erected a frame grist- 
mill 40x40, three stories high, with a carding-machine in the upper story. 
The old mill became the wheel-house, and there were two sets of burrs in use. 
He then built a saw-mill, on Mill Run, between his cabin and grist-mill. In 
1840 he built a foundry, the first in the county, in Clayville, and in 1852, 
■erected the large steam mill lately burned down, as the property of J. U. Gil- 
lespie. 

For a long time after he settled at Clayville, Mr. Ploover " kept bachelor's 
Jiall." His lonely cabin life being enlivened occasionally by visits from his 
younger sister, Nancy. In 1 820 he married Nancy A., daughter of William and 
Jane Young, old residents of Armstrong (now Clarion county). Nine children, 
.all girls, were born to them, of whom only three survive : Caroline, now Mrs. 



524 History of Jefferson County. 

James E. Mitchell (first married to H. W. Mundorff, deceased) ; Nancy A. Y. 
Hoov^er, of Punxsutawney, and Mary Jane, wife of Gibson A. Mundorff, of 
Pittsburgh. Mr. Hoover led a busy life, farming, lumbering, and overseeing his 
mills. He was one of the best and most enterprising of the early settlers, and 
an earnest Christian, being one of the early Methodists of the county. He died 
in 1853, and his wife in 1851. 

Clayville, which was made a borough in 1864, adjoins Punxsutawney on 
the west. It is the present terminus of the Rochester and Pittsburgh railroad. 

In 1870 the population was 189, and the census of 1880 gives 248. The 
number of taxables in 1870 was 47, in 1880, 85, and in 1886, 142. 

The triennial assessment of 1886 gives the number of acres seated as 213 ; 
valuation, $7,436. Number of houses and lots, 120; valuation, $16,627, 
Number of horses, 16 ; value, $507 ; average value, $31.63. Number of cows. 
28; valuation, $252; average value, $9.00. Number of occupations, 73; 
valuation, $2,088 ; average, $28.33. Total valuation subject to county tax, 
$26,910; money at interest, $32,999. 

For the year ending June 7, 1886, Clayville had two schools. Average 
number of months taught, 5 ; one male teacher, salary $35 ; one female teacher, 
salary, $25 ; number of male scholars, 58; female, 52; average number at- 
tending school, 81 ; average per cent, of attendance, 73 ; cost per month, 60; 
number of mills levied for school purposes, 13 — for building purposes, 13 ; 
total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, $592.68. 

Elections. — The following is the entry on the election docket of the first 
election held in the borough of Clayville, June 6, 1864: Justices of the peace, 
William E. Gillespie, J. K. Coxson ; constable, J. C. Pierce ; judges of election, 
S. W. Depp, W. E. Gillespie ; town council, J. K. Coxson, L. R. Davis, W. E. 
Gillespie, J. U. Gillespie, S. W. Depp, J. G. Wilson ; auditors, W. Sperry, 
Peter Hettrick, William E. Gillespie ; assessor, Thomas Rodgers ; school direc- 
tors, J. K. Coxson, J. C. Pierce, W. Sperry, Daniel Duncaster, Peter Hettrick, 
1. U. Gillespie; overseers of the poor, J. K. Coxson, J. U. Gillespie. 

The result of the election held February 7, 1887, was as follows: Justice 
of the peace, W. W. Crisman ; constable, W. C. Gillespie ; burgess, W. S. 
Hughes ; council, A. H. Murray and F. Crisman ; school directors, Levi Mc- 
Gregor and W B Sutt-p r ; high constable, L. R. Davis ; auditor, Clark Rod- 
gers ; assessor. W. S. Perry ; collector, J. B. Sutter ; judge of election, J. Hi 
Spencer ; inspectors, S. H. Parkhill and J. M. Sutter ; poor overseer, Lev. 
McGregor. 

The justice of the peace is W. T. Rodgers, and the school directors pre- 
viously elected are, J. ]\I. Sutler, Joseph Spencer, George \V. Porter, and R. 
J. Crissman. 

Business of Clayville. — J. W. Parsons, general store; started in 1878 by 
James U. Gillespie, then Gillespie & Parsons; since February, 1886, Mr. Par- 
sons has had the store in his own control. 



Young Township and Punxsutawney. 525 

J. F. Goheen, dealer in general merchandise; established March 5, 1886. 

M. E. Wall, groceries; established February, 1887. 

Isaac Rodgers, groceries. 

Lindsay House, Michael Haley, proprietor. The house was built in 1866 
by J. U. Gillespie, who sold it to Nicholas Phillips, who yet owns the property. 

Planing-mill and factory built in 1887 by Elijah Kinsell. 

Clayville wagon and carriage manufactory ; first built and operated by 
Gillespie Brothers, but for the last sixteen years owned and operated by W. B. 
Sutter. 

Planing mill, J. & R. R. Evans; built by Joseph Collins, and since 1871 
owned and operated by Messrs. Evans. 

Cabinet shop built by J. B. Morris in 1867, and operated by Shields & 
Crissman, then McCormick & Crissman, and since 1883 by R. J. Crissman. 

There are two brick-yards in Clayville, in which the brick are burned and 
dried by natural gas; one owned by W. P. Rodgers, established in 1873, and 
the other by James O. S. Spencer, established in 1875. They manufacture 
about 600,000 brick each, per year, and employ about ten men each. 

James U. Gillespie is erecting a large steam flouring mill on the site of the 
old mill burned down in 1886, in which he will introduce all the modern im- 
provements, roller process, etc. The building will be five stories high, and will 
do wholesale and custom work. 

One of the main industries of Clayville is the foundry now owned and 
operated by George Porter. The principal work done in this establishment is 
the making and repairing of mining tools and machinery. 

Wallston and Adrian. 

Since the opening of the coal mines in Young township in 1883 by the 
Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company, two new towns have sprung 
up, as if by magic, in that township. Wallston, which is situated on the Buf- 
falo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad, about two miles east of Punxsutaw- 
ney, was begun when the mines were first opened. It is now a town of two 
thousand inhabitants, containing two hundred houses (double blocks), one 
store, seven hundred coke ovens, two fan houses, two drifts and one slope. 
Mr. John McLeavy is the assistant manager at Wallston. Adrian, which is 
situated on Elk Run, is also about two miles from Punxsutawney, and was 
commenced in 1887, and now contains about five hundred of a population, 
fifty houses (double blocks), one store, four hundred and fifty coke ovens, one 
fan house, one drift and one slope. 

G3 



526 History ok Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 
HISTORY OF RIDGWAY TOWNSHIP. 

RIDGWAY, the fourth township, was organized in 1826, being taken from 
Pine Creek. It was named for Jacob Ridgway, of Philadelpliia, who was 
the owner of a large body of land in McKean county, and also of another large 
tract in Jefferson county. It was then bounded on the north and east by Mc- 
Kean county, and on the south and west by Pine Creek township. 

The taxables in 1826 were 20; in 1828 there were 26 taxables, I deaf and 
dumb person; votes cast at election, 16; votes cast at general election, 19. 
In 1829 the taxables were still only 26; in 1835, 40; in 1842, 75. The pop- 
ulation, according to the census of 1830, was 50, and in 1840, 195. 

In 1 83 1 the greatest area of the township was, length twenty-three miles, 
breadth seventeen miles. 

The first election, as recorded in the office of the prothonotary, at Indiana, 
was as follows : " Ridgway township. At an election held at the house of James 
Galagher, in said township, on the i6th of March, 1827, the following named 
persons were duly elected : Constables, Nehemiah Bryant had 8 votes, Man- 
son Vial had seven votes ; supervisors, James Gallagher and Alonzo Brock- 
way were unanimously elected ; poor overseers, Naphtala G. Barrus and 
William Maxwell were unanimously elected ; fence appraisers, Nehemiah 
Bryant and William Taylor were unanimously elected ; town clerk, James 
Gallagher. Signed, John Stratton, inspector; Nehemiah Bryant, James M. 
Brockway, Alonzo Brockway, judges; attest, James Gallagher, clerk." 

"From 1825 to 1845 the plan of Fourier — that of communities with a 
union of labor and capital, and working under fixed rules — was actively put 
into operation in this section of Pennsylvania. On the main road from Ridg- 
way to Smethport are the remains of the town of Teutonia, once a large com- 
munity; but jealousies grew up, and the members dispersed among the people 
at large, and became industrious and useful citizens. The sudden advent and 
exit of this community had its prototype within half a mile of Teutonia. The 
mouldering wood and growth of trees of half a century mark the spot where 
was laid out the town of Instanter. Its plot is duly recorded in McKean county. 
Mr. Cooper, a large landholder, was the instigator, if not the forerunner of the 
settlement. As the streets were marked out, the buildings went up like magic ; 
but Madam Rumor spread a report that the land title was unsound, and on in- 
vestigation such was found to be the fact. Work suddenly ceased, and the 
settlers left."i 

Part of the Cooper lands were situated in what was then Jefferson county, 

1 Dr. Eggles's " History of Pennsylvania." 



RiDGWAY Township. 527 



and the flaming handbill which was gotten up to advertise these lands, gave 
the following very explicit directions for getting to them : 

"Title. Three hundred thousand acres of land, for sale and settlement ■ 
In the counties of McKean and Jefferson, in the State of Pennsylvania, joining 
the New York line and the Genesee lands, extending forty miles and situate 
about two hundred and fifty miles northwest from Philadelphia, etc., etc. 

Settlers and others wishing to go into the aforesaid lands from the northern 
part of Jersey, New York and New England States, take the Newburgh and 
Cohecton turnpike or such roads as will be most direct to the Painted Post, 
then cross the York and Pennsylvania line, taking the Tioga road to Dr. Wil- 
lar's or widow Barry's ; thence west to and on the east and west road, passing 
Wellsborough and Cowdersport to Smithport ; thence ten miles to Instaiiter 
(proposed county town of McKean). For settlers and others south of Easton, 
fall into the Lehigh and Berwick or Sunbury pike ; from thence to Williams- 
port, passing by Jersey shore to the aforesaid east and west road. For such 
as go out on foot or horseback they can take the Ellicott road from Jersey 
shore, passing through Dunnstown, and up the Susquehanna and Sinncmahon- 
ing to Coxe's Settlement and Instanter. ....... 

Benjamin B. Cooper. Cooper's Point, April 25, 18 12." 

Day' s Historical Collections of Pennsylvania, published in 1 843, says : " A 
road leads from Brookville to Ridgway, a settlement of New England people, 
made some years ago on the Little Mill Creek branch of the Clarion River, in 
the northeastern corner of the county. It took its name from Jacob Ridgway, 
of Philadelphia, who owned large tracts of land in this vicinity." 

Mr. Ridgway selected high ground about six miles northeast of the present 
town of Ridgway, for his settlement, on the Jefferson county lands, which was 
about four hundred and fifty feet above the Clarion River, at Ridgway. In 
locating this settlement he experienced many difficulties. It was twenty-five 
miles from his settlement at Bunker Hill, in McKean county, and twenty-two 
miles from Judge Bishop's (in McKean county), through a dense and heavily 
timbered wilderness. 

Mr. Ridgway secured for his agent in this undertaking, James L. GiUis, a 
relative by marriage, who came on from his home in Ontario county, N. Y., in 
June, 1820, to look at the land, and moved on it in December, 1821. Mr. 
Gillis gave the name of Montmorency to his new home in the wilderness. As 
the roads were very bad in summer Mr. Gillis brought their furniture and 
household effects in sleighs from the old home. It took two days, and some- 
times longer, to make the trip, and the travelers had to camp out at night. 
Mr. Gillis had ample means at his control, and being a man of unusual energy 
he soon had some four hundred acres of land cleared and ready for cultivation. 
He also erected a mill and carding-machine at Kersey. Mrs. J. C. Hauk, of 



528 History of Jefferson County. 



Ridgway, a daughter of Mr. Gillis, who came with him to Montmorency, and 
from whom we obtained most of these facts, says : " We had very little furni- 
ture except what was made on the place by a man who could use a saw and 
hammer." 

The first settlers to penetrate into this wilderness came about the year 
1812, and located on the Bennett's Branch. Leonard Morey, D wight Cald- 
well, John Mix and Eben Stephens were probably the pioneers of the Ben- 
nett's Branch. Morey built the first saw-mill. About this time the lands of 
Fox, Norris & Co., and Shippen, McMurtrie & Co., large landholders of Phil- 
adelphia were thrown upon the market, and settlements made there by these 
companies. The former company constructed a road into their lands, and 
built a grist-mill on Elk Creek, about two miles from the present town of 
Centreville (in Elk county) about the time that the Kersey mill, as it was called, 
was built. The Clarkes, Brockways, Vialls, Greens, Johnsons and others who 
followed these first settlers, locating in this section about the j-ear 1823, 
are all mentioned under the head of "Early Settlers," in a preceding chap- 
ter. They were principally from the New England States, and were a hardy, 
honest, intelligent type of manhood, and they have left their impress upon 
the people of Elk county, and the northern portion of Jefferson county, 
where their descendants are yet found among the best citizens of the localities 
in which they dwell. 

The privations and disadvantages under which these early settlers in this 
part of the county suffered, can be told from the fact that they were obliged 
to travel from Montmorency to Indiana to transact all legal business. Mr. 
Gillis erected a grist-mill and a carding machine soon after he located at 
Montmorency. It will be wondered at that the latter was necessary in the 
wilderness, but by the utmost vigilance and watchfulness the people of the 
settlement contrived to guard their sheep from the wolves, and soon raised 
enough wool to clothe themselves and their families. 

Among those who accompanied Mr. Gillis, and settled at Montmorency, 
were Reuben A. Aylesworth, a brother-in-law of Mr. Gillis, Enos Gillis, his 
brother, James Gallagher. These, too, were the first property holders in the 
present town of Ridgway, where Mr. Gillis made the first improvements by 
erecting two or three log houses and a saw-mill, the first house being built in 
1824. 

The Olean road crossed the Ridgway lands, but this road not proving of 
as much benefit in helping to open up and develop the region through which 
it passed as its projectors e.xpected, Mr. Gillis, in the winter of 1824, con- 
ceived of the project of building a road from Bellefonte to the New York State 
hne, an undertaking that demonstrated the spirit of the age, and of the man, 
for the route was through the densest wilderness, a distance of one hundred 
and twenty miles, but Mr. Gillis having gotten his neighbors in the county to 



RiDGWAY Township. 529 



sign his petition for a charter, took his horse and sleigh, crossed the Bennett's 
Branch near Morey's, going from there to Karthaus, his being the first team 
ever driven through that wilderness. At Bellefonte he secured a few signers 
to liis petition, and then proceeded to Harrisburg, and there, with the aid of 
Judge Burnside, State Senator, and John H. Mitchell, a member of the House, 
and both citizens of Centre county, the bill granting the charter asked for was 
passed, but the Legislature failed to make any appropriation for the work. 
However, Mr. Gillis persevered, and the next winter the Legislature subscribed 
twenty thousand dollars to the stock of the road, and it was finally completed. 

In 1826 Mr. Gillis succeeded in having a mail route extended to Montmo- 
rency, and a post-office established there, Reuben A. Aylesworth being ap- 
pointed postmaster February 14, 1826. Prior to this time the nearest post- 
office was at Coudersport, sixty miles from Montmorency, and and it took a 
man from two to three days to make the trip on horseback. This was the 
second office established in Jefferson county. 

Mr. Gillis represented the districts to which Brookville was then attached 
in both Congress and the State Senate, and was appointed associate judge by 
Governor Porter, but as Elk county was then organized taking Ridgway town- 
ship from Jefferson county, he resigned. 

Judge Gillis was a remarkable man, and his long connection with the busi- 
ness and politics of the county, deserves more than a passing notice, and we 
cull a few facts of his career from a very able sketch of the " Late James L. 
Gillis, the Pioneer of Elk and Forest," contributed to the Philadelphia Times 
in 1 88 1 by Hon. Henry Souther, of Erie. 

" He was born in Washington county, N. Y., October 2, 1792, and was 
one of a large familj' of sons — all hardy, sturdy men. His father lived to 
a ripe old age, and visited his sons, James and Enos, late in life, when they 
resided at Ridgway. A few years prior to the War of 1812 the family re- 
moved to Ontario county, N. Y., and there James enlisted in a company of 
New Yprk Volunteers, and was immediately commissioned a lieutenant of cav- 
alry, and assigned to a regiment commanded by one Colonel Harris, regular 
dragoons. He was in the battles of Fort George, Chippewa and Lundy's Lane. 
Shortly after this battle he was taken prisoner by tlie British and confined at 
various places in Canada, and in 18 14, while under parole he was arrested and 
put on board a transport about to sail for England. Gillis and several others 
were successful in making their escape by capturing a boat belonging to the 
transport, and gaining the bank of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec, 
at which place the vessel was lying. All were finally retaken. They wan- 
dered about for several days wishing to reach the United States frontier, but 
made little headway in that direction. Finally they made terms with a Cana- 
dian Frenchman, who promised to guide them to the boundary, but betrayed 
them. The red coats got them, returned them to confinement, and Lieutenant 



S30 History of Jefferson County. 

Gillis was not again permitted to escape. He remained in confinement till 
the close of the war, when he was exchanged at Salem, Mass. When Con- 
gress, about 1853, passed a law giving a bount}' of one hundred and sixty 
acres of land to the soldiers of the War of 1812, Judge Gillis had no trouble in 
proving his title to one. He considered it too sacred to part with, and for 
years kept it hanging in his home in a gilt frame, which was a luxury in the 
way of fine arts that his neighbors generally could not indulge in. 

In 1816, he married Miss Mary Ridgway, of Philadelphia, a niece of his 
future employer. By that marriage he had three children : Ridgway B., 
Charles B. and Caroline, now the widow of Judge Houk, late of Ridgway. 
In that wild region he reared these three children. His wife died in 1826, and 
in 1828 he married Miss Celia A. Berry, who died in 1855, leaving seven chil- 
dren. In 1830 he moved from his farm, which he had cleared, six miles from 
Ridgway, to that place to which he gave its name, of Ridgwa}'. Here his 
family resided for many years. In that country, where the benefits of educa- 
tion were very limited, he brought up his ten children, giving them such edu- 
cation as the county aftbrded, and all of them have acquitted themselves very 
creditably in life. One of his sons. Captain James H. Gillis, United States 
Navy, did gallant service during the late Rebellion. He was in command of a war 
vessel, throughout the war, and at the bombardment of Mobile, his vessel came 
in contact with a torpedo, was sunk to the gun deck, but he fought her as long 
as there was enough of her above water to stand upon. While he was a mid- 
shipman, and the vessel to which he was attached was in a South American 
port, he called for volunteers from his crew, took one of the ship's boats, and 
saved the crew of a Chilian vessel, which was going to pieces in a fierce storm, 
two miles from shore. He took the crew from the rigging, and brought them 
safely to land. The act was recognized by the Chilian government in a fitting 
manner. Captain Gillis, who was born at Montmorency, in Jefterson count}', is 
now a commodore in the United States Navy. 

After Judge Gillis retired from Congress, he was appointed agent for 
the Pawnee Indians, and located them upon their reservation, built buildings 
for them, among others a grist-mill, and was their faithful friend and protector, 
as long as he remained with them. No act of peculation was ever laid to his 
charge, either there or in any of the other public offices that he held. As an 
evidence of his kindness of heart, he adopted from the tribe a little Pawnee 
girl aged five or six years, under the following circumstances : Both the par- 
ents of the child were dead ; she had no relatives, who under the laws of the 
the tribe, were bound to care for her, or support her, and was, therefore cast 
off" by every one. The story goes that Judge Gillis found her picking the 
pieces of fat off the entrails of a decayed buffalo. He immediately took her to 
his own quarters, had her washed up, clothed and cared for, as if she was the 



Rose Township. 531 



most precious child in the world. He brought her to Ridgway with him when 
he returned ; she lived in his family while he remained there, went West with 
him when he moved to Iowa, and died there." 

While Judge Gillis lived at Montmorency, he was obliged, as was all the 
other settlers in Jefferson county, to go to Indiana to attend to all legal busi- 
ness, and also to report there for military duty. On one occasion he had failed 
to report for the latter, and also paid no attention to the fine imposed upon him, 
and an officer was sent to arrest him. The officer on his arrival, near nightfall, 
was cordially received by Judge Gillis, and entertained with the lavish hospi- 
tality for which Montmorency was noted. The judge suspected his errand, but 
did not in the least remit any of the attentions that he would have bestowed 
upon the most honored guest. In the morning the officer, overwhelmed by 
the kindness of his reception, began in a shamefaced way to explain his errand, 
when Judge Gillis, similating the greatest wrath, ordered him to be gone, tell- 
ing him if his errand was known, his life would not be worth much in those 
woods, etc. The poor fellow, frightened by this storm of wrath, mounted his 
horse and rode off with all speed, and this was the last his prospective prisoner 
ever heard of him or the militia fine. 

Judge Gillis was throughout his life a staunch Democrat, and on his last 
visit to Ridgway, at a Democratic meeting in October, 1880, he made a speech 
for Hancock and English. He died at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in June, 1881, 
in the eighty-ninth year of his age, having lived through the three wars that 
this country has seen. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

HISTORY OF ROSE TOWNSHIP. 

ROSE township was the fifth to fall into line in the county history, being 
formed from Pine Creek, in 1827. It was named for a gentleman named 
Rose, then a prominent owner of lands in the county. The present bounds of 
the township enclose a long, narrow area, about eight and a half miles in 
length, and not over three and a half miles in width at the widest part. Its 
boundaries are now Eldred township on the north, Pine Creek and Knox on 
the east, Oliver on the south, and Beaver, Clover and Union on the west. It 
is a broken, hilly region, and is traversed by numerous deep rugged valleys. 
Redbank Creek traverses it from east to west, the North Fork and Five Mile Run 
skirt its eastern border, Beaver Run rises in the vicinity of Belleview and Coder 
Run diversifies the topography with great variety of hill and valley, west of 



532 History of Jefferson County. 

Brookville. The highest summits in the township are about four hundred feet 
above the bed of Redbank Creek, and sixteen hundred feet abo\e the ocean 
level. 

The Geology. — The Kittanning, Clarion and Brookville coal seams are found 
in Rose township, and furnish the principal coal beds. The Freeport Lower 
coal comprises but a small area, the principal bed being that upon which the 
Enoch McGeary bank is opened. Here the coal is of comparative purity, 
without partings, and with scarcely any pyrites. 

Limestone is found in all parts of the township and generally of a good 
quality, and is from three to five feet thick. Much of the coal in the vicinity 
of Brookville is from the Brookville seam, especially that brought from the 
banks in the vicinity of the pottery. The Brookville coal is claimed to be the 
best for generating steam, of any bituminous coal that has yet been discov- 
ered. Fire-clay and iron ore are also found. The former being extensively 
used in the pottery, near the Catholic grave-yard. 

Early Settlers. — Uriah Matson with his family, emigrated to the United 
States from near Fannet, County Donegal, Ireland, landing at Philadelphia 
sometime in September, A. D. 1786. He settled first in Chester county, Pa., 
near Philadelphia, but how long he remained there, is not now known. Some 
time before A. D. 1800, he removed to Indiana county, where he died. Of 
his character nothing is known outside the evidence of his certificate of mem- 
bership of the Presb}'terian Church at Fannet, which he brought to this coun- 
try with him, and which is now in possession of one of his great-grandchildren. 
It reads as follows : 

•' That the bearer hereof, Uriah Matson and Belle, his wife, have been mem- 
bers of this congregation from their infancy, and always maintained an honest, 
sober and industrious character, free from public scandal of any kind, and now 
intending to settle in some of the United States of North America, are there- 
fore recommended as regular members of any Christian society, where God in 
his Providence may appoint their lot. 

" By James Delay, V. D. M. 

"Dated at Fannet, iith of June, 17S6, County of Donegal, and Kingdom 
of Ireland." 

The Matsons were originally from Denmark, settling in England about the 
time of or soon after the Danish conquest of that country. About the begin- 
ning of the last century, some of them emigrated to Ireland, to engage in the 
manufacture of linen, locating on Loch Swilly, County Donegal. John Matson, son 
of Uriah, was born in Ireland, in 1774, came to the United States with his fath- 
er's family in 1786 ; married Mary Thompson, in 1803 or '4, in Indiana, and re- 
moved to Jefterson county, locating on land of which the farm now owned by 
Robert L. Matson, situated on the Clarington road, one mile northeast of 
Brookville is a'part, in 1S05. He was the father of eleven children: Isabella, 



Rose Township. 533 



Jane, James C, Uriah, John, Lydia, Rebecca, Robert L., William F., Harry 
and Mary Ann. Lydia died in infancy, and was buried in the old graveyard 
about one mile east of Brookville, near the junction of the Ridgway road with 
the turnpike. The site of this old burying-place is now almost forgotten, every 
vestige of its former use being obliterated, and its surface covered with fruit- 
trees or gardens, yet under these rest the bones of some of Jefferson county's- 
first settlers. Jane died in Pittsburgh, April, 1874, from the effects of a severe 
surgical operation. James C. died July 27, 1878, of diseases contracted while 
a resident of Tennessee. Isabella died in 1879 or 1880. William F. went to- 
California about 1856, and since February, 1864, when he was residing in San 
Francisco, nothing is known of him. Isabella married William Ferguson, to 
whom she bore six children. Ferguson died from injuries received in a fall 
from a house in 1845, and she afterwards married Mr. Barbour. Jane 
never married ; James C. married Harriet Potter, by whom ten children were 
born ; Uriah married Minerva Reynolds, who bore him one child ; John mar- 
ried Margaretta Conner, by whom he had two children ; Rebecca married 
Benjamin Bennett, to whom she bore six children ; William F. is not known 
to have married ; Harry married Eliza Smith, by whom he had three children, 
and Mary Ann married H. H. Clover, and bore him five children. 

The next pioneer to settle in the neighborhood of the Matsons was Joseph 
Clements, who came from Meadville soon after. He located on the farm now 
owned by his daughters, Mrs. Metz and Mrs. Pysher, where he resided until 
his death. Mr. Clements married Sarah, daughter of John Vasbinder, and 
their children numbered eight ; three boys, John, Robert and Joseph, and 
five girls : Sarah, married William Rodgers ; Isabel, married a man named 
Kelsey ; Mary, married Eli Snyder; Eliza, married Stephen Pysher; and 
Margaret Andrew Metz. Of tliese all are living but John, who died about 
i860. Mrs. Kelsey resides in Chicago, Robert and Joseph in Eldred town- 
ship, and the rest in Rose township, in the neighborhood of the farm upon 
which they were all born and reared. 

When Mr. Clements first took up his abode in the wilds of what is now 
Rose township, there were no mills, no store, and no conveniences of any kind 
in the county. They depended upon the game, which roamed through the 
forests, and the products of their little patches of corn and potatoes, for food, 
and the sheep, which were a necessity with every pioneer family, and the flax, 
which was sown as soon as a spot could be cleared for it, furnished the cloth- 
ing. Mr. Clements constructed a hand-mill to grind his corn, and the meal 
was sifted through a seive made by punching holes with an awl in a dried 
deer-hide. Mr. Clements died in 1867, aged about seventy- two years. 

Andrew Vasbinder, son of John Vasbinder, was also one of the first settlers 
in the northern part of Rose township, on the farm now occupied by his widow, 
where he li\-ed to a good old age. He married a sister of Joseph Clements, 

64 



534 History of Jefferson County. 

and Mr. Clements married his sister. A number of Mr. Vasbiiider's children 
and grandchildren live in Rose township. 

John Lucas came from Crooked Creek, in 1816 or 1S17, and settled on the 
farm now occupied by his son, Samuel. He died in 1869, in the seventy-third 
year of his age. His wife died in 1864, aged sixty-nine years. Only two of 
the family survive, their sons William and Samuel. 

John Kennedy, who was born in 1777, in County Antrim, Ireland, came 
to this countrj' in 1813, and settled in Huntingdon county, from whence he 
removed to Jefferson county, in the spring of 1822, and settled on the farm now 
owned by his son, William Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy died April 14, 1869. in 
the ninety-second year of his age, having lived on the farm which he cleared 
with his own hard labor, fifty- seven years. Mr. Kenned}''s nearest neighbor 
was James Shields, who settled on the farm now owned bj- his grandson, 
Samuel Shields. The other neighbors were Walter Templeton (grandfather 
of Thomas L. Templeton, of Brookville), John Matson, John Kelso, John Lu- 
cas and Thomas Lucas, esq. 'Squire Lucas saw that justice was administered 
in the neighborhood, Mr. Templeton did all the mechanical work that was 
needed, repairing all the guns, and making the plows — those with the old- 
fashioned wooden mould-board, and John Lucas the blacksmithing. 

The only road then in that region, was one from Port Barnett, which 
crossed the Sand\- near where Fuller's dam is now built, and from thence to 
Indiana. There were fourteen men employed in cutting it out, under the direc- 
tion of Judge Shippen, of Meadville. The party had a wagon to haul their pro- 
visions, and was composed of Mr. Kennedy, two men named Holloway and 
Williamson. No respect was had for the future comfort of the traveler, or the 
poor horses that had to toil over this road ; no digging was done, and it was up 
one hill and down another. The other road was from Port Barnett to Troy, 
and was made in the same manner as the other. These roads were made so as 
to pass the homes of as many settlers as possible. The unseated taxes were 
sufficient to pay all expenses. The nearest grist-mill was run by a man named 
Parks, and was the Knapp mill. The bolting was done by hand, and William 
Kennedy says he often took his turn at this work when waiting for his grist. 

Mrs. Kennedy nee Ann Kelso, who was also a native of Ireland, died Feb- 
ruary 6, 1857, in the ninetieth year of her age. Their son, William Kennedy, 
resides on the old farm, and although in his seventy-seventli \ear, is able to 
superintend his farm, and ride daily to Brookville, where he is senior partner 
jn the hardware firm of Kennedy & Co. 

In the year 1826 Samuel D. Kennedy came from Mifflin county with his 
wife and son and settletl on the pike across the road from Major Trimble's 
farm, where he built a log cabin, in which he lived- for some time without win- 
dows or doors. The only house near them was a small log house, where Cor- 
sica now stands. It stood in the old McAnult\- orchard, and a man named 



Rose Township. 535 



Powers kept hotel in it. Indians were frequently seen, and the family were 
often chased indoors b\- panthers. Mr. Kennedy afterward removed to the 
vicinity of Coder's dam, and from there to Corsica, where he lived until the 
death of his wife, after which he made his home with his son, George H. Ken- 
nedy, at Brookville, where he died October 13, 1881, in the eighty- first year 
of his age. Mrs. Jane Kennedy, ne'e Slack, died January 27, 1878, aged sev- 
enty-seven )'ears. Five children survive: Mrs. Elizabeth Garvin of Corsica, 
Mrs. Amelia P. Barnes, and Miss Mary A. Kennedy of New Bethlehem, and 
Mrs. Susan Hughes and George H. Kennedy, of Brookville 

Isaac Mills was born in Bedford county in 1801, and from there removed 
to Westmoreland county, from which he came to Brookville in the year 1831, 
remaining there three years, when lie removed to a farm four miles west of 
Roseville, where he lived until his death, in 1836. Mr. Mills was the father of 
John Mills, of Brookville. 

Luther Geer, sr., started with his family from Indiana county on the 15th 
day of March, 1833, and on the i8th reached his destination in Jeft'erson 
count}-, where he located on the farm now owned by K. L. Blood, in Rose 
township. Mr. Geer was born in Connecticut in 1796, and was married to 
Nancy A. Spiers, in 1818. He was a millwright- and carpenter by trade, and 
put the roof on the grist-mill built by Robert P. Barr. After residing in Rose 
township he moved to the Clarion river where he built the Grant mill. He 
then moved to Brookville, where he staid awhile, and then located permanently 
in Pine Creek, where he died August 15, 1875, and his wife died November 
29, 1880, in the eighty- fourth \ ear of her age. They both resided with their 
son, Lawson S., during the last years of their lives. They had thirteen chil- 
dren — eight sons and five daughters — and of these nine are living, and all but 
one reside in Pine Creek township. 

Peter Thiush came from Cumberland county and settled in the southern 
part of Rose township in 1837, on the farm now owned by his son, William 
Thrush. His land was all in an uncultivated state, and he cleared and made a 
good farm. Mr. Thrush died in 1869 or 1870, in the seventy- sixth year of 
his age. His family consisted of three sons — Samuel, Joseph and William 
B., — Anne, married to Dewalt Piolee, who remained in Cumberland county ; 
Sydney, married to John Kirker, now residing in Ohio ; filiza, married to John 
F. Himes. They all reside in Rose township except Mrs. Piolee and Mrs. 
Kirker. 

Peter Himes came to Jefferson county about the year 1838, and settled on 
the farm on J5eaver Run, about lialf a mile from the old Hamilton road, now 
owned by John Baughman and C. Brocious. Mr. Himes cleared three dift'er- 
ent farms in Rose and adjoining townships. He died at the residence of his 
son, John F., in 1884, in the eighty-second year of his age. 

John V. Himes purchased the farm on which he now resides, about six- 
teen years ago. It was partially cleared by David Van Dyke many years ago- 



536 History of Jefferson County. 

The Hall family was one of the pioneer families of Rose township, and 
Enoch and Joseph E. were early identified with the lumbering and other business 
interests of Brookville. The former, who has for many years resided in Brook- 
ville, and who is now in the seventy-eighth year of his age, relates the follow- 
ing story of the trials endured by his father's family in a journey westward 
sixty )'ears ago. Then Ohio, to which they intended to emigrate, was in the 
" far west :" 

" The starting point was a place on the West Branch of the Susquehanna 
River, almost fifteen miles above what is now Lock Haven, but at that time 
only a small farm with a log house built upon it. In that house I was born 
and lived the first few years of my life. My father was a stone-mason, and 
did not own a farm of his own, and during the first ten years of my life we 
moved two or three times, but did not go away from the river. This was then 
in Lycoming county. During the winter of 1826-7, father having previously 
heard that land could be bought very cheap along the river valley in Ohio, 
and that the land was very fertile, decided upon taking his family early in the 
spring to secure a farm in that desirable locality. He ascertained that in mak- 
ing the journey he could secure transportation by water the entire distance, 
with the exception of one trip overland of twenty-four miles. 

" The start was made in March, 1827, the first part of the trip being made 
in two canoes, each made by hollowing out a large pine log, smoothing it on 
the outside, and pointing the ends, that it might be pushed through the water 
more easil_\ . Two of these canoes, nearly forty feet long each, held our family 
of four boys and five girls, with mother and a young man, a relative, who went 
with us, together with tlie household goods we intended to take along. Each 
canoe was in charge of a man with a stout pole, and the boys that were large 
enough secured poles also, and assisted in pushing along, for the first part of 
the journey was made up stream, and required hard pushing against the cur- 
rent. Our route lay up West Branch to Sinnemahoning, up that stream to 
the mouth of Driftwood Creek, where we also found Bennett's Branch, up this 
stream to Benezette. This journe\- we made in about four days, and each 
night during that time had found either some vacant hut or hospitable cabin 
along tlie shore in which mother and the girls, at least, found a place to sleep. 
Upon reaching Benezette we found an unoccupied log house, into which we 
were glad to move on account of an interruption, occasioned by the illness of 
my younger brother, Hiram, then about six years of age. The last day or 
two of the canoe voj'age he seemed quite sick, and grew worse until we be- 
came alarmed, and upon finding refuge at Benezette, I was dispatched in 
search of a doctor. There was an old mill there and a couple of houses, but I 
am not certain that any one was living in either of them. There were a few 
per.sons living in the vicinity, however, and upon inquiry I found a doctor al- 
most eight miles awav. At his first visit he was unable to tell exacth- the 



Rose Township. 537 



nature of the case, but by the time he came back the next day or two, an 
eruption on the boy's face told him it was measles, and we all felt worried, for 
none of us had had measles, and of all times to get them thought this the most 
unsuitable. 

" F'ather was not with us in the canoes, but had left home a week in ad- 
vance to secure wagons to take us across from Benezette to the Clarion River, 
at the mouth of Elk Run, where Ridgway is now located, and having done 
this, went on to the Clarion to make a raft to float down that river on our way 
west. 

" After getting the doctor's opinion about Hiram, I was started across the 
country to find father, and inform him of what had happened to delay us, and 
walked the twenty-four miles in one day, finding him without special diffi- 
culty. He was quite surprised at the nature of the delay, but left me in 
charge of the raft he had nearly completed while he went back to see what 
could be done to get the family along. All I could see of Ridgway at that 
time was a field or two cleared, but thickly dotted with stumps, a house, occu- 
pied by a Mr. Gallagher and family, and a short distance up Elk Run a small 
saw- mill with one or two other buildings. Father's raft was made of small 
dry pine logs, about forty feet long, squared and enough put together to make 
it about sixteen feet wide. On this he had built a shanty of boards from the 
mill, and in this shanty we were to live during the remainder of our journey. 
While in charge of the raft I boarded for a week with Mr. Gallagher and fam- 
ily, and was quite amused at seeing a strange companion that seemed to afford 
amusement for the Gallaghers as well. A young cub bear had been captured 
and tamed until it hung around the house like a dog. Occasionally the boys 
would have a romp with it, and it was so taught that when one of them would 
say, ' Now, let us wrestle,' it would get up on its hind feet, and there would 
be a mutual grasp and tussle in which the boys would generally come out best. 
They would also chase each other around the field, just like any dog, though 
the bear was not a very swift runner. 

" I spent the week quite pleasantly, and about its close was pleased to see 
father with two wagons containing our family, including the sick boy, and all 
our effects. A day or two more here and we moved into the shanty and were 
soon on our wa)- down the Clarion River. The water was not very high, and 
not being familiar with the channel our craft would occasionally stick, but was 
generally lifted off easily and started on its way again. The banks of the river 
were covered by an unbroken forest most all the way, and as we floated 
leisurely along down the stream there was very little to break the monotony 
except the sight of a deer occasionally, the song of a bird or the scream of an 
animal. There were, however, two dams across the river, the first at Wyn- 
coop's, where we stopped to give mother a chance to bake some bread. A 
-day was spent here, and the men in the vicinity tried to secure us a deer by 



538 History of Jefferson County. 

making a half-circle back from the river and driving him into the water, but 
they were unsuccessful though deer were plenty. In going over the dam the 
ladies of our party got off the raft and walked around, getting on again below. 
I remember that in going over the second dam I remained on the raft and 
stood on a chair to keep from getting wet when the raft dove under the water 
as it did, but the chair proved treacherous, fell forward, throwing me flat on 
the raft, and giving me a complete wetting, which the rest of the party seemed 
to enjoy much better than I did. 

" As we neared the mouth of the river, some of the family began to feel 
quite sick, and mother suspected we were coming down with measles, which 
suspicion proved to be well founded shortly afterwards. We floated along the 
Allegheny River without special incident, moving by day and t)-ing up for the 
night, as we had been doing, except that the younger persons were in no con- 
dition to enjoy the trip. I do not remember how long it took us to float to 
Freeport, but remember that by the time we got there we could display more 
measles to the square inch than any family we knew of. and father thought we 
had better call a halt for repairs. We were landed below Freeport, and while 
there heard of a vacant house a few miles below, near the mouth of Pine Run. 
Floating down near this house, we were taken out of the shanty and into the 
building, which was fairly comfortable, and we remained here until all recov- 
ered. 

" Father, in the mean time, while waiting for us to get well enough to go 
on, went out in Butler county, near Zelienople, to visit some relatives, and 
while there his friends represented to him that the valley of the Ohio was sick- 
ly, and persuaded him to rent a good farm near where they lived, and for a few 
years we resided in that county. The desire to secure a farm of his own, how- 
ever, caused him to continue to make further inquiries as to inducements held 
out to beginners by different localities, and learning that land was cheap in the 
new county of Jefferson, he bought a tract of woodland in what is now Rose 
township, a part of which is at present occupied by W. H. Hall, where, in 
1833, he commenced to clear out a farm. Here my father ended his days, 
and I have been a resident of the county ever since. Thus you see that so 
small a thing as a crop of measles kept us residents of the old Keystone State> 
and I think now, taking all things into consideration, that we fared as well as 
if we had gone farther west." 

\'ery few men have been more prominent in the affairs of Jefferson county, 
than was Joel Spyker. He was born in Jonestown, Swatara township, Dau- 
phin (now Lebanon) county, in 1803, and came to this county in 1835, and 
settled upon the farm in Rose township, where he resided until his death. 
His early education was very limited, but by untiring efforts, he learned the 
common English branches in his youth, so as to be able to teach school. In 
after life he was a close student, and a careful reader, and was one of the best 



Rose Township. 539 



informed men in the county. In 1848 he pubHshed a little book entitled " A 
Collection of Geographical, Moral, Re.igious and Political Chapters," which 
was a compilation of useful and varied information, and showed great research. 
Mr. Spyker was a prominent leader in the Democratic party of Jefferson 
county for o\'er thirty j-ears. In 1824 he cast his first vote for General Jack- 
son, and he never departed from the political faith of his youth. In 1853 he 
was elected county surveyor, and in 1857 he was elected a member of the 
Legislature. He also served as county commissioner, and in 1S60 was ap- 
pointed assistant United States marshal to take the census of Jefferson county. 
He was elected seven terms, consecutively, justice of the peace of Rose town- 
ship. He was a man of sterling honesty and integrity of character, and was 
administrator and executor of more estates, guardian of more minor children, 
and arbitrator of more disputes and difficulties than any other man in the 
county, and in all these pt)sitions he acquitted himself creditabl\- and honestly. 
Mr. Spyker died in 1877. 

His son Abner has succeeded to the old homestead and to his father's 
office of justice of the peace; but he has left his political faith, being a 
straight-out Republican. Two of his daughters, Mrs. Catharine Alsehouse and 
Mrs. Mary Edmonds, reside in Rose township, and the wife and children of his 
son Peter, who was drowned in Little Sandy, in 1864, just after his discharge 
from the army, reside in Brookville. 

George Himes was one of the first who settled and made improvements on 
Beaver Run. He still resides there and is past eighty years of age. 

John Darr came to Jefferson county in April, 1846, and settled in the 
northern part of the township on the farm how owned by J. M. Pierce, where 
he died in May, 1859. He was sixty- five years of age. His wife wri? Sarah 
Johns, died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. J. M. Pierce, in Rose town- 
ship, October 16, 1885, in the eighty-si.xth year of her age. Their family 
consisted of ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom four survive; 
Jacob, living in Indiana county ; George, in Venango count\', and Joseph T., 
and Mrs. J. M. Pierce in Brookville. They were worthy people and earnest 
members of the Lutheran church. 

Among other early settlers in Rose township were Thomas and Robert and 
James VVitherow. In 1832 Thomas cleared and improved the farm now owned 
by John Crate, and Robert the farm now occupied by his son, James R. 
Witherow, in 1834. James died in 1868, Thomas in 1876, and Robert F. in 
1 88 1. They all resided upon the farms upon which they located, in Rose 
township, until death ended their labors, Robert being eighty-seven years of 
age when he died. His aged wife, nee Mary C. Campbell, yet survives, and 
resides upon the old homestead with her son. William Carr, in 1833, settled 
on the farm now owned by Michael Hinderliter. Mr. Carr opened a coal bank 
on his farm and for many years delivered coal to customers in Brookville. He 



S40 History of Jefferson County. 



removed to West Virginia. Peter Groves settled on the farm now owned by 
Jacob Diener, in 1834; Moses Campbell, on the farm now owned by Joseph 
McFarland, in 1835 ; William McGeary, on the farm he now owns, in 1837 ; 
Jacob and Henry Bodenhorm settled, in 1838, on the farm now owned by Ed- 
ward and Benjamin Reitz ; Andrew Ohl on the place now owned by his son 
George, in 1838 ; Clement McGeary and John Kirker settled in Rose in 1833 ; 
William Morrison and Charles Boner, in 1834; Robert Morrison and Joseph 
Millen, in 1831. These families came from W^estmoreland, Cumberland, 
Dauphin and Lebanon counties. 

William Thompson came to Rose township in 1834, and cleared the farm 
now owned by the heirs of his son, John Thompson. He died at the age of 
about eighty years. He was married to Susan Brady, who is also dead. John 
Thompson was born February 3, 1823, and married January 11, 1849, to 
Jane, daughter of Clement McGeary. Mr. Thompson lived on the farm ad- 
joining the borough of Brookville, for about fifty years. He was one of the 
most upright and useful citizens of the county. In 1858 he w'as elected one of 
the county commissioners, and in 1880 one of the associate judges, but died 
December 4, 1884, before his term of office expired. He was a prominent 
member of the United Presbyterian Church. His children numbered twelve, 
all of whom except the eldest son, John Irvin, survive. William H., Mary A. 
(married to C. R Vasbinder), John C, David F., Perry E., are married and 
have homes of their own, while the other sons, Winfield S., Charles C, 
Thomas I., Everett A., James M. and Edison R., remain on the homestead 
farm with their mother. 

Another of the prominent citizens of Rose, was Nathan Carrier, jr. He 
was a son of Darius Carrier, and was born at Troy on the 9th of February, 
1830. At a very early age he engaged in lumbering. While a resident of 
Troy he kept store for about three years, and for five years was engaged in 
the hotel business there. He removed to Rose township in 1863, and was 
elected sherift'in 1867. He lumbered very extensively, being a member of the 
firm of Carrier & Scott, whose mills were located near Reynoldsville, and built 
the Carrier mill, below the Wainwright & Bryant mills, which was burned 
down in iS — . Up to 1869 he handled square timber exclusively, and is said 
to have manufactured 300,000 feet of his own and bought and sold at least one 
million feet. In 1871—73 he was a partner in the large mercantile house of 
Nicholson, Meredith & Co., and having purchased his partner's interest he sold 
out in 1874 to Charles S. Irvin. He was also for a short time with P. H. 
Shannon and R. J. Nicholson, one of the proprietors of the American Hotel. 
He was a great admirer of fine stock, and was one of the pioneers in introduc- 
ing thoroughbreds into the county. Mr. Carrier, his wife, nee Mary E. Rich- 
ards, and his youngest son, Bertie, all died within two weeks, of a fatal fever, 
in the fall of 1886. 



Rose Township. 541 



Early Iniprovctiieiits. — The first person to make any improvements in Rose 
township was John Matson, on his farm, where he built first a log cabin He 
also built the first grist-mill in the township above where the present company 
mill stands. James Corbet built the first saw- mill, on Red Bank. 

The first church built in Rose was the old "Bethel" log church, erected 
about 1824 on the farm of Joseph Hughes, and the first school-house was the 
one erected in the present town of Brookville, in 1S30. Prior to that time the 
nearest school was the one on the present McConnell farm, in Pine Creek 
township, of which Mr. Matson is ifientioned as one of the principal patrons. 
There seems to have been several hotels in Rose, in the first and second dec- 
ades of its history. Among those to whom the court granted licenses were 
William Vasbinder, William Christy, John Shoemaker, David Orcutt, Anthony 
Rowe, Joseph Henderson, James Green, Isaac Mills (Roseville). and Joshua 
McKinley. The first birth of which we have any record in Rose township is 
that of Jane, daughter of John and Mary Matson, born in 1806; and the first 
death Lydia, daughter of the same, who died in infancy. 

The first land was cleared in South Rose by Robert Morrison and Joseph 
Millen, the latter making the first improvements. The first person born in this 
part of Rose was H. J. Millen, and the first marriage was William McGeary 
and Mary A. Hall, in 1837. The first death was Robert Morrison, who was 
accidentally killed. The first grave-yard was located on the farm of Andrew 
Ohl, and the first buried there was Mrs. Josiah Lehman, in 1837, and in 1839 
four children of Joel Spyker. The next was on the farm of Joseph Millen, in 
1842, Moses Campbell being the first buried there in 1844. 

The first school-houses were built on the farm of William Carr, in 1837, and 
in Belleview in 1842 ; and the first churches on the land of Andrew Ohl, in 
1836, and at Joseph Millen's, in 1842. 

The first saw-mill was built by John J. Miller, in 1843, on the place now 
belonging to the Shaffer heirs, and the first lumber was run in 1S35. The first 
coal was dicovered on the Dougherty farm in 1840. 

Lumber and Saw viills. — The timber has nearly all been cut off Rose, 
and there is now but one saw- mill within its boundaries — the large mills of 
Wainwright & Bryant. 

This mill was erected in 1872 by Robert J. Nicholson, who sold the 
property to Straub & Burkett, from whom it was purchased in 1884 by C. 
P. Wainwright, and W. L. Bryant, of Philadelphia. Since the new firm com- 
menced operations they have put in new machinery, consisting of one circular 
saw, one gang saw, edger, lath and pick mill. They also, in 1887, placed in 
their mills a new patent "band saw" with the necessary machinery for its 
successful operation, at an expenditure of about $5,000. The new saw is 
simply a band, and while it will do as much and better work than the circular 
saw generally in use, cuts a kerf fully one-eighth less, and saves lumber to 

C5 



542 History of Jefferson County. 

that extent, making eight inch boards where the old process would make 
but seven. The gentlemen have given the new saw a trial, and they are sat- 
isfied that it will do all that is claimed for it. 

Their saw-mill cuts about 13,000,000 of pine and hemlock per year, and 
employs seventy men. They also have a planing and shingle-mill. The 
former was destroyed by fire in 1886, but at once rebuilt. They manufacture 
all kinds of dressed lumber, flooring, siding, etc. The shingle mill cuts about 
25,000 eighteen inch, and about 15,000 twenty-four inch shingles per day, and 
employs twenty men. These mills are situated on Redbank, at Nicholson 
Station, on the Low Grade Railroad, about two miles below Brookville. Mr. 
Willis L. Bryant, the junior member of the firm, resides in Brookville, and 
gives a general supervision to the business. The superintendent at the mills 
is Frank Jobson, and J. R. Brannan attends to the shipping of the lumber after 
it comes from the mill. R. E. Clover, of Brookville, is book-keeper. The 
firm controls some 5,000 acres of timber land in the northern townships. 

Farms. — Farming is the principal business of the citizens of Rose since the 
decline of the lumber trade, and there are some excellent farms in the town- 
ship, with good buildings. Among the best in the northern part of the town- 
ship are those of Uriah Matson, Robert Matson, W. H. Gray, D. G. Gourly, 
William Green, Eli Snyder, H. C. Litch, K. L. Blood, and in the southern 
portion are those of Andrew Ohl, George and Jacob Diener, Henry Boden- 
horm, James Breakey, John Hill, John Johns, William and Enoch McGeary, 
William Hall, Samuel Thrush and Abner Spyker. 

There is only one post-office in Rose, Stanton, at Belleview, the majority 
of its citizens receiving their mail matter through the Brookville office. 

Belleview. 

Belleview is the metropolis of Southern Rose, and is quite a brisk little 
town. It was laid out and named by Hugh Campbell in 1844. 

The first stores were kept by John Philiber in 1849, and James Hill in 
1850. The latter came to Jefterson county in 1838 and purchased one hun- 
dred and seventy-five acres of land in the vicinity of Belleview, now occupied 
by his son, John Hill. In 1850 he removed to Belleview, where he kept store 
until his death, in 1863. His wife, nee Mary Kinnear, died just six weeks be- 
fore her husband. Both were natives of Ireland. Hill was succeeded by A. 
J. Smathers, and the Reitz brothers — Manuel W., Edward and Aaron, who 
bought the Hill property in 1866. The store is now the property of E. Reitz 
& Son. Joseph Spare has also a store in Belleview. 

The first cabinet shop was started in Belleview in 1849. The present 
shops are the wagon and blacksmith shops of Joseph Spare and William 
Mooney. 

There is a temperance hotel in Belleview, kept by Mrs. Carrie Simpson. 



Rose Township. 543 



Belleview is noted for its morality, temperance and education. It contains 
three churches, the United Presbyterian, organized in 1842; the Reformed 
Presbyterian, organized in 1846, and the Methodist Episcopal in 1871. It 
also contains large and excellent select schools. The population of Belleview 
in 1880 was ninety-six. 

Elections. — As there was no returns made of the elections held in Jefferson 
county in 1828,' the first record of votes cast by the township is that of 1829, 
copied from the records of Indiana county, as follows: 

" Rose township. — At an election held at the house of J no. Lucas, in said 
township, on Friday, the 20th of March. 1829, the following named persons 
were duly elected, to wit : Supervisors, Moses Knapp had 39 votes, James 
Shields, 30; poor overseers, John Lucas. 10, John Avery, 10; auditors, John 
Hughs, 50, Alonzo Baldwin, 42, Robert K. Scott, 16, William Morrison, 32; 
constable, William Love, jr., 51 ; fence viewers, Jno. Kelso, 16; Elijah M. 
Graham, 14; town clerk, Jno. Christy, 3; James Corbett, 3. Signed Alonzo 
Baldwin, Jno. Lucas, judges." 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected: 
Cohstable, George Boner; supervisors, Gilniore Vasbinder, J. N. Hall; school 
directors, J. Snyder, Nathan Diener, Edward McLauglilin ; auditor, Alexan- 
der Kennedy and James Chambers (tie vote 1 14 votes each); assessor, Joseph 
Thrush ; tax collector, J. R. O'Conner ; township clerk, Abner Spyker ; over- 
seer of the poor, William H. Hall ; judge of election, Newton Lantz ; inspec- 
tors, W. C. Kelly and J. J. Hinderliter. The justices of the peace in Rose are 
Abner Spyker and M. W. Reily. The members of the school board pre- 
viously elected are E. V. Richards, R. D. Richards, David G. Gourley, Uriah 
Bender. 

Area, Taxables and Population. — In 1831 the "statistical table" of Jeffer- 
son county gives length of Rose township as 39 miles; breath, 12 miles; area 
in acres 289,520. 

In 1828 the number of taxables was 123, with one deaf and dumb person. 
The votes cast at the spring election were 65, and at the general election 66. 

In 1829 the number of taxables was 115 ; in 1835, 252 (this included the 
taxables in the borough of Brookville) ; in 1842, 232; in 1849, 104; 1856, 
132; 1863,173; 1870, 271 ; in 1880, 480; in 1886, 561. 

The population by the census in 1840 (including Brookville) was 1,421 ; 
1850, 559; i860, 828; 1870, 1,058; 1880, 1,601. 

Assessments and Valuations. — The triennial statement for 1886 gives the 
number of acres seated in Rose township as 10,321 ; valuation, $65,646; aver- 
age value per acre, $5.36; houses and lots, 407 ; valuation, $31,453; gnst 
and saw-mills, 3; valuation, $8,850; unseated, 843 acres ; valuation, $2,789; 



'^Hazard's Rfgisler gwes tlie number of votes cast at township ^eclion for 1S28 as 65, and at gen- 
eral election 66. 



544 History of Jefferson County. 

average value, $3.31 ; number of horses, 226; valuation, $7,523 ; average 
value, $33.29; cows, 294; valuation, $2,829; average value, $9.62; occupa- 
tions, 131; valuation, $3,125; average valuation, $23.85; total valuation 
subject to county tax, $122,265 ; money at interest, $39,965. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Rose is 8 ; length of term, 5 
months; 2 male and 6 female teachers; average salary of teachers, $30; num- 
ber of male scholars, 216 ; females, 201 ; average attendance, 3 13 ; percent, 
of attendance. So; cost of scholar per month, 62 cents; number of mills levied 
for school purposes, 13 ; for building, 5 ; whole amount of tax levied for school 
and building purposes, $1,495.67 



CHAPTER XXXVni. 

HISTORY OF BARNETT TOWNSHIP. 

BARNETT is the sixth township, organized in 1833, and was named 
for Joseph Barnett, the pioneer of Jefferson county. It was taken from 
Rose township, and until 1838 comprised all that part of Jefferson county 
lying north of tiie Clarion river. This township is now bounded on the north 
by Forest county, from which it is divided by the Clarion River ; on the east 
by Heath township ; on the south by Eldred, and on the west by Clarion 
county. 

Topogi'aphy and Geology. — Situated at the western side of the county, Bar- 
nett is one of the northern tier of townships. The greater part of the town- 
ship is a wilderness. Its northern side is a long slope five hundred feet in 
height, stretching to the Clarion River. Its southern side, bordering on Eldred, 
is traversed nearly its whole length by the ravine of Cathers Run, which heads 
at the eastern side of the township, and deepens rapidly westward. A narrow 
strip, therefore, of high land, trending east and west, occupies the center of 
the township, along which runs its main road, leading from Brookville to Clar- 
ington, in Forest county. 

The coal beds are of the Mercer group, and are from 2' to 3' in thickness, 
and where opened has been found good, clean coal. Iron ore is also found, 
that at Orin Butterfield's having been tested by Mr. S. W. Smith, of Brook- 
ville, and found to be 2' on the west face, and 4' on the eastern face of the hill. 
It is a brown hematite ore. This deposit might become valuable were there 
any railroad facilities to allow of its being brought to market. 

Early Settlers. — The first to settle in what is now Barnett township, were 
William, George and Samuel Armstrong, who came from Crawford county 



Barnett Township. 545 



about 1827, David and Joseph Reynolds, John Cook, John H. Maze and Alex- 
ander Murray came about 1829. David Reynolds cleared the first land, and 
made the first improvements. 

Alexander Forsythe, Robert Wallace, Richard Burns, and William Thomas 
also came at an early da)-. Orin Butterfield came from Watertovvn, Jefferson 
county, N. Y., in 1837. Probably the first birth was Evaline Armstrong, 
daughter of William Armstrong, and the first record to be found of any mar- 
riages are those of Thomas Maze, who married Martha Hall in 1836, and Rob- 
ert Hulings and Polly Maze, in March, 1837; then in 1838 William Maze and 
Sophia Herron were married by Orin Butterfield, esq. 

The first deaths were those of James Maze, who died in 1 831, and was 
buried in what is said to be the first grave-yard, at the old school-house at 
Troutman Run ; then David Reynolds and Alexander Murray died about 
1838, and were the first buried in the grave-yard on the Armstrong land, at 
Clarington. 

The first school-house was built at the mouth of Troutman Run. It was 
built of round logs, and a huge rock formed one end of the building, against 
which the fire-place was made. The next was built at Butterfields, in 1840. 
The first saw- mill was built by William Armstrong, at the mouth of Maple 
Creek, about 1829, and the first lumber taken out about 1829 by David Rey- 
nolds. The next saw-mill was erected by John Cook, at the rnouth of Thom's 
Run. 

The first grist-mill was built by William Armstrong, on the Clarion River, 
at what is now known as Clarington, and he opened the first store at the same 
place about the year 1830. Charles Johnson afterwards built a saw-mill and 
opened a store on Maple Creek. 

The first hotel was kept by Alexander Murray, afterwards by his widow ; 
then Grove Reed kept the first licensed house. Oramel Thing also kept a 
hotel at an early day, on the Clarion River. The first blacksmith shop was 
started by Mr. Armstrong at his mill, and an Englishman named Andrew 
Clough, was the first blacksmith. The old settlers now living are: Mrs. 
Polly Williams, a sister of the Armstrong brothers, who has resided in Barnett 
township about fifty-five years, and is past eighty years of age. Orin Butter- 
field has resided there fifty years. Mr. Butterfield first purchased the farm 
where he now resides from Richard Burns and William Thomas, who had arti- 
cled for the same with C. C. Gaskill, agent for the Holland Land Company^ 
but had made no payments upon it. He has resided upon it ever since, and 
has now a good farm of about two himdred acres, and four hundred acres of 
timber land, from which most of the timber has been cut. Mr. Butterfield has 
been one of the most prominent citizens of the township, having been four 
times elected justice of the peace. He has now a comfortable, pleasant home, 
the result of his hard labor, and where he is enjoying the evening of his days 



546 History of Jefferson County. 

in comfort and luxury. He is over eighty years of age, but is as hale and 
sprightly as a man of sixty. 

Among other prominent settlers of later years are : John Dobson, whose 
wife is a daughter of John H. Maze, she having been born and raised in the 
wilds of Barnett; A. J. Maze, Mrs. Dobson's brother, John Agnew, William 
Painter, the Wallace brothers and G. G. Frazier. 

Present business. — The only store in the township is that of S. & W. Shields^ 
at Clarington. There is no hotel now in Barnett. The saw-mills are those of 
Abram Braden, above site of old Armstrong mill, George G. Frazier (this mill 
was, in 1887, disposed of to a Reynoldsville company), William Wallace. 
George Shawkey, George Means, and Peter Stahlman ; A. C. Wiggins does the 
blacksmithing for the community with a shop at Clarington. 

There are three school-houses, at Butterfield's, Wallace's, and at Pine Grove. 
There is no church in Barnett, but one is about to be built at Pine Grove. 

The present grave-yards are located, one at Pine Grove, one on the James 
Daniels farm, and one on the \\'ing farm, now Shields place. 

There are now two post-offices in Barnett — the Clarington office having 
been in 1887 moved to the Jefferson side of the Clarion River, and the office 
of Ella, on Hominy Ridge, at William Painter's. 

Farms. — Although a lumbering region, Barnett boasts of some excellent 
farms, well cultivated, and with good buildings, and upon which the finest 
varieties of apples, peaches, pears, cherries and grapes are grown. The best 
farms in the township are those of William and Archie Wallace, Grant heirs. 
Orin Butterfield, J. W. Daniels, John and James Truby and Thadeus Songer. 

The stock raised in Barnett is confined to the common grades. 

E/ectiotis. — At an election held in the township of Barnett, in the year 
1833, the following named persons were elected township officers: Constable, 
John Maze; supervisors, David Mead, William Armstrong; auditors, John 
Wynkoop, Wihiam Manross, Edwin Forsythe ; overseers of the poor, Enos 
Myers, John Maze. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected : 
Constable, D. L. Henry; supervisors, Michael Asel and James Cook; school 
directors, John Campbell and W. W. Braden ; auditors, Henry Dunkle and A. 
R. Braden; poor overseers, J. R. Cook and J. H. Grant; assessor, W. W. 
Braden ; township clerk, W. A. Mathews ; collector, W. W. Braden ; treas- 
urer, William Wallace ; judge of election, W. W. Callen ; inspectors, A. R. 
Braden and Robert Wolford. The justices of the peace in Barnett township 
are J. F. Songer, John H. Kuhns. The members of the school board pre- 
viously elected are Robert Wolford, W. W. Braden, John Coon, O. D. Butter- 
field. 

Population and Taxables. — The number of taxables in Barnett township in 
1835 was 70 ; in 1842, 6j ; in 1849, 75 ; in 1856, 78 ; in 1863, 50; in 1870, 



Snyder Township. 547 



6"] ; in 1880, 92; in 1886, 103. The population in 1840, by census, was 259; 
1850,579; 1860,303; 1870,223; 1880,296. 

Valuation of property. — The valuation of real and personal property in 
Barnett township, according to the triennial assessment of 1886, gives the 
number of acres seated land as 5,213 ; valuation, $13,625 ; average value per 
acre, $2.61. Grist and saw-mills, 2 ; valuation, $550. Acres unseated, 2,844 ; 
valuation, $11,264; average per acre, $3.96. Number of horses, 44; valua- 
tion, $1,660; average value, $37.02. Number of cows, 65 ; valuation, $663 ; 
average, $10.20. Occupations, 30 ; valuation, $1,435 ; average value, $47.83. 
Total valuation, subject to county tax, $29,442. 

School statistics. — Whole number of schools in 1886, 4; average number 
of months, taught, 4 ; i male and 3 female teachers ; average salary of teach- 
ers, $23 ; number of scholars, males 53, females 44; average number attend- 
ing school, 53 ; average per cent, of attendance, 65 ; average cost per month, 
83 cents ; number of mills levied for school purposes, 13 ; total amount of tax 
levied for school and building purposes, $536.85. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 
HISTORY OF SNYDER TOWNSHIP. 

SNYDER, the seventh township, was organized in 1835, being taken from 
Pine Creek, and was called for Governor Simon Snyder. In 1843 a por- 
tion of the township was taken from it, on the formation of Elk county. The 
present boundaries of Snyder are : On the north, by Elk county ; on the east, 
by Elk and Clearfield ; on the south, by Washington township and Clearfield 
county, and on the west by Polk and Warsaw. 

Topography . — The northern part of the township is an almost unbroken 
wilderness on both sides of the Little Toby, being made so by the near ap- 
proach of the Homewood sandstone, in very massive condition, to the uplands 
there. The southern part, covered mostly by coal measure strata, is the agri- 
cultural part, and is generally cleared land. The Ridgway road crossing the 
township from east to west, very nearly defines the forest region from that 
under cultivation The drainage is mainly into the Clarion River, through the 
valley of Little Toby, and its tributaries. At the western side of the town- 
ship, the headsprings of Mill Creek interlock with one branch of the North 
Fork. It is interesting to observe how very small is the interval separating 
these Redbank waters from the Little Toby. Those of Mill Creek, in fact, 
approach in places, nearly to the abrupt hills which overlook the other stream. 



548 History of Jefferson County. 

Geology. — Snyder township is one of the principal coal producing districts 
of the township, as will be seen from the report of the Clarion mines. The 
coal seam worked is the Freeport Lower, averaging four feet in thickness. The 
Northwestern Mining and Exchange Company, operating these mines, own 
the mineral on 5,791 acres in Snyder township, the assessed value of which is 
$11,582. 

Early Settlers. — In 1822 Alonzo and James W. Brockway settled on the 
Pfefter tract, lottery warrant No. 34, which their father, John P. Brockway, 
had purchased at treasurer's sale, in Indiana, the year previous. This was the 
first settlement in Snyder township, and is where the town of Brockwayville 
now is. The next to settle in what is now Snyder township, was Jacob Shaffer, 
•who located in 1823 on the Henry Sivert tract, and his brother-in-law, Henry 
Walborn, who located on the run known as Walborn Run, about a mile and a 
half above Brockway's. 

Although the land was heavily timbered and hard to clear, they found the 
soil very productive, and the Brockways soon found themselves able to live 
comfortably, and even luxuriously, in the wilderness. Wild game was abun- 
dant, and with elk, bear, deer and wild turkey, to furnish the meat, the bees 
the honey, and the magnificent groves of sugar maple the molasses and sugar, 
while the luxurious vegetation furnished their cattle with abundant food, there 
was no lack of good wholesome food. Flour was the hardest to get, but soon 
mills were erected, as we have already stated, and this difficulty was obviated 
in a measure, and cornbread, or " pone," as it was called in those days, took 
the place of the white rolls made from the Vienna flour of the present day. 

Ami Sibley was one of the pioneers of Snyder township, locating in that 
region in 18 18. He was one of the most noted hunters in the northern part 
of the county. He died in 1861. Mr. Sibley raised a family of nine children, 
nearly all of whom are now residents of Snyder, and among her best citizens. 

Among the settlers who followed the Brockways into Snyder were James 
Pendleton, Hiram Wilson, Henry and Ira Walsh, A. R. Frost, Samuel Beman, 
William Bennett, Stephen Tibbetts, Jacob Myers, Alonzo Firman, James Mc- 
Minn, R. W. Moorhead, Bennett Prindle, Paul Robinson, J. H. Robinson, 
Thomas Brian, John Johnson, James Marshall, Thomas Calhoun, James Pen- 
field, Benjamin Shaw, John Atwell. James W. Green, Robert McMinn, William 
McMinn. 

There are some excellent farms in Snyder, among the best improved being 
those of John Atwell, Mathew Bovaird, Charles Bovaird, John Bryant, Joseph 
Barber, John Calhoun, James Calhoun, Alonzo Firman, Thomas Hutchison, 
John Keys, James McMinn, Joseph and Robert Morrison, Daniel Pendleton, 
John H. Robinson, Mrs. Mary M. Lane, Henry Kearney. The fruit raised, 
such as apples, pears, plums, is equal to that of any of the other townships. 

Lumber and Saw-mills. — The first thing that the early settlers of Snyder 



Snyder Township. 549 



turned their attention to was lumbering. Dr. Clark's account of the first timber 
run out of Little Toby, has already been given. Then it took several weeks to 
dispose of the small fleet, and the highest price paid for " clear stuff" was only 
ten dollars per thousand feet, while the common lumber only brought about 
four dollars per thousand. Though this first venture almost proved a failure, 
the business was prosecated with renewed vigor from year to year, and as it 
was the only business that brought money into the township, the timber was 
ruthlessly sacrificed. In 1828 John S., Alonzo and James M. Brockway, built 
a saw-mill, and about the same time the mill about three miles above Brock- 
way's, called the " Balltown mill," was built by Isaac Horton, Chauncy Brock- 
way, Hezekiah and L. Warner and Alanson Vial. 

One of the first mills built in Snyder was that erected by Dr. William 
Bennett, father of Dr. J. T Bennett, of Brookville ; it was afterwards called the 
Jenkins mill. 

In 1836 Hoyt & Wilson bought timber lands of Jacob Shaffer, about two 
miles above where Brockwayville now is, built a saw-mill, and ran it for some 
time, when the property was purchased by Alonzo Firman, who erected a new 
steam mill. This mill cuts about half a million feet per year. Mr. Firman 
owns some seven hundred acres of timber land in connection with the mill 
property. 

In 1845 William McCullough built a mill on the site of the present " Lane 
mill." It was then owned by Hyde & Scott, then by Lane, Conklin & Phelps, 
who erected the present large establishment. The property, which is sit- 
uated on Little Toby Creek, about two miles south of Brockwayville, is now 
owned by Mr. N. B. Lane, and cuts three million feet per year. There is about 
two thousand acres of timber land belonging to this property. 

James Pendleton, in 1841, built a saw-mill, grist and carding-mill, on Rat- 
tlesnake Run, about one mile south of where Brockwayville now is. The saw- 
mill was rebuilt in 1846, and is now owned by Daniel Pendleton, son of the 
first builder. This mill cuts from one to two hundred thousand feet per 
annum, and has about one hundred acres of timber land connected with it. 

The Forest Lumber Company's mill, formerly the " Galusha mill," was 
built by Peter Galusha in 1850, who owned it until his death. It is now 
the property of the Forest Lumber Company, and has about forty thousand 
acres of timber land in connection with it, and cuts four million feet per an- 
num. A store is connected with this establishment. 

The Atwell mill, located four miles west of Brockwayville, on the Brook- 
ville road, was built by Shaw & Atuell in 1878, and is now owned by Nelson 
Atwell ; its capacity is about half a milliun per j-ear. 

The Buzzard mill, situated on Little Toby, one-half mile north of Brock- 
wayville, was built by E. G. and C. ]\I. Carrier in 1874. The property was 
then owned by John Alexander, and is now the property of R. L. Buzzard. 

(iC 



5SO History of Jefferson County. 

It cuts from three to four million feet per annum, and has about three thou- 
sand acres of timber land in connection with it. 

Allen's mills — grist and saw-mill — built in 1874 by Dillis Allen. The car- 
penter work was done by Philo Bowdish. Since the death of Mr. Allen the 
property is owned by his estate and William Bond, as Bond & Allen. The 
flouring mill is run by F. J. Lord, lessee, and is known as the Eureka Flour 
Mill. The saw-mill is run by S. C. Bond, who has leased it for a term of 
years. 

G. S. Himes, planingniill, situated in Brockwayville ; built in 1885. 

Planing and shingle-mill, built in September, 1886, by William Frederick. 

Elections. — At an election held in Snyder township in 1835, the follo\ving 
persons were elected township officers : 

Constable, Myron Gibbs ; supervisors, John McLaughlin, Ami Sibley; 
auditors, Milton Johnson, Thomas McCormick, Joseph McCurdy ; township 
clerk, Thomas McCormick ; overseers of the poor, Myron Gibbs, Joseph Mc- 
Afee ; assessor, Milton Johnston; inspector, Myron Gibbs; fence appraiser, 
James Ross. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected : 
Constable, James Graybill; supervisors, Samuel Clodgers, Henry Humphrey ; 
school directors, R. J. Thompson, John Britton ; poor overseer, James Kear- 
ney ; auditor, William Bond, sr. ; judge of election, Thomas Hutchinson ; in- 
spectors, M. B. Holt, S. B. Firman ; town clerk, Frederick Lane ; tax col- 
lector, John H. Robinson ; assessor, A. J. Firman ; treasurer, John Ke\s. The 
justices of the peace in Snyder township are J. N. Atwell and H. Humphrey. 
The members of the board of school directors previously elected are John 
Frost, Nelson Atwell, Neil McCay and Henry Humphrey. 

Snj'der township paid a bounty for volunteers during the war, of $3,365.90. 

Statistics of Population and Taxables. — In Snyder township the number of 
taxables in 1835 was 41 ; 1842, 72 ; in 1849, 69 ; in 1863, 117; in 1870, 245 ; 
in 1880, 317; in 1886, 270 (Brockwayville was made a borough in 1883, 
which accounts for the decrease in taxables and population). The population, 
according to the different census reports was, 1840, 291 ; 1850, 306; i860, 
597 ; 1870, 792 ; 1880, 1,048. In 1843 P'^'"'^ of Snyder township was separ- 
ated from it and annexed to Elk, which accounts for little or no increase in 
the population from 1840 to 1850. 

Value of Property — The triennial assessment of 1886 gives the number of 
acres seated land 11,356 acres; valuation, $39,261; value per acre, $3.46; 
number of grist and saw-mills, 8 ; valuation, $2,355 ; unseated, 6,915 acres ; 
valuation, $23,083 ; average per acre, $3.34 ; niunber acres surface, 5,462; 
valuation, $13,062 ; average, $2.39; number of acres mineral, 7,743 ; valua- 
tion, $15,486; value per acre, $2; number of horses, 189; valuation, $3,- 
473; average value, $18.37 ; cows, 268 ; valuation, $2,095; average value, 



Snyder Township. 551 



$7.82; 23 oxen ; valuation, $94 ; i i 2 occupations ; valuation, $3 i, 150 ; aver- 
age, $27.90; total valuation subject to county tax, $102,059 ; money at in- 
terest, $23,330. 

School Statistics. — According to the report of education for the year ending 
June 6, 1886, there were six schools in Sn\-dcr township ; term, si.x months ; 
number of male teachers, 4; females, two; average salary, $30 for male, and 
$25 for females ; number of scholars, 108 males; females, 132; average num- 
ber attending school, 157; per cent, of attendance, 87; cost per mouth, 78 
cents; number of mills levied for school purposes, 12 ; for building purposes, 
8 ; total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, $1,336.28 ; for 
the winter of 1886—7 there are 7 schools reported, with 259 scholars. 

Brockw.wvii.le. 

Brockwayville is the only borough in Snyder township, and was incorpo- 
rated September 13, 1883. In 1880 it had only a population of three hundred 
and sixty, but this has largely increased since the place has become a railroad 
and shipping point. 

Where the town is now located, the first settlement in Snyder township 
was made in 1822, when Alonzo and Chauncey Brockvvay, for whom the town 
is named, built their cabins upon its site. The town was not started, however, 
until 1836, when Dr. A. M. Clark bought property there and removed to it. 
He at once began to lay out the town in lots, and was the first to give it an 
onward impetus. 

One of the old residents of Brockwayville, who, in 1887, passed off the 
scene of earthly action, ending a lojig and useful life, was James W. Green. 
"Squire" Green, as he was called, came to Snyder township in 1818 or 1819. 
He was a prominent member of the Methodist Church, and held many offices 
of trust in the township. He was justice of the peace when he died, and Gov- 
ernor Beaver appointed his son to fill his place. Mr. Green's children are 
among tlie prominent citizens of the town. 

Among the other old citizens are : Dr. W. C. Niver, whose biography 
appears in another column, A. J. Thompson, and R. W. Moorhead. 

Cemeteries. — The first death in Brockwayville was that of a little child of 
Alonzo and Huldah Brockvvay, who died in 1828 or 1829, and was buried on 
the bank of the Toby Creek, near where the old hotel stands, but its grave has 
long since disappeared. The next burial place for the dead was a field by the 
roadside, on what is now the Marvin Alien farm, and where, in one cornt- r, the 
first to die in the township, also a little child of Jacob Shaffer, was laid away. 
In that little city of the dead, which was called " the Shaffer's burying ground," 
were buried Joel Clark, and Chloe, his wife, Bailey Hughes, A. J. Ingalls, 
Jacob Myers, Comfort D. Felt, Joel Clark, jr., and Mary, his wife, with their 
children, Hiram, Willie and Jane. This grave- yard, w^hich is about one mile 



552 History of Jefferson County. 

from Brockwayville, is not now used, as Mr. Marvin, at his death, requested 
that no more interments should be made there. 

There is also an old grave- yard back of the John Morrison lots, on the 
Alexander place, but the bodies of those resting there have been nearl)' all 
removed to the new cemetery, and the place is not now used as a burying 
ground. 

The Clark family burial plot, on the old homestead farm, where several of 
Dr. Clark's children, two of Dr. McKnight's, and children of Dr. W. C. Niver 
and C. K. Hahn were buried, has also been vacated by the dead being removed 
to Wildwood Cemetery. 

Wildwood Cemetery was started in 1866 by twenty five citizens of Sns'der 
township subscribing twenty- five dollars each. It contains ten acres, and is 
beautifully situated about half a mile from the center of the town, on land pur- 
chased from Dr. Clark. Prominent among those furthering this project were 
Dr. A. M. Clark, Dr. W. C. Niver, W. W. Wellman, Peter Galusha, N. B. 
Lane and A. J. Thompson. 

The first person buried in Wildwood was Mrs. Fannie P. Johnson, wife of 
John Johnson, who died August 26, 1868. Part of the ground is laid out in 
lots, some of which are tastefully ornamented with shrubberj' and flowers, one 
of the most noticeable being the lot of Conrad K. Huhn. It is circular in shape, 
surrounded with a hedge fence ; a little brook meanders through it, the sides 
of which are beautifully terraced. Robert Humphrey has a nicely arranged 
lot, surrounded by an iron fence, with marble posts. The lot of R. W. Moor- 
head, where his wife, Mrs. Olive Moorhead, is laid, is surrounded by an iron 
fence, and is tastefully kept. In this inclosure is a large Italian marble mon- 
ument. There are some other fine monuments in these grounds, prominent 
among which is the Scotch granite one of James McClelland. The officers of 
the Wildwood Cemetery Company (1887) are: President, Henry Humphrey; 
secretary, Robert Humphrey ; treasurer, William D. Clark. 

Elections. — The first election held in Brockwayville after its incorporation 
as a borough, was in 1883, and then the following persons were elected to the 
different town offices : 

Justice of the peace, John Morrison ; constable, L. S. Short ; high con- 
stable, J. L. Bond ; assessor, W. T. McLaughlin ; town council, O. A. Sibley, 
Arnold Groves, B. T. Chapin, A. L. Hoy, R. W. Moorhead. P. Bowdish ; bur- 
gess, W. C. Niver; school directors, J. G. Dailey, Alton Chapin, C. G. Knight, 
Ira Felt, James Groves ; overseers of the poor, T. Myers, William Morey ; 
auditors, A. J. Thompson, Daniel Riley ; judge of election, M. B. Moorhead ; 
inspectors, Joseph Prindle, H. A. Frost. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following were elected : 

Burgess, R. A. McElhaney ; councilmen, J. L. Bond, 3 years, W. D. Clark, 
3 years, B. T. Chapin, i year ; constable, L C. Bond ; high constable, Henry 




^:^/^4>/ ^A^^^ ^ } 



Snyder Township. 553 



Leeper; assessor, Samuel McLaughlin; tax collector, L. C. Bond; overseer, 
Peter Burkhouse; auditor, D. D. Groves; treasurer, A. R. Chapin ; school 
directors, M. B. Moorhead, 3 years, Peter Galusha, 3 years, J. H. Groves, 2 
years ; judge of election, D. C. Nelson ; inspectors, Peter Galusha and Edward 
Green. The justices of the peace for Brockwajville are W. D. Clark and E. 
A. Green. The members of the school board previously elected are C. G. 
Knight, P. Berkhouse, Ira Felt and George S. Himes. 

Population, Taxables and Assessments. — The number of taxablcs in Brock- 
wayville in 1886, was 204. The population, according to the census of 1880, 
was 360. The triennial assessment gives the number of acres of seated land 
in Brockwayville as 394; valuation, $4,857; average per acre, $12.33 ; num- 
ber of houses and lots, 213; valuation, $13,032 ; number of horses, 44 ; val- 
uation, $945 ; average value, $21 ; number of cows, 32; valuation, $288; 
average value, $9; number of occupations, 137; valuation, $5,355 ; average 
value, $39 ; total valuation subject to county tax, $24,477; money at interest, 
$1 1,146. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Brockwayville for the year 
ending June 7, 1886, was 3 ; term, five months; number of male teachers, i ; 
female teachers, 2 ; average salary of male teachers, $40 ; females, 32 ; num- 
ber of male scholars, 59 ; females, 60 ; average attendance, 106 ; per cent, of 
attendance, 94 ; cost per month, 99 cents. Thirteen mills were levied for 
school, and seven for building purposes. Total amount of tax levied for school 
and building, $565.16. The number ot scholars for winter of 1886—7 '^^ere 
150. 

Past and Present Business. — The first store started in Brockwayville was 
by Robert W. Moorhead, in 1854, who conducted the business of general mer- 
chandising until 1861, when he disposed of the business to Wellman Brothers, 
who in 1872, resold to R. W. Moorhead & Son, the Wellman Brotheis return- 
ing to the State of New York, where they engaged in the banking business. 
The store then passed into the hands of Mrs. R. W. Moorhead, who sold to B. 
T. Chapin & Co., in 1878. The store is still owned by B. T. Chapin, and is 
one of the best in the town. 

D. D. Groves, general merchandise, started November, 1881, is, with Cha- 
pin's, the principal store in the place. 

Daly & Kearney, dealers in boots and shoes and gentlemen's furnishing 
goods; established by J. G. Daily in 1882; copartnership established in 1884. 

The Buffalo Clothing Store, R. Cohen proprietor, keeps a large stock of 
clothing and men's furnishing goods; established in March, 1886. 

Bond & Cooper, dealers in hardware ; established in March, 1882. 

J. R. Baird, drugs, agent for J. L. Bond ; established in May, 1884. 

Dr. J. W. Hoey, drugs; established in August, 1886. 

Rankin & McClelland started a drug store in December, 1883. Scott Mc- 



554 History of Jefferson County. 

Clelland retired from the firm December i, 1884, and William Condick pur- 
chased his interest, the firm being Rankin & Condick. 

Ira Felt, groceries and provisions; established in November, 1882; asso- 
ciated his son, C. Felt, with him in the business January i, 1887. Mr. Felt is 
also engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigars. 

George W. Sibley, dealer in groceries; established July, 1882. 

J. W. Smith, dealer in groceries, jjrovisions, flour and feed ; established in 
September, 1883. Mr. Smith also has an extensive meat market in connec- 
tion with his store, furnishing nearly all the meat consumed at the Clarion 
mines. 

H. D. Hodgkinson, dealer in groceries and confectioneries; established in 
1887. Mr. Hodgkinson also runs a five cent counter. 

R. A. McElhaney, dealer in furniture and undertaker; established in 1875. 

R. A. Hubbard, watchmaker and jeweler, 1887. 

Thomas Ralston, saddlery and harness ; established in the fall of 1882. 

A. Miller, shoemaker; established in 1885. 

Miss N. McMinn, millinery and dressmaking; established in 1878. 

Mrs. J. R. Kelts, millinery and dressmaking, September, 1881. 

Mrs. M. C. Slagle (now Mrs. R. A. McElhaney), millinery; established 
May, 1884. 

J. A. Adams, billiard room; established by Webster Reed in 1883 ; sold 
to Adams, December, 1885. 

Alexander Hynd, barbershop; established May, 1886. 

Smith Strickler, blacksmith shop; established fall of 1870. 

McLaughlin Brothers, wagon making and general blacksmiths ; established 
May, 1872. 

Frederick Walker, blacksmith ; established fall of 1881. Mr. Walker has 
also been engaged in the livery business since 1871. 

The Railroad House was built in 1853 b)' John Arner, but only partly 
completed, and was first kept as a hotel by John Russell, afterwards by W. H. 
Schram, Nathaniel Clark, Henry Welsh, B. F. Townley, R. M. Bennett, R. T. 
Kelly, R. M. Overheiser. It is now under the supervision of Andrew Logan, 
who took charge of it in April, 1885, and is known as the Logan House. It 
has been owned by R. W. Moorhead, Smith & Waterhouse, Henry Welsh, and 
now by Robert Smith and A. J. Thompson. 

Clark House, started in 1886. 

Restaurant, boarding and eating-house, Mrs. E. A. Andrews ; established 
December, 1882. 

The present physicians are Drs. W. C. Niver, J. W. Hoey and M. M. 
Rankin. 

The town has no member of the legal fraternity, or dentist, Dr. E. I. Marsh, 
of Du Bois, paying stated visits to the place to look after the molars of the 
communit)'. 



Elured Township. 555 



CHAPTER XL. 
HISTORY OF ELDRED TOWNSHIP. 

ELDRED was the eighth township organized, and was taken in 1836 from 
Rose and Barnett, and was named for Hon. Nathaniel B. Eldred, then 
president judge of the judicial district of which Jefferson county formed a part. 
This township is bounded on tlie north by Barnett and Heath townships ; on 
the east by Warsaw ; on the south by Union, Rose and Pine Creek, and on 
the west by Clarion county. 

Its eastern and western sides consist of rugged forest land. The cleared 
and cultivated portion of the township lies mainly along the Brookville and 
Sigel road, which follows a high and narrow divide, running almost due north. 
This divide is crossed at Sigel, in the northern part of the township, by an- 
other belt of high land extending nearly east and west, so that the skeleton of 
the drainage system has the shape of the letter T. North of the cross-piece 
(along which runs the Spring Creek road), the waters go direct into the Clar- 
ion River ; south of it, and on the left hand side of the upright arm of the let- 
ter, the}' go into Big Mill Creek, while on the right hand side of that arm they 
flow into the North Fork. 

Geology. — There is considerable coal found in Eldred, but the seams are 
small, and are principally the Mercer coals, not over 3' 6." The principal banks 
are those of Jacob Mineweaser, John Beach, and the bank on the farm of E. 
Robinson. The latter is bright, firm coal, well protected from moisture by a 
compact roof of tough, black slate. Iron ore is also found in the township, 
and specimems from the farm of Perry Kable have been analyzed by Mr. S. 
W. Smith, of Brookville, the bed showing twenty-nine inches of ore in a depth 
of three and a half feet. The ore is of good quality. 

The Early Settlers. — The first settlers who came into Eldred were Isaac 
Matson, in 1828, James Linn, Walter Templeton and Robert McCreight, in 
1829, and were followed the next year by E. M. Graham and John McLaugh- 
lin ; Jacob Craft, David English, in 183 1 ; Paul Stewart, James Templeton 
and James Trimble, in 1832 ; Stewart Ross and John Wilson, in 1833, and 
Thomas Hall in 1834, William and George Catz, and James Summerville. 

The first settler of whom we find any mention, in the northern part of 
Eldred township, was Frederick Kahle, who settled there in 1836. Mr. Kahle 
first came to Clarion county, where he hired a hunter named Tommy Guthrie 
to go with him into the wilds of northern Jefferson, where he designed locat- 
ing. After reaching their destination and looking about for a suitable place 
for Mr. Kahle to make his future home, night overtook them and they were 
obliged to camp out in the woods. During the night they were attacked by 



556 History of Jefferson County. 

wolves, numbering hundreds, as it appeared to Mr. Kahle ; but the old woods- 
man was not at all disconcerted, pouring some powder on a piece of bark, he 
set fire to it, and then fired his gun, and the wolves scampered off to be heard 
no more. Mr. Kahle moved his family, consisting of a number of small chil- 
dren, into these woods that same year, and their first years were scenes of 
danger and hardship. During the first summer he killed seventeen large rat- 
tlesnakes near his own door. 

Mr. Kahle was an excellent man, and worked early and late to rear his 
large family, and before he died had one of the best and largest farms in that 
region under good cultivation, with good orchards, etc. His family was raised 
carefully and conscientiously, his only regret being that the exigencies of the 
times did not admit of his giving them a good education. He died in No- 
vember, 1878, aged about eighty years, and his son, David, now resides on 
the old homestead. 

One of the next to penetrate into the wilds was S. \V. Smith, who came to 
Eldred in 1842. Mr. Smith, who was a native of Livingston county, New 
York, started in the fall of that year to hunt up a place to make a home for 
himself. He was accompanied by a young man named Nathan Smith (not a 
relative of his, however). On reaching the little town of Ceres, on the Alle- 
gheny River, the two young adventurers embarked in a skiff, and started on 
their trip down the Allegheny. They proceeded on after night fall, and were 
soon surprised to hear the loud roar of falling waters. Thinking that they 
were approaching an island, they rowed on, but soon found to their horror that 
they were approaching the State line dam. It was impossible to tarn back or 
reach the shore, and soon the frail boat was engulfed in the seething, rushing 
flood. Down, down it dashed, twice dipping bucketsful of water, but at length 
reached the safe waters below the dam, and looking back the voyagers beheld 
the peril they had passed. Mr. Smith says that to this day he cannot recall 
that night of danger without a shudder. As soon as a landing could be ef- 
fected, they pulled to shore. After this they proceeded on their voyage with- 
out further trouble. After stopping for a while at the Indian Reservation, in 
Warren count}^ they at last landed in Butler county, but not likrng the " lay 
of the land " in either Butler or Clarion, they made their way into Jefferson 
county. 

Mr. Smith relates a singular incident of their journey. While on their 
way down the Allegheny River, they saw thousands of black squirrels, all 
journeying eastward. They would climb the trees on the west bank of the 
river, and drop from the outspreading branches into the stream, and then swim 
to the other shore. Mr. Smith and his companion would hold out their pad- 
dles to the little creatures, and they would scramble into tlie skiff, and some- 
times stay with them for hours, when they would spring into the water again 
and make for the eastern shore. When Mr. Smith and his companion reached 



Eldred Township. 557 



Strattaiiville, on their way into Jefferson county, they found the citizens shoot- 
ing the squirrels off their fences, the migration still going on. They did not 
seem to avoid towns or people, their only aim being to travel towards the ris- 
ing sun. The older citizens will remember what a bitter cold winter that of 
1842-3 was, when the snow was three feet deep, with a frozen crust that would 
bear man and beast. Surely it is wonderful that instinct alone should have 
caused these timid animals to thus migrate from the sure death that awaited 
them. 

Mr. Smith settled in Eldred township, on the farm now owned by Joseph 
Raught, and went to work resolutely to reclaim it from the wilderness. He 
worked there in company with his brother, Claude, for three or four years, 
and then returned to New York, where he married a daughter of Captain 
Van Nostrand and brought her to share his home in the wilderness. They 
resided in Eldred until about 1855, when he removed to BrookviUe, at the 
solicitation of the trustees of the BrookviUe Academy, to engage as principal of 
that institution. After several years of service in this capacity, he served two 
terms as superintendent of common schools, and has resided in BrookviUe ever 
since. 

Nathan Smith, the other voyager, located near his companion, and cleared 
and improved a large farm. He was a very earnest Methodist, and a man of 
strong self-will. When the war commenced he was opposed to it, as he 
claimed that the slaves should be at once liberated, and would have nothing to 
do with it until Mr. Lincoln issued his emancipation proclamation, when he 
at once shouldered his gun and set out for the front, declaring that the war 
was now a holy one, and that it would succeed, as God would now prosper the 
cause of the North. No persuasions of friends or family could deter him from 
entering the service, in which he served until the end of the rebellion, and then 
returned to Eldred township, where he soon sold his farm, and removed to 
Frankfort, Kan., where he is living in comfort, and where he was elected jus- 
tice of the peace. 

The forests being covered with such a dense growth of pine and underbrush, 
and homes of the settlers being so far apart, traveling was very unsafe, from 
the prevalence of wild beasts, and the danger of being lost in the woods. In 
February, 1836, James Beals, who had been assisting to raise a log cabin for a 
neighbor, who lived five miles distant, started home late in the night, and 
while going through the woods was overcome by the cold, and perished near 
his own door. 

About the year 1857 James Cowan, who with his brother, William, had 
previously purchased some land in Eldred, came from Schuylkill county, with 
his family. On their arrival at BrookviUe, they could get no team to take them 
to their destination, and, shouldering their bundles, started on foot. Before 
they reached their destination, the house of Mr. Winlack, near where their 
67 



558 History of Jefferson County. 

own land was situated, night overtook them, and they were unable to proceed 
in the darkness. Mr. Cowan, leaving the family with strict injunctions for them 
not to stir from the spot until his return, started to hunt a house which he 
knew to be in the vicinity, and finally reached it. The owner of the cabin, Mr. 
Fiscus, was absent, but his wife got up at Mr. Cowan's call ; but on his re- 
quest for a candle to show them the way through the woods, said she had not a 
single one in the house. She, however, proceeded to rake out the coals on the 
hearth, and then put some butter in a saucer, melting it, put a rag in the liquid, 
and lighted it. After trying to induce Mr. Cowan to remain with his family for 
the night at her house, with this feeble light Mr. Cowan returned to his fright- 
ened wife and children, and by its aid they finally reached their destination 
about midnight. There was no house ready for the family, and they moved 
into a school- house, and Mr. Cowan started oft' to hunt work at his occupation 
of coal digger. While he was absent in Clarion county, and while his family 
was domiciled in the school-house, Mrs. Cowan was ill for some time. At 
length a cabin was put up, but Mr. Cowan had to work at his trade to keep 
the wolf (hunger) from the door, and his wife, in his absence, chinked and 
daubed the cabin with mud, and made it ready for winter. As soon as a piece 
of ground was cleared, Mr. Cowan proceeded to plow it with a yoke of oxen. 
He was not skilled in the work of a farmer, and in going over some roots the 
plow was jerked with such force that he was thrown to the ground, breaking 
several ribs. This placed him hors de combat for the time being, and his son, 
Peter, took the helm, or the plow, rather, and though but a boy, he contrived 
to scrape over the ground sufficiently to get in some potatoes. Mr. Cowan, 
who had his farm to pay for as well as his family to support, took out coal 
whenever he could get such work to do, and for some time worked at the old 
BrowMi furnace in Clarion county. He would walk home on Saturday night 
and back to his work on Monday, and labored in this way for nine years. 
On one occasion, wishing to bring a wheelbarrow with him, he put a bag of 
flour on it, and started to wheel it home. At Corsica he stopped and added 
some groceries and a bag of beans, and then proceeded homewards, and this 
extra toil was accomplished after a hard day's work in the coal bank. Mr. 
and Mrs. Cowan came from the city of Glasgow, in Scotland, and of course 
did not know anything about the hardships of settlers in the wilderness, and 
were totally unacquainted with farm life. When they landed in this country 
their only acquaintance with that useful animal, the cow, was the diluted arti- 
cle called milk, sold by the city milkman. Soon after his arrival in Schuylkill 
county, Mr. Cowan bought a cow, but the next morning the family found they 
could not use the milk on account of the thick, yellow substance that had 
formed upon it. He took the cow back to the farmer from whom he had pur- 
chased, and informed him of the fact, and got another in exchange ; but the 
farmer did not enlighten him as to the difficult}'. However, it was not long 



Eldred Township. 559 



before they learned what good, rich cream was like. Mr. Cowan, after clear- 
ing the farm in Eldred, now owned by Milton Stahlman, sold it, and removed 
to Union township, where he purchased the farm of Richard Hughes, where 
his wife and several of his children reside. He died in 1878. He was an ex- 
cellent, upright man, and was able to enjoy the fruits of his hard labor in his 
later days His eldest son, William B., follows his father's occupation, and has 
one of the best coal banks in Union township. Peter, from 'the day he first 
took the plow in his hands, when but a boy, was delegated to follow that occu- 
pation, and until a year or so back, when he engaged in other business, has 
had charge of the home farm. While living on the farm in Eldred, Mr. Cowan 
one day while carrying home some fruit trees to set out, stopped at the house 
of Paul Fiscus, and while resting employed the time in pruning the trees. 
Mrs. Fiscus gathered up the twigs and planted them, and thus started a good 
orchard on her own farm. 

One of the best known citizens of Eldred township was Michael Woods, 
who was born in County Letrim, Ireland, in 1822, and who emigrated to 
America when he was about eighteen years of age. He worked for about two 
years in Philadelphia, where he met Levi G. Clover, who took a great liking to 
the young Irishman, and brought him to his home in Brookville. He re- 
mained in the employ of Mr. Clover for two years, when he married Margaret 
Kerr, and moved on to the farm of John Dougherty, (now the Marlin farm), 
about two miles north of Brookville, in Rose township, where he lived about 
five years, and then bought a farm from Benjamin McCreight, in Eldred town- 
ship, where he resided until his death, which occurred October 11, 1S77. He 
was buried at the Red Bank Roman Catholic cemetery, in Clarion county. 

During the time that Mr. Woods worked for Clover and Dougherty he 
carried the mail, for about seven years, from Brookville to Indiana, making one 
trip a week, the round trip occupying two days and a half He held many lo- 
cal offices in Eldred township, being tax collector and constable for a period 
of almost twenty years, and served as court crier for about eighteen years. He 
was a man of the strictest integrity, whose word was as good as his bond. 
His wife and sons reside in Eldred, where they are among its best citizens. 

None of those who first settled Eldred township are now living. The old- 
est citizens are Joseph White, eighty-five years of age, settled in township in 
1850; George Weirick, eighty-three years, in 1871; William McAdoo, seven- 
ty-five years, in 1846, and James Frost, sixty-five years, in 1849. 

First Iinprovcmciiis. — The first church was built in 1856 near Sigel, and 
the first school-house, called Hall's, in 1839. John Burns built the first saw- 
mill about 1S49. '"id Eullerton & Truman started the first store. The first 
hotel was kept near Sigel in 1847, by A. Shall. The first lumber was taken 
out in 1847, ^'''d the first coal discovered by James Summerville. 

The first death in the township was a child of D. Coder, and the first 



56o History of Jefferson County. 

grave-yard was made at Mount Tabor, a child of J. Beer being the first in- 
terred therein. 

Lumber a7id Saw- Mills. — This township was well covered with fine tim- 
ber, principally pine ; but the first settlers, who had no idea of its value, 
seemed to have but one wish in regard to it, and that was to get rid of it as 
fast as possible, and a vast amount was wantonly destroyed, the value of which 
cannot be computed. The greater part of the timber has been cut off. The 
saw- mills are now those of Stephen Oaks, H. R. Moore and Garrison & Het- 
zell, each with a daily capacity of about 10,000. 

SiGEL. 

This is the only village in the township, and is a pretty little hamlet lo- 
cated on the road from Brook\'ille to Clarington. In 1880 the population was 
115. There are two stores in the place owned by Henry Truman and White 
& Hepler, and two hotels, kept by J. J. Henderson and T. Jones, but no li- 
censed house in the township ; and the blacksmith-shops of Jerry Tapper, 
Henry Mathews and J. G. Gumbert. Sigel post-office is located here. The 
other post-office in the township is called Howe. It is kept in the store of B. 
H. Whitehill, about four miles north of Brookville. 

There are four churches in the township, a history of which has been given 
elsewhere. There are three cemeteries. 

Since the timber, that once engrossed the attention of all classes, has 
disappeared, the citizens have turned to farming, and Eldred is now taking 
a first place in that respect. Among the best improved farms are those of 
Timothy Caldwell, A. M. Larrimer, John White, R. R. McKinley and James 
Frost. Apples, pears, cherries and grapes are the fruits grown, and are of 
excellent varieties. 

Considerable attention is being paid to the introducing of thoroughbred 
stock in the township, and there are some fine herds of short-horn Durham, 
Jersey and Holstein cattle, and Cottswold sheep. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Eldred township in the year 1836, 
and the following persons were elected : Constable, Elijah M. Graham ; super- 
visor, Thomas Arthurs, Thomas Barr ; school directors, George Catz, Henry 
Boil, Thomas Hughes, Thomas Hall, Jacob Craft, John Maze ; overseers of the 
poor, Michael Troy, Thomas Callen ; town clerk, Jacob Craft. 

The election held February 15, 1887, resulted in the election of the follow- 
ing persons: Justice of the peace, W^illiam Park; constable, Joseph Wilson; 
tax collector, H. G. Katz ; supervisors, H. G. Katz and W. M. McManigle ; 
school directors, David White and George Gailey ; poor overseer, Jacob Mine- 
weaser ; auditor, Thomas McNeal ; assessor, Jeremiah Greeley ; clerk, F. Cald- 
well ; judge of election, William Snipp ; inspectors, W. H. Alford and Peter 
Mineweaser. The justices of the peace in Eldred are William Park and J. J. 



Jenks and Tionesta Townships. 561 

Henderson. The members of the school board previously elected are Filmore 
Caldwell, R. R. McKinley, Milton Stahlman and J. W. Knopsnyder. 

The number of taxables in Eldred township in 1835, was t^"] ; in 1842, 
123 ; in 1849, 97 ; in 1856, 157 ; in 1863, 188 ; in 1870, 211; in 1880, 338 ; 
in 1886, 412. The population in 1840 was 395; 1850, 492; i860, 826; 
1870, 832; 1880, 1,271. The census of 1850 gives the number of houses as 
88 ; families, 93. 

According to the triennial assessment of 1886, the number of acres seated 
in Eldred was 18,266; valuation $66,678; average value per acre, $3.65. 
Forty-two houses and lots; valuation $2,790. Seven grist and saw-mills, 
$275. Number of acres unseated 8,776; valuation $29,445; average value 
per acre $3.35. Number of horses, 263; valuation $7,338; average value 
$24.00. Cows, 343 ; valuation $2,831 ; average value $8.22. Fourteen oxen ; 
valuation $260. Occupations 115; valuation $2,865; average $24. Total 
valuation subject to county tax, $1 12,482. Money at interest $1 1,830. 

There were eight schools reported in Eldred for the year ending June 30, 
1886 ; average number of months taught five ; number of male teachers three ; 
number of female teachers five. Average salary $28.00. Number of male 
scholars 279 ; females 186. Number attending school 258 ; average percent, 
of attendance 82 ; cost per month 53 cents. Number of mills levied for school 
purposes 10. Total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes 
$1,230. 



CHAPTER XLI. 
HISTORY OF JENKS AND TIONESTA TOWNSHIPS. 

JENKS township was organized in 1838, and made the tenth in line. It 
was taken from Barnett, and comprised all that portion lying north of the 
Clarion River. It was named after Dr. John W. Jenks, who was then one 
of the associate judges of the county. 

At the same time Tionesta was also organized, making the present town- 
ship, being also taken from Barnett township, so that these two have very 
properly been called the twin townships. Tionesta was called for a stream of 
that name. 

Taxables and Population. — In 1842 the taxables in Jenks township num- 
bered 16, and in 1S49, 32. The population in 1840 was 40, and in 1850, 88. 

The number of ta.xables in Tionesta in 1842 was 9, and in 1849, 24. The 
population in 1840 was 27, and in 1850 it had increased to 106. 



S62 History of Jefferson County. 

First Election in Jcuks Township. — At an election held in Jenks township 
in 1838 the following township officers were elected : Constable, Cyrus Blood ; 
supervisors, Cj^rus Blood, John Hunt; school directors, Cyrus Blood, John 
Hunt, Aaron Brockway, Aaron Brockway, jr., Josiah Lacy, John Lewis; au- 
ditors, John Hunt, Aaron Brockway, sr., Aaron Brockway, jr. ; overseers of 
the poor, Cyrus Blood, Aaron Brockway, sr. ; town clerk, John Hunt;. fence 
viewer, Aaron Brockway, jr.; inspector of election, John Hunt. 

First Election in Tionesta Township — xA-t an election held in Tionesta 
township in 1838 the following were elected : Burgess, D. W. Mead ; inspector 
of election, John Nolf 

Colonel Cyrus Blood was the pioneer of Jenks and Tionesta townships. 
About the time that Brookville was first laid out Colonel Blood, who was re- 
siding in Hagerstown, Md , had a dream that impressed him greatly. He 
thought he was traveling northward, and came to a beautiful country, with 
magnificent trees, springs of the purest water, and the land rolling and fertile. 
He awoke, clapping his hands and crying, " Come on, boys, my fortune is 
made ! " 

Unable to get rid of the impression this dream had made, Mr. Blood started 
northward to look out for such a location as his vision indicated. He traveled 
all over this tier of counties without finding what he desired, until he penetrated 
into the wilds of what was afterwards Jenks township, when he realized that 
he had found the spot described in his dream. He at once purchased six 
thousand acres of land and proceeded to clear a farm in the wilderness, he 
being the first white man to set foot in Jenks township. His home was for 
a long time called " Blood's Settlement." He returned to Hagerstown and 
brought his family to the new home in 1833. He made arrangements for about 
twenty families of his neighbors and friends from Hagerstown to follow him to 
the new settlement ; but some time after he had arrived at his new home, he 
was one day, while working in the woods, suddenly impressed with the idea 
that his presence was needed in his old home, and so strong was this feeling 
that he threw down his tools, mounted his horse and started for Hagerstown. 
On his arrival he found that cholera had broken out and devastated the place, 
leaving very few of those whom he e.xpected to join him in building up his 
new home in the wilderness of Jefferson county, his brother, Parker Blood, 
being one of the victims. In those days there were no telegraph and very lit- 
tle mail facilities, and Mr. Blood had no news of the cholera until he reached 
Hagerstown. This terrible visitation put an end to the colonization scheme, 
only one of those who had intended coming to join the Bloods in Jefferson 
county, Trumbull Hunt, settling in the place. 

When Mr. Hunt moved his family he had to cut his way through the 
woods from Brookville, camping out each night at the end of the road made, 
several days being consumed in making the trip from what is now Clarington 



Jenks and Tionesta Townships. 563 

to the present site of Marien\ille. At that time that region of country was full 
of Indians, and panthers, wild cats, deer and bear. Foxes, mink and marten 
abounded, while elk were also occasionally seen, and some very narrow escapes 
were made from panthers, wolves and wild cats. Parker P. Blood, the young- 
est son of Colonel Blood, who was not yet two years old when his family 
moved into the woods, remembers being chased by these ferocious animals ; 
but he says his worst fright was caused by being chased by a large buck. This 
deer, which had been caught when a small fawn, after a couple of years escaped 
to the woods and became quite wild and cross. It had been accustomed to 
man long enough to lose all fear of him, and did not hesitate to attack any one 
it met. The animal, when captured, had been adorned with a small sheep 
bell, which was suspended from its neck by a leather strap, which was securely 
sewed together by a " wax end," so that he was easily recognized. On one 
occasion Parker Blood, then a boy of about twelve years, had been sent on an 
errand to a neighbor living some four or five miles distant, and on his return 
home, while passing through a chopping, he heard the "tingle" of a sheep 
bell, and looking back, to his horror discovered the big buck in swift pursuit. 
Mr. Blood says he made " tall time," and reached a small hemlock into which 
he climbed just in time to escape the infuriated animal, which took up its po- 
sition beneath him, snuffing the air, stamping the ground with its sharp hoofs, 
and occasionally shaking the tree with its huge antlers. The boy, as night came 
on, was devising means of escape, when a dog came along and engaged the 
deer in a fight, and while this was going on he slipped from the tree and ran 
home. 

Game was so plenty that a good hunter could kill seven or eight deer in 
one day, while in the streams trout by the hundreds could be caught. This 
abundance of game and fish caused the Indians to frequent this region, but 
they were always peaceable and friendly visitors. On one occasion a party of 
them came to Colonel Hunt's and asked for supper, throwing down a fine 
saddle of venison, which they said was to pay for their meal, but intimated 
that they wanted some of it cooked for their supper. Marien Blood went to 
work to cook it for them, and the more she cooked the more they ate, until 
only the bones remained. Her brothers and sister yet delight to remind her 
of the time the Indians gave her a saddle of venison in exchange for their 
supper. 

As soon as he got his family settled and his farm cleared Colonel Blood 
began to agitate the idea of a new county, and it was owing to his persever- 
ance and energy that the county to which he gave the name of Forest was 
established, April 11, 1848. It was formed from the counties of Jefferson and 
Venango, taking from the former that portion lying north of the Clarion River, 
and which comprised the townships of Jenks and Tionesta. 

It was through the efforts of Judge Gillis, then member of the State Senate 



564 History of Jefferson County. 

from the district, that the bill creating Forest county was passed. He had 
passed in the Senate a resolution creating the new county, which also passed 
the House of Representatives, and is the only instance in the history of the 
State where a new county was created by a joint resolution. It was at once 
approved by the governor and thereby became a law. It was near the close 
of the session, and the joint rules would not allow of its passage in any other 
form. Judge Gillis did this to oblige his fellow pioneer in the wilds of the new 
county, Colonel Cyrus Blood. Subsequently Forest county was enlarged, as 
it at first only comprised four townships, with the county seat at Marienville. 
The new town Colonel Blood had named for his eldest daughter Marien, who, 
as the wife of Mr. John D. Hunt (brother of Trumbull Hunt, who came with 
her father), still resides on the old homestead at Marienville, which continued 
to be the county seat until 1868, when the county was enlarged and the county 
seat moved to Tionesta, a town situated at the western side of the county. 
That portion of the county made up of our seceding townships of Jenks and 
Tionesta is still called " Old Forest." Colonel Blood was the first associate 
judge of the new county, and was well-known throughout Jefferson county, 
every part of which he had visited as county surveyor. He died at his home 
in Marienville in 1S60. Of his children, besides the daughter already men- 
tioned, Mrs. Clarine Rohrer also resides at Marienville; Mrs. Louisiana Hunt 
(wife of Dr. R. S. Hunt) died in Brookville, June 26, 18S1 ; Kennedy L. and 
Parker P., the sons, reside in Brookville. The latter remained on the farm at 
Marienville until the summer of 1852, when he joined an engineer corps, who 
were survej'ing a railroad almost along the route now traversed by the Fox- 
burg Narrow Guage Road. In the winter of that }-ear lie taught school in 
Farmington township, Clarion count}', and the following April went to Brook- 
ville to clerk in the store of Cummins & Blood. 



CHAPTER XLII. 
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 

WASHINGTON, the eleventh township, named in honor of the "Father of 
his Country," was organized in 1839, being taken from Pine Creek. It 
is bounded on the north by Snyder and Warsaw townships; on the east by 
Clearfield county; on the south by Winslow township, and on the west by Pine 
Creek and Warsaw. 

Washington is one of the largest townships in the county. Its surface area 
is about fifty square miles, or nearly one-twelfth of the entire surface area of 



Washington Township. 565 

the county. It is over seven miles long from north to south, at its longest part, 
and nearly nine miles wide, from east to west at its widest part. 

Geology. — The principal coal bed in Washington township is the Frccport 
Lozver, the principal coal mines are at Beechtree, on the Rattlesnake Run, a 
branch of the Little Toby, which starts at the Covenanter Church, and flows in 
a direct course eastward along the northern edge of the township. The thick- 
ness of the seam, etc., are given in the report of the Beechtree mines in a pre- 
ceding chapter. The Jefterson Coal Company owns 3,269 acres of mineral in 
Washington, and the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company 2,825 
acres. The superb coal which is found in Washington was always , known to 
exist there, from the fact of its outcrop in the ravines. The ferriferous lime- 
stone is found in Washington. It is very near the surface, of good quality, 
and could be easily and cheaply quarried, and would be of inestimable value 
to the farms, which would be much benefited by its use. 

The village of Rockdale stands at the edge of the coal measures, just above 
the Homewood sandstone. Within this latter formation, and close to the vil- 
lage store, is an extensive bog, the soil of which is saturated with natural oil — 
petroleum — that has oozed from crevices in the sandstone Pits and holes 
dug into the bog attest the presence of oil. 

In 1880, during the excitement that prevailed in the eastern part of Jeffer- 
son county, this locality was seized upon by practical oil men, as a favorable 
spot for drilling, the bog being regarded as an almost sure indication that the 
Bradford sands 1,500 feet below the water level were oil-bearing, but after 
going down some 1,500 feet the well was abandoned, no oil being found, 
indicating that the oil is merely on the surface. 

The Early Settlers. — In 1824 Henry Keys, Alexander Osborn, John Mc- 
intosh, John McGhee and Thomas Moore, first settled in what is now Wash- 
ington township. To their new home they gave the name of " Beechwoods," 
from the great quantity of beech trees which they found growing there, an 
appellation which still clings to the locality. They were followed in 1826 by 
Andrew Smith, William Cooper and John Wilson, with their families, and in 
1829, James Smith, with his family, also located in the Beechwoods. These 
first settlers came from the eastern counties of Centre and Adams. 

The early history of this section of the county has been graphically por- 
trayed by Rev. Boyd McCullough, who settled with his parents in the Beech- 
woods in 1832, in his "Sketches of Local History," and the "Shamrock," 
published by him, from which the following interesting incidents are taken : 

"In 1828 there was a beautiful fall. Keys's folks sowed wheat in Novem- 
ber. The next spring was favorable, and it was a bountiful crop. This was 
a great loss to the settlement, for the people were encouraged to sow as much 
wheat as they could get in any time through October, and the rust generally 
ruined it, till they learned wit by dear experience. 

68 



566 History of Jefferson County. 

The winter of 1831 was a very cold one, and in the severest part of it the 
house of John Hunter was burned down. The neighbors soon gathered to- 
gether and put up a log house for him, but he lost nearly everything he owned 
by the fire. 

It was in the spring of 1832 that we moved into the woods. There were 
seventeen families in the woods at the time. We stopped at Andrew Smith's. 
I was seven years old. The next morning I ran in with the news that there 
was an ass with very slim legs and a small nose in the yard. I was told that 
it was a deer. They had petted several young deer at different times. 

That fall the first school was started in the place. The log school-house 
had one regular window, with six lights. The other window was made by 
removing a log and placing the panes of glass in the cavity joining each other. 
A writing desk was made by driving pins in a log below this window, and 
laying a rough board upon it. The fire-place was made by building a stone 
-wall against the logs as high as the loft, from this a kind of flue was made of 
pine sticks and clay. Sometimes the smoke found its way up the chimney, 
and sometimes it wandered through the house. William Reynolds taught this 
first school for ten dollars a month, half in cash, and half in grain, after harvest. 
People who do not Icnow half as much would turn up their noses at treble that 
pay now. 

The kindly spring came gently on, and we then commenced to make sugar. 
Right pleasant it is to see the luscious juice drop, drop, dropping from the 
trees all over the hill, while the roaring fire makes the syrup go foaming and 
dancing in the kettle till it is time to take it out and put fresh sap in. It is 
hard work, but then you can see the progress you are making, and you get 
your pa}' immediately. 

There was no school in summer, but we attended Sabbath- school in the 
school house. This school was organized by Rev. Mr. Riggs (in 1831), but 
it existed before that. Robert Mcintosh and Betty Keys had started it when 
there were but a few families in the place. It went from house to house be- 
fore there was any scho-'l-house. 

James and Andrew Smith, father and son, Thomas Ledlie and Alexander 
Cochran might be mentioned as men whose deep thought gave an intellectual 
tone to the discussions. Robert Mcintosh, sr., was the first superintendent. 
He was not a man of extensive information, but his devoted spirit, and warm, 
cordial impulse gave a great interest to his devotional exercises, and made him 
universally respected. Well do I remember the last time I saw him in the 
Sabbath-school. He closed by singing the sixth psalm, long meter, in the old 
version: " Lord, in thy wrath, rebuke me not." That was in the fall of 1833, 
and he died in the fall of 1S34. 

Betty Keys was also the life of the school, as long as her health enabled her 
to attend. She was said to be very self-willed and opinionative, and on one 



Washington Township. 567 

occasion the voung women, returning from Sabbath-school, were walking 
ahead, and the men in a company behind, all except Oliver McClelland, who 
was walking with the girls. She invited him to fall back in the company of 
the men, and so maintain the decorum due tlie day. That she loved to 
rule might be true, but certain it is that if she ruled, it was by the gentle 
power of love. We, children, no matter what class we belonged to, were ac- 
customed to look up to her as to one superior to the rest, and as one who 
could scarcelv do anything wrong. We carried our dinners with us, as there 
was Sabbath-school in the morning and prayer-meeting in the afternoon. 

When we came to the Beeclnvoods the soil was rich and the vegetation 
luxurious, but the subsoil is poor. Thousands of j-ears ago great currents of 
water must have swept westward carrying the soil into Ohio, Indiana and Ill- 
inois, leaving the heavy deposits of iron and rock. When the climate became 
dryer and the streams shrank to their present size, a growth of forest followed. 
The decaying leaves of two or three thousand years formed this rich mold. 
Scarcely was the snow of winter gone when the wild leeks peeped up like 
corn. At first they had not much of their rampant taste, and cattle nipped 
them off greedily. Before they got strong the curly weed showed itself; vel- 
lera and broad leaf followed. All these had a thick, juicy root, which lived 
over winter. By the middle of June the wild pea vine gave pasturage. Be- 
sides these, which the cattle ate, there were many flowers that they did not 
eat, the mandrake, the sweet-william, the phlox, the honeysuckle and the violet. 

Bees found homes in the hollow trees, as conveniently as food in the 
flowers. The blossoms of the trees also gave them their choice honey. The 
crops were often good. In 1835 we planted a bushel and a half of potatoes in 
one patch of new ground, covering them with leaves, and scratching enough 
clay over them to keep the leaves down. It was a wet season, which was the 
most suitable for such planting, and we dug thirty-six bushels of potatoes. 
The same year the Keyses had four hundred bushels to the acre. Another year 
James Smith had as good a yield. 

One year, perhaps in 1836, William Smith, sr., had soft corn, owing to the 
season, and the next year he thought he would plant more. His wife planted 
a patch by the house and took every care of it. The crop yielded at the rate 
of a hundred bushels of shelled corn to the acre. In those days people hardly 
ever sowed timothy seed at all. A little seed in the wheat got into the ground, 
and taking hold in fence corners and around stumps was ready to spread when 
a field was thrown out. Two tons of hay to the acre was thought nothing re- 
markable, yet all this was the product of rich mold on the surface. People 
did not know how poor the subsoil was, or they would have kept up the con- 
dition of their land. 

Rev. Joseph McGarrah assisted Rev. Mr. Riggs to hold the first commun- 
ion in the Beechwoods. A son of Mr. McGarrah told me, in a chat about old 



568 • History of Jefferson County. 

times, that in 1815 he went to a store with a bag of wheat. He went on horse- 
back twelve miles, and i^ot seventy-five cents a bushel for his wheat, and paid 
fifty cents a pound for coffee, and twenty-five cents a piece for tin cups to eat 
mush and milk out of It was night when he got back, and he brought two 
pounds of coffee and two tin cups for his bag of wheat. 

It was not so bad in 1836 as in 1815, but still we had the difficulty of cheap 
produce and dear store goods. It was five pounds of coffee, four yards of 
coarse muslin, or si.x yards of poor calico for a dollar, when a dollar repre- 
sented two days of hard work. And then cash could not be had for work, 
and many articles the merchants would not sell without money. 

If the young people want to know how we got along in those days, I will 
tell them we got along exactly as we do now. When tired, we grunted ; when 
hurt, we grinned ; when pleased, we laughed, exactly as we do now. The 
young men winked at the girls, and the girls smiled back as often and pleas- 
antly as you do now. But to be more definite, the men shore the sheep, the 
women scoured the wool, and the girls made a frolic to pick it. It was sent 
to the carding machine, and then spun by hand. The \'arn was carried to 
the weaver. The cloth was soused in soap-suds and thrown on the kitchen 
floor, where the boys kicked it until it was fulled up ; then colored with but- 
ternut, it was made up into men's clothing. The women were a little more 
tasty, and wore barred flannel colored with indigo, matfder, etc. If people did 
not look quite so well in homespun as in broadcloth, they felt as happy. 

In 1 841 Billy Richards set up a fulling-mill on North Fork, and started 
Richardsville. This was a great relief, as before we had to carr\- our cloth to 
Frederick Holopeter's, somewhere in Clearfield county. Remember, this 
home- made cloth cost more, counting the labor, than fine cloth does now ; but 
it was the best we had, and we felt proud of it. 

In May, 1S32, Robert Morrison, sr., was making his way from Philadel- 
phia to Beech ivoods. On the Allegheny Mountains he was walking ahead of 
the wagon and met a man even more venerable than himself, with a staff in 
each hand. " Bands and beauty," exclaimed Mr. Morrison, in allusion to 
Zechariah 11,7. Delighted to meet a stranger so familiar with the Bible, Mr- 
Robert Mcintosh (for such he proved to be), stopped short, and the two old 
gentlemen had a chat. Mr. Morrison was uncertain about the road he was to 
take, and to his happ)' surprise he found that Mr. Mcintosh liad just come 
from his destination, and that they were to be neighbors. He now received 
directions which made his wa\' easy. They were afterv\'ards elders in the same 
congregation, and in course of time the son of the one and the daughter of the 
other were married. That, however, was not the first marriage in Mr. Morri- 
son's family. The first was the marriage of Thomas Ledlie to Letitia. After 
they were married Mr. Ledlie told her about a strolling woman, who was a 
great matcli-maker, that often told about a little girl near McGilligan's Head, 



Washington Township. 569 



in Ireland. Our match-maker was a sharp observer of human nature. She 
took it for granted that Mr. LedHe was hard to suit, but she thought this girl, 
when grown up, would do for him. Mrs. Ledlie knew the woman by the de- 
scription, and when Mr. Ledlie made inquiry lie was satisfied that Letitia Mor- 
rison was the girl laid out for him. They were only ten miles apart, but they 
never saw one another until they met in the Beechwoods. He was quite an 
old bachelor and she a young woman, but in this case the union of May and 
September was a happy married life. 

In October, 1836, Mathew Smith and Betty Hunter were married. On that 
day Hugh McCullough happened into James Bond's house. The young peo- 
ple inquired, "When will your wedding come off?" He answered: " In ten 
years I will be thirty-five, and that is the marrying age." The old lady spoke 
and said, "That is a good age. I am glad you put it off so long, for perhaps 
you will rob me of one of m\- daughters. It is well the evil day is so far ofif." 
In the tenth year from that time he led to the altar the youngest and fairest of 
the daughters. The ten }-ears had not run out. They both sleep now in the 
narrow house. 

The free school system went into force in 1835. William Kennedy taught 
in the winter of 1834-5. He was hired by subscription, but in the spring the 
money came out of the school fund to pay him. After that we had three 
months in the winter, taught by a male teacher, and three months each sum- 
mer by a female teacher. The following is a list of the teachers in the Beech- 
woods from 1832 to 1842: First teacher, William Reynolds. In 1833, Alex- 
ander Cochran; 1834, William Kennedy; 1835, Betsy McCurdy and Thomas 
Reynolds; 1836, Nancy Jane McClelland and Oliver McClelland; 1837, 
Fanny McConnell and Andreu' Smith ; 1838, Fanny McConnell and Dexter 
Morris; 1839, Peggy Mcintosh and Finley McCormick ; 1840, Nancy Mc- 
Clelland and Joseph Sterrett. In 1841 the second school was started, so we 
had Nancy J. McClelland and Marjory Sterrett, in the summer, and in the win- 
ter Henr)' Potts was the only teacher, and he was turned out for lack of a cer- 
tificate, but finished his school by subscription. In 1842 a log school-house 
was built beside Andrew Smith's, and Nancy Bond was the first who taught in 
it, while Nancy Jane McClelland taught in the Cooper school- house. The sum- 
mer before Marjory Sterrett had taught in a house of Jacob Zeck's. In the 
winter of 1842-3 William Patton and George Sprague were the teachers. 

The summer of 1836, being the only summer I had the pleasure of attend- 
ing, I will speak of it in detail. There were thirty scholars in attendance. 
The teacher and sixteen of those scholars reside in the Beechwoods yet. One 
is in Perrysville, two in Pittsburgh, four in the far west, and seven are in the 
land of silence. What is very singular, there is not an old bachelor or an old 
maid among them. James Hunter was drowned when a young man, rafting 
in Clarion. The rest were all married. All these teachers were residents of 



570 History of Jefferson County. 

Jefferson county or vicinity, except S. D. Morris, so I will give a sketch of 
him. Samuel Dexter Morris was a live Yankee, from the State of New York. 
Although a Baptist minister and an earnest Christian, he was full and running 
over with Avit and humor. When he commenced teaching he told us, gravely, 
that we might devote all our time to our books, and he would do the whisper- 
ing all himself We appreciated this kind offer, but we thought it too much 
trouble for him to teach such a large school and do the whispering too. When 
the hissing conversation went on, he proceeded to check it by mirth-provok- 
ing punishments. He had the faculty of interesting his scholars in their les- 
sons ; fastening ideas in their memorj'. Those were the days when officers, 
parents, all, combined to sustain the teacher. Whatever the statute law might 
be, two simple laws were impressed upon the public mind, — one was, that the 
teacher was responsible for the deportment of the scholar, and the other, that 
the scholar must obey. Two scholars, who shall be nameless, behaved rudely 
at table, and would not obey their mother. The school mistress was present. 
She told them she would settle with them in school, which she did, effectually. 
Now-a-days teachers confine their responsibility and children their good order 
to the school room. 

In the days of slavery Beechwoods had its share of the " irrepressible con- 
flict." In 1834 two darkeys made their appearance there and remained a good, 
part of the winter. 

William Smith, sr., had been working in Maryland for a large iron manu- 
facturer, named Columbus O'Donnell. He hired a couple of slaves named 
Jim and Harry, to work in the furnace. Those men William Smith taught 
the iron business. One he made a puddler and the other a refiner. The 
slaves hired their time from their master, and then got their own wages from 
O'Donnell. This gave them a chance to save money to buy their freedom. 
Although their master had broken the bargain more than once by raising the 
price, still they had nearly paid for themselves, when their master, who still 
kept the money, sold them to a trader. Mr. Smith knew it, but they did not. 
In the evening they came into his shop when the other hands were gone. He 
told them the fate in .store for them, and advised them to skedaddle. They 
said they had no money, no friends, and nowhere to go. He told them to fol- 
low the Chestnut Ridge on out to where it was called Boone's Mountain. Then 
to strike out to the left and inquire for the Irish Settlement in Jefferson county. 
He charged them to travel by night and speak to no one until they had, at 
least, gone one hundred miles. Deacon William Smith, a nephew of Mr. 
Smith's, was working there too, at the time. They got up a purse of money 
between them, and prepared for them a bag full of bread and boiled ham. 

The fugitives pursued the best course to avoid being taken. They hid in 
a hay-mow three days, while those who sought them were scouring the coun- 
tr\'. Tlien, when the search was over, they started and traveled by night, till 



Washington Township. 571 

they were sure they were well advanced on Pennsyh'ania soil. The mountain 
range guided them all the way, and the}' arrived safely. However, through 
the indiscretion of a man who had taken too much liquor, the story was com- 
municated to peddlers who carried the news to their master. He wrote to 
Mr. Smith, offering five hundred dollars for them. He notified the boys that 
they had better clear out, and they took their course for Canada. 

Nobody in Beechwoods was lost long enough to suffer much, but some 
were, not far away. In 1846 a boy of Mr. Washburn's, on Boone's Mountain, 
was lost going home from the .'=ugar camp. I think he perished with cold the 
first night. It was a cold night in April, and he was a small boy. It was 
nearly a week before he was found. 

In 1834 Moftet Ledlie went out after a deer, after he had his breakfast. 
He lost himself, and did not get home until the next day. He was middling 
hungry, but he fretted more about the dog than himself, as the dog had fol- 
lowed him before it had its breakfast. He shot a squirrel which he roasted, 
ate a leg, and gave the rest to his dog. He came on his own tracks, but could 
not believe it until he tried his boot and the dog's feet in their respective 
prints. 

In 1832 David Dennison found his way out of the woods by driving home 
Keys's cows. No matter how you started cattle, they knew hovv to make for 
home. Mr. Dennison looked so wild with fright and hunger, that Mr. Keys 
said, " Davy, dear, whar did you get the whisky ?" 

My brother, Hugh, was but twelve years of age when he slept in the woods 
all night ; but it was a warm night in May, and he did not suffer with cold. 
The cows brought him home safely in the morning, but already half the settle- 
ment was out in search of him. 

As late as 1847, when there were roads in all directions, John Groves got 
lost. Robert Morrison went to look for him, and both passed the night in the 
woods. 

That so few accidents occurred by frost, considering the bad roads and a 
severe climate, is wonderful. In 1839 James Rainey, who lived where James 
Shaw now resides, was returning from Brookville in company with Robert 
McBride, when he expressed a desire for a few hours sleep. Shortly after he 
fell and could not rise. Mr. McBride carried him to the nearest house. 

In 1830 or 1 83 1 George McConnell was killed by the falling back of a 
stump. The tree had turned out of root, and the rebound threw him in the 
air when he cut it off. The family had not come on from Centre county, and 
he and his brother James were alone. James McConnell also had the misfor- 
tune to cut off his brother David's fingers in 1833. Joseph McDowell was 
killed by a tree as he worked on the roads in the summer of 1843. They car- 
ried him home, and as Mrs. McDowell was not at home, Mrs. William Max- 
well went for her, and told her she was wanted at home. She intended to 



572 History of Jefferson County. 

break the news to her on the way. To this end she remarked, " You and Joe 
have had your troubles and hard work." " Indeed we have. One time when 
we were clearing that field down there, we had nothing but greens to eat, and 
scarcely enough of that." " Oh! Joe's hard work is all over now," said Mrs. 
Maxwell. " Ah, yes, poor man ! I hope it is. We have got the farm cleared, 
and the worst is over." Finding herself so completely misunderstood, Mrs. 
Maxwell had not the heart to say any more, and Mrs. McDowell knew noth- 
ing more until she saw the disfigured corpse. 

James Smith helped to carry him home, and in less than two years by one 
unlucky and cowardly blow, his own wife was left a widow, and his children 
fatherless. Twice the corpse was raised to decide whether the blow was the 
only cause of his death. The first day was a time of frightful wind Mrs. 
McDonald was confident that the unhallowed act of disturbing the repose of 
the dead raised the wind. Little did she then think that her own end would 
be more tragic than Mr. Smith's, and her husband's death more unhallowed 
than her own. 

Unlike the western settlers, the pioneers of the Beechwoods enjoyed good 
health. For thirty years nothing like an epidemic prevailed, except twice. 
The dysentery prevailed in 1838, and the erysipelas in 1846. Both were of a 
malignant type. The dysentery appeared about the last of August. Several 
children died, but no grown people. James Kyle, like the rest, was forbidden 
the use of cold water. He said he would give the half of Pennsylvania for one 
drink. In the absence of the family Betty Keys assumed the responsibility of 
giving him half a cupful. Had he got it every two hours it would have done 
him no harm ; but doctors had their notions in those days — perhaps they have 
yet. 

The erysipelas which prevailed in 1846 was different from an\' I have ever 
seen since. A sore spot appeared about the fiice ; it might be inward, in the 
throat, or outward, on the cheek, nose or eye. Presently the patient was 
taken with a chill, and soon was in a burning fever. I do not remember that 
in any case but that of Thomas Atwell it proved fatal, but on Brandy Camp, 
in Elk county, it was often mortal. 

About midway between Rockdale and Osburns the ruins of an old mill 
may be seen among the weeds and underbrush. John Wilson put up the mill 
as early as 183 1. In 1836 he sold it to Blood, Baily & Hunt, who proceeded 
to put up a grist-mill, a saw-mill, a carding-machine, and a store. The store, 
the carding-machine, and the saw-mill existed only in imagination, but the 
grist-mill was a matter of fact. That a man without money or knowledge of 
the mill- Wright trade should go to work and build a mill was a wonder, in- 
deed, and yet I am told it did not do bad work until Baily got hold of it. 
Under his management it did miserable work, and only run a few months. 
Had Blood come on he might have done very well, for it was a good mill site. 



■Washington Township. 573 

But Blood and Hunt lived in I'^orest county, and had entered into a partner- 
ship vvitli Baily, who made them beheve he had money and skill in the busi- 
ness, when he had neither. 

Some years after Mr. Wilson said he would put up a saw-mill on a cascade 
near his own house, in opposition to Dillas Allen, at Rockdale. People laughed 
at him ; but while there was difficulty in any undertaking, he persevered. 
When he could do a thing easily he was apt to give it up. The old timber 
may be seen there yet, some fifty feet long, and about a foot square, yet ail 
these he set up with the aid of his wife and an old blind mare. The water of 
the mill would pass through a four-inch pipe, yet he actually sawed some. 

Indeed the mill might have done a good business, as the fall was so good, 
but he got into a quarrel with Joseph Scofield and was put in jail for a week, 
and during that time the sherift* levied on his mill irons, and that w^as the end 
of his mill after all his hard work. 

The farm of Billy McDonald was destined to be the scene of so many trag- 
edies that vve might imagine that some Indian powwow had left a curse on the 
place. The beginning, however, was romantic, for it was here that Katy Wil- 
son, in the bloom of sweet sixteen, caught Henry Keys at the first glance, and 
was herself caught with a few months' wooing. Mr. Kennedy came from Rose- 
ville to marry them. But a good beginning had a bad ending. Scarcely was 
the minister gone when Butler Amos, the hired man, quarreled with John Wil- 
son about making a fire. This led to more, until a few nights afterwards Billy 
McDonald, provoked that guests should be insulted in his house, sent Amos 
out, heels foremost, and his traps after him. This led to a law suit which cost 
a hundred dollars. At the trial William Cooper was so badgered by Amos 
that he struck him. The blow cost Mr. Cooper his team. It was on this farm 
that Tommy Moore built his cabin, and had the delirium tremens so bad that 
to escape the hobgoblins he took his life. James Downs, on his death-bed, 
received some money. Fancying he heard robbers, he leaped out of bed and 
fell on the floor, which hastened his death. People laughed at his fears ; but 
that very monej' drew the robbers, who murdered his sister (Mrs. Betty Mc- 
Donald) in that very house. Her husband's end was still more horrible, when 
he cut his throat a few years before." 

Rev. Boyd McCullough, from whose sketches nearly all the incidents con- 
nected with the early settlement of the Beechwoods have been culled, was the 
first minister raised in Washington township. In 1843 he walked, with his 
books and extra clothing on his back, to study with Rev. James Milligan, at 
New Alexandria, Westmoreland county, a distance of seventy-three miles. 
For two years he studied under this private tutor, going home twice a year, 
and many a time his feet were sore ; but the love of knowledge prevailed abo\-e 
all personal discomfort. W'hen at home he delved among his books without 
any teacher. Once while laboring at a Greek verb, he became completely dis- 

C9 



574 History of Jefferson County. 

couraged, and throwing down his books, went out to dig a ground hog out of 
a hole. He missed the ground hog but caught the verb, for while throwing 
up the fresh earth the whole conjugation came to his memory. Another time 
he labored for an hour over a sentence in Longinus, when he was called out to 
assist in penning up a flock of sheep. While the animals were defiling through 
the gate, the author's idea struck his mind. He went back to the Greek text, 
and found that the idea corresponded with the connection. He was nearly as 
much delighted as Adam Clarke when he found the half guinea which bought 
his Hebrew grammar. To John J. Patterson and John H. Groves, two other 
Beechwoods boys, is due as much credit for pursuing knowledge and gaining 
an education under similar difficulties. 

Boyd McCuUough was licensed to preach in 1852, and accepted a commis- 
sion as colporter from the American tract society, and canvassed Forest 
county, where he organized a temperance society under the old Washingtonian 
banner. He was afterwards ordained in Novi, Mich., where he labored twenty 
years; then preached ten years at Pepin, Wis. In 1886 he returned to the 
Beechwoods, and now resides among the scenes of his boyhood. Between the 
time of his two pastorates, he visited England, Scotland and Ireland, where he 
lectured in every town in Ulster except two, and where he collected all the 
traditions concerning St. Patrick. A small book of poetry, called the "Sham- 
rock " was the result of his Irish travels. In this volume is also embodied 
" Beech Leaves, or Life in the Backwoods," which gives his early recollections 
of the Beechwoods. 

The first wife of Mr. McCuUough was a daughter of Rev. Dr. Johnston, of 
St. Clairsville, Ohio, who was a descendant of Archibald Johnston, earl of War- 
riston, Scotland. Dr. Johnston's grandfather and granduncle once took the 
notorious Simon Girty prisoner. Had they shot him he would have gone to 
his reward with fewer crimes on his head. 

The present Mrs. McCuUough is a native of Blairsville, and a grandniece 
of the old pioneer minister, Rev. John Jamison, from whom the Thompsons 
and McKnights, of Brookville, are also descended. 

Early Improvements and hicidents. — The first one to make any improve- 
ments in the Beechwoods, was Alexander Osburn. He also built the first 
grist-mill on Falls Creek. The first saw-mill was built by Dillas Allen, at 
Rockdale, about the year 1841. The first store was started on G. W. Brown's 
farm, about 1 840, by William Acklin. The first school-house was built in 
1832, at Waites. The first church was built on the farm of Henry Keys, about 
1840. 

The first person born in Washington was William McGhee, born in 1825, 
and the second, Ninian Cooper. The first marriage was that of Henry Keys 
and Catharine Wilson in 1826, and the first death was that of Mrs. Mary 
Hunter, wife of John Hunter, who died in 1830. She was buried on the 



Washington Township. 575 

Hunter farm. The first grave-yard was started in ICS31, on Cooper's Hill, 
and Mrs. Eleanor Smith, wife of James Smith, and mother of Andrew Smith, 
was the first person buried there. 

Present Business. — The only large saw-mill in Washington township is 
that of Osburn & Shatter, on Falls Creek, but there are a number of portable 
mills in different localities. The only grist-mill is also on Falls Creek, and is 
the property of Wilson & Notter. 

The stores in the township are those of Charles D. Evans, Rockdale, H. P. 
Brown, Beechtree, and Thomas Craven, and the Company Store at Coal Glen. 
The only hotel is that operated at Beechtree by the Rochester and Pittsburgh 
Coal and Iron Company. This is the first hotel that has ever been in the 
township, and was started in 1883. Tliere are twelve school-houses in Wash- 
ington, and five churches, with two cemeteries — the Cooper grave-yard and 
Beechtree cemetery. 

Farms. — The sturdy Irish pioneers have handed down to their sons some 
fine farms in Washington, among the best of which are those of James Daven- 
port, Robert Dougherty, James Dennison, S. J. Dean, James R. and Thomas 
Groves, George Horam, S. N. Morrison, William Morrison, James and J. J. 
McCurdy, Charles Mathews, jr., David McGeary, John Osburn estate, James 
Ross, George Senior, Andrew H. Smith, William and M. Logan, William 
Stevenson, James S. Smith, William and John Shaw, and Robert A Smith. 

Considerable attention is paid to the growing of the best varieties of fruit, 
such as are found in the other townships, fine apples being a specialty. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Washington township in 1837, 
and resulted in the election of the following persons : 

Constable, John McGhee ; supervisors, John Mcintosh, Tilton Reynolds; 
auditors, Andrew Smith, Oliver McClelland, William Reynolds, Joshua Rea ; 
school directors, Oliver McClelland, Andrew Smith, James McConnell, Will- 
iam Reynolds, John Fuller, John Horm ; fence appraisers, James Smith, Oliver 
Welch ; overseers, Henry Keys, Tilton Reynolds ; town clerk, John Wilson. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected: 
Judge of election, Archie McCuUough ; assessor, James E. Smith; auditor, 
R. A. Smith ; constable, McCurdy Hunter ; ta.x collector, M. L. Smith ; poor 
overseer, James S. Dougherty; inspectors, D. B. McConnell, Charles Mathews; 
supervisors, James Davenport, George Brenholtz; justice of the peace, Thomas 
Craven ; school directors, S. J. Smith, F. B. Harvey. The justices of the peace 
are A. T. Strang and Thomas Craven ; the other members of the school board, 
R. C. Osburn, Ezekiel Sterritt, J. j\I. Smith, William Patterson. By a decree 
of court, June 2, 1887, Washington township was divided into two election 
districts, to be known as Upper Washington, which holds its election at Beech- 
tree, and Lower Washington, at Rockdale. 

Taxables and Population. — The taxables in Washington township in 1842 



576 History of Jefferson County. 

were 1 12 ; in 1849, 149 ; in 1856, 215 ; in 1863, 249; in 1870, 273 ; in 1S80, 
342; 1886. 577. 

Tlie population by census of 1840, T,6y ; 1850, 646; i860, 1,079; 1870, 
1,124; 1880, 1,282. 

Assessments and Valuations of Property. — According to the triennial assess- 
ment of 1886 the number of acres seated were 18,694; valuation, $74,285 ; 
average value, per acre, $4.97 ; houses and lots, 89; valuation, $5,180; grist 
and saw-mills, six ; valuation, $2,200; number of acres unseated, 5,037 ; valua- 
tion, $15,199; average value per acre, $3; number of acres surface, 4,894; 
valuation, $14,591 ; average value per acre, $2.97 ; number of acres mineral, 
6,786 ; valuation, $24,096; average valuation, $3.55 ; number of horses, 404 ; 
valuation, $9,051; average value, $22.40; number of cows, 447; valuation, 
$3,558; average value, $7.96; 6 oxen, valuation, $140; occupations, 272; 
valuation, $12,677; average value, $46.60; total valuation subject to county 
tax, $160,977 ; money at interest, $52,326. 

School Statistics. — Number of schools in Washington township reported 
for the year ending June 7, 1886, 1 1 ; length of term, 6 months ; 4 male and 
7 female teachers; average salary for male teachers, $33 ; for females, $24; 
number of male scholars, 274; females, 214; average number attending school, 
308 ; average per cent. 74; cost per month, 75 cents; number of mills levied 
for school purposes, 10; for building purposes, lO; total amount of tax levied 
for school and building purposes, $2,938.97. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 
HISTORY OF PORTER TO\VNSHIP. 

THE twelfth to^\nsilip was Porter, organized in 1840. It was taken from 
Perry township, and named for David R. Porter, then governor of Penn- 
sylvania. This township occupies the southwestern corner of Jefferson county. 
Pine River flows in a deep valley along its northern edge. It is bounded on 
the north by Ringgold township; on the east is Perry; on the south, Indiana 
county, and on the west Armstrong county. The surface is much diversified 
by hill and valley. The valleys narrow, with only" small streams flowing 
through them, are straight, and usually have gentle slopes which admit of 
easy and profitable cultivation. The uplands are more in the nature of an 
elevated plain, overspread by a thin covering of Lower Barren rocks. The 
Lower Productive Coal Measures are in the valleys, by which distribution of 
the strata the proportion of upland surface to valley is appro.ximately shown by 
the geological survey. 



Porter Township. 577 



The drainage is all into Mahoning Creek, which here flows a few miles 
south of the Jetterson county line in Indiana county. A narrow divide, along 
the crest of which runs one of the principal wagon roads of the township, 
crosses from west to east, dividing the township in that direction nearly in 
half. South of it the waters run direct into the Mahoning, whereas north of 
it, tliey go first into Pine Run, and afterwards into the Mahoning, at Eddyville, 
in Armstrong county. 

Geology — Excellent coal is found in Porter township, both the Upper and 
Lower Freeport coals, averaging over four feet in thickness. The coal is even 
and regular. In 1886 a vein of coal, said to be nine feet thick was discovered 
on the farm of J. C. Neal. The vein which was being worked, was about four 
feet thick at the entrance, but it gradually grew in height until it reached five 
feet, and then, by a fall of slate from the roof, it was found that there was an- 
other vein immediateh' above, four feet thick. The two veins are separated 
by only a thin seam of slate, so that it is practically a single vein nine feet in 
thickness. 

The Kittanning middle coal has also been worked on the R. Adams farm, 
where it was found to be three feet thick. The Kittanning lower coal, though 
present in the township, has not been investigated. 

Limestone in abundance is found in the township. The stratum is from 
four to six inches thick, of good stone, compact, brittle and fossiliferous. It has 
long been quarried, having been opened on the Travis and McClelland farms 
when the old Phcenix furnace, at Milton, in Armstrong county, was in blast 
The farmers in Porter, as in nearly all the other townships of the county, have 
no excuse for not using lime freely for fertilizing. 

Early Settlers. — The first settlement was made in Porter township by James 
McClelland, in 1803; Benjamin Irons came in 1804 or 1805; David Hamilton, 
in 1806 or 1808. These all settled in the southwestern part of the township. 
After them came Elijah Ickes, in 18 14 or 181 5 ; Michael Lantz and William 
Smith about 1 81 5. The first person born in the township was Robert Ham- 
ilton. 

The first grave-yard was started in 1843, '^'^^ Stephen Londen was one of 
the first buried there. Another grave-yard was made at the Fairview school- 
house. The first church organization was by the Methodist society in 1838, 
and the first church was built in 1843. The history of the churches has 
already been given. 

Sunday Schools. — The first Sunday-school was started in 1844, with 
Thomas Stockdill superintendent. There are now two schools in Porter. The 
Zion Methodist Episcopal Sunday school has about ninety scholars ; T T. 
Adams superintendent in 1887, and James Stockdill assistant superintendent. 
The Union Sunday-school, held at the Fairview school- house, had in 1887, 
thirty scholars; George Bish, superintendent. 



578 History of Jefferson County. 

Present Business. — There is one post-office in the township called Porter, 
and the store of J. H. Elkins, started in 1883, is located there. It is the only 
store in the township. There is also one blacksmith shop, that of Jacob Lettie, 
located at the same place. The first blacksmith shop was started in 1840 by 
George Travis, and another in 1845 by John Silvis. There has never been a 
hotel in the township. 

Rebellion Record. — Like all other sections of the county, Porter promptly 
responded to the call for troops to assist in putting down the Rebellion. 
Among those who enlisted were T. B. Adams, Daniel Barnett, John Chapman, 
Levi Ellenberger, Samuel Brumbaugh, J. Wesley McDonald and D. C. Mc- 
Gregor, of the Seventy-eight Pennsylvania Regiment; G. B. Shraiiger and 
Philip Shranger, of the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania, and Henry 
Chapman, Daniel Kish, P. Davis, Jacob Howard, Elisha Gahagen, S. M. Mc- 
Donald, Daniel Timblin, Ephraim Adams, of other organizations. The record 
of these men will be found in the history of their regiments given in a previous 
chapter. There was no bounty paid to volunteers by Porter. 

Farms. — There are now one hundred and twenty- five farms in the town- 
ship, among the best being those of Thomas B. Adams, of 204 acres, first im- 
proved by A. Timblin in 1840; Richard Adams, of 165 acres, first improved 
in 18 14 by R. Adams; T. T. Adams, of 130 acres, first improved in 1839 by 
Thomas Adams ; George Bish, 98 acres, improved by E. Coleman ; William 
Bahme, 80 acres; William Doak, 160 acres, first improved by L. Yeager ; T. 
K. Drummond, 142 acres, first improved by David Hamilton in 1815 ; John 
Elkins, 196 acres; Thomas Elder, 168 acres; Thomas Gahagen, 167 acres ; 
John Y. Gahagen, 145 acres; James Kennedy, 161 acres; Allen Kelsey, J. 
E. Lantz, 140 acres, first improved by William Smith in 181 5, then owned 
by John Lantz about 1830; D. C. McGregor, 215 acres, improved by H. 
Coon ; Daniel McGregor, 205 acres ; William McHenry, 1 1 1 acres, improved 
by George Travis; Charles Miller, 81 acres: S. M. McDonald, 138 acres; 
Joseph McClelland's heirs, 178 acres, first improved by J. McClelland, sr., in 
1806; Hugh Neal, 86 acres, improved by Michael Lantz in 1815; Reuben 
Rhineard, 96 acres, first improved by James McClelland in 1803 ; Jacob 
Snyder, 166 acres; Frederick Stear, 128 acres; James Stockdill, first im- 
proved by Thomas Stockdill about 1840; J. A. Timblin, 88 acres, first im- 
proved by George Yeager in 1830; Johnston Welchons, 123 acres, first im- 
proved by George Timblin and William Wearer. 

Considerable attention is paid to the raising of graded stock, principally 
Holstein cattle and Southdown sheep. 

Fruit is largely cultivated, especially apples and peaches, it being one of 
the best peach growing sections in the county. 

Elections. — At an election held in Porter township in 1840, the following 
persons were elected : 



Porter Township. 579 



Justice of the peace, John Robinson ; constable, John Hice ; supervisors, 
Conrad Nolf, George Miller; auditors, John McAninch, John Robinson, Will- 
iam Fergus(Mi, William McAninch; judge of election, William Fosters; in- 
spectors of election, Daniel McGregor, Robert E. Kennedy. 

At an election held Feburary 15, 1887, the following persons were elected 
to fill the various offices : 

Constable, J. A. Timblin ; supervisors, James Kennedy, Samuel Kroh ; 
assessor, William Snyder ; school directors, T. T. Adams, William Weaver ; 
judge of election, William Postlewait ; inspectors, A. M. Gahagan, R. F. Ne- 
ville ; auditor, G. C. Gahagan ; poor overseer, James Kennedy ; collector, J. 
A. Timblin. The justices of the peace are S. M. McDonald and T. B. Adam 
The members of the school board previously elected are J. H. Elkins, D. C. 
McGregor, S. M. McDonald and C. K Gahagan. 

Taxables and Population. — The number ol taxables in Porter township in 
1842 were 192; in 1849, 176; in 1856,86; in 1863,99; in 1870, 142; in 
1880, 191 ; in 1886, 198. 

The census report gives the population in 1840 as 977 ; 1850, 728 ; i860 
516; 1870, 525; 1880, 669. 

The decrease in the population and taxables of Porter was owing to Ring- 
gold being taken from it in 1848, and another portion being attached to the 
same township in 1855. 

Assessments and Valuations of Property. — According to the triennial assess- 
ment of 1866, the number of acres of seated land in Porter township, 9,658 ; 
valuation, $33,726 ; average value per acre, $3.49. Number of horses, 142 ;• 
valuation, $2,739; average value, $19.28. Number of cows, 201 ; valuation, 
$1,573; average value, $7.83. Occupations, 48; valuation, %'j6o\ average 
value, $15.83. Total valuation subject to county tax, $38,819. Money at 
interest, $9,829. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Porter township, according to 
the report of 1886 was 4; average number of months taught, 5 ; number of 
male teachers, 3 ; females, i ; average salary, $26 ; number of male scholars, 
103 ; females, 80; average number attending school, 117; per cent, of attend- 
ance, 75 ; cost per month, 57 cents; number of mills levied for school pur- 
poses, II. Total amount of tax levied for school purposes, $585.55. 



58o History of Jefferson Countv. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 
HISTORY OF CLO^'ER TOWNSHIP.' 

CLOVER was the thirteenth township organized, and was taken, in 1841, 
from Rose. It was named for Levi G. Clover, then prothonotary of the 
county. It is almost square, and contains about seventeen square miles. It is 
bounded on the north by Union ; on the east by Rose ; on the south by 
Beaver, and on the west by Clarion count}'. 

Drainage. — The surface is generally hilly, and the drainage through small 
tributaries from all parts of the township, flows into Redbank Creek, which 
traverses the township, through a deep and irregular valley, from northeast to 
southwest. North of the creek the smaller streams make a number of deep 
ravines ; south of it the county is less broken, but not less high, in both cases 
the summits being 300 feet above the bed of Redbank, which is here 1,160 
feet above ocean level. 

Population and Taxahlcs. — In 1850, according to the census, the popula- 
tion of Clover was 737; in 1860,910; in 1870,868; in 1880, 1,054. The 
census of 1880 gives the population of Summerville at 348. 

The number of taxables in 1842 was 145 ; in 1849, 190; '^ 1856, 166; in 
1863, 183; in 1870, 199; in 1880, 262; in 1S86, 316. 

Asscssine7it and Valuation. — The triennial assessment of the county for 
1886, gives the number of acres of seated land in Clover as 9,813 ; valuation, 
$42,121 ; average per acre, $4.29; number of houses and lots, 120; \-aIua- 
tion, $8,8i6. Number of acres of unseated land, 6; valuation, $70.00; aver- 
age per acre, $11.66. Number of horses, 160; valuation, $4,164; average, 
$26.02. Number of cows, 232 ; valuation, $2,208 ; average, $9.51. Occupa- 
tions, 144; valuation, $3,040 ; average, $21.11. Total valuation, subject to 
county tax, $60,349. Money at interest, $42,285. 

School Statistics. — There were six schools in Clover according to the report 
of public instruction for the year ending June 30, 1886; average number of 
months taught, 5 ; number of male teachers, 5, and i female teacher; average 
salary of male teachers per month, $33.40; salary of female teacher, $30.00; 
number of scholars, 174 males; 149 females; average number attending school, 
238; average per cent, attendance, 89; cost per month, 64 cents; 13 mills 
levied for school tax ; 5 mills levied for building tax ; total amount of tax 
levied for school and building purposes, $1,300.56. 

First Election. — At an election held in Clover township, in 1842, the fol- 
lowing person was elected: Fence viewer, William Magill. 

In 1843 the following were elected: Inspectors of election, Samuel Mill- 

1 Prepared by Capt.iin J. C. Kelso. 





\^^^" '^ 




«? 




'/-^^ 



Clover Township. 581 



iron, Euphrastus Carrier; judge of election, Solomon Fuller; supervisors, James 
Sowers, Hazard Jacox ; school directors, Hiram Carrier, Mathew Dickey, John 
Shields, Henry Scott, Samuel Lucas, Christopher Fogle ; constable, Charles 
Jacox; assessor, Euphrastus Carrier ; auditors, D. Fayerweather, P. I. Lucas; 
overseers of the poor, Elijah Heath, Robert Andrews ; town clerk, A. Bald- 
win. 

The election held February 15, i.SSj, resulted in the election of the follow- 
ing persons in Clover township : Justice of the peace, W. B. Mohney ; consta- 
ble, C. E. Anderson ; supervisors, G. R. McAninch and S. C. Carrier ; school 
directors, D. B. Shields and A. A. Carrier; poor overseer, G. B. Carrier; tax 
collector, R. D. Corbet ; assessor, W. S. Kelso ; judge of election, William 
Covert ; inspectors, William Guthrie and J. C. Wilson. The school directors 
previously elected are W. S. Osburn, A. Osburn, B. T. Shields and G. A. 
Carrier. 

Topographical. — Lying on both sides of Redbank Creek, Clover township 
is very hilly. There is not in one place a hundred acres which could be said 
to be level except the site of Summerville. 

There is another small piece of creek bottom land on the farm of Captain 
J. C. Kelso, one mile farther up the creek, and another on Joseph Knapp's 
farm (the old Lucas place, below Puckerty). 

Most of the hill land is moderately productive, especially on the eastern 
side of the hill. Of late years the land has suffered some damage from the 
wash of heavy rains on a loose soil. There is an abundant supply of coal and 
limestone in Clover, also a good well of salt water on the north bank of the 
creek in the suburbs of Summerville. Thomas and John Lucas bored for salt 
in 1823 on the bottom land below Puckerty. They obtained a small flow of 
salt water, but as they worked the drill with a pole in trying to get deeper, 
the drill stuck fast and they abandoned the enterprise. Some of the first set- 
tlers were told by the Indians that there was a lead mine on the bank of the 
creek one mile below John Lucas's. The mine has never been found, but the 
hope of finding it has never been abandoned. 

Mr. James Anderson, sr., who erected the salt works, had previously been 
a partner with a Major Johnston in saltworks on the Kiskiminetas, Westmore- 
land county. In 1 840 Major Johnston came out and purchased three hundred 
and sixty acres of land on Redbank, and with a pole power sank a shaft eight 
hundred and fifty feet deep, finding at that depth what salt producers know as 
a three barrel well. The major then failed in business, and turned over the 
Redbank property to James Anderson, who settled at Coal Hill in 1843 and 
manufactured salt there for about twenty-five years. This property is now 
owned by ex-Sheriff S. P. Anderson, James Anderson, and W. H. Anderson. 
It contains two fine farms, and a large amount of mineral wealth. 

Geological. — The following minerals have been found in Coal Hill, on the 
property of ex-Sheriff S. P. Anderson. ™ 



S82 History of Jefferson County. 



First. The salt shaft developed a vein of coal eight feet thick at a depth of 
eighty feet. 

Second. Vein of coal four feet thick, thirty feet above the creek. 

Third. Vein of limestone si.x and a half feet thick, forty feet above four feet 
coal vein. 

Fourth. Fire-clay undeveloped. 

Fifth. Vein of coal thirty- two inches thick, about twenty- five feet above 
limestone. 

Sixth. Vein of coal seven feet thick, about eighty feet above thirty-two 
inch vein of coal. 

Seventh. Vein of iron ore under seven feet coal vein, undeveloped, seems 
to be eighteen inches thick at surface, and has been pronounced by an expert 
the very best quality. 

There are but few farms in Clover which have no coal developed, and many 
of them have three veins. 

There are ten coal banks in active operation within one mile of Summer- 
ville, and good coal can be bought at two to four cents per bushel at the banks. 

There has never been a well of sufficient depth put down in Clover to test 
it as oil territory. 

Native Forests and Animals. — It would perhaps be difficult to find any- 
where in the world a more valuable forest than that which clothed Clover 
ownship at the time of its first settlement. It was all covered w ith white pine, 
white oak, and other valuable timber. 

Fifty years ago very valuable timber was cut down, logged, rolled on great 
heaps and burnt in order to clear the land; this, too, within sight of the creek. 
There are hundreds of acres of land in Clover which would readily sell for fi\-e 
hundred dollars per acre if they contained the original forest untouched. 
There is still, however, enough timber for building and fencing purposes, if 
carefully handled. 

Wild animals are .seldom seen now, and no wonder, for there is scarcely 
one hundred acres together of woodland to shelter them. A large bear was 
killed on Baxter's property in 1882. It had probably been driven in from the 
lar^e forests up north. If we could have a law that there should be no fishing 
done in Redbank Creek for three years, fish would then be plentiful, and with 
,a little protection might remain so. 

Early Settlement. — The first settlement in Clover tow^nship was made in 
Troy, now Summerville, about the year 181 2, by Summers Baldwin, who pur- 
chased the land on which Summerville now stands from the Holland Land 
Company. Solomon Fuller and John Welch each purchased land of Baldwin ; 
but as Baldwin never perfected his title, they, after some time and trouble, 
obtained their titles from the Holland Land Company, which at that time 
owned the greater part, if not all of what is now Clover township. Summer- 



Clover Township. 583 



ville is named for Summers l^alduiii. It is located on Redbank Creek, seven 
miles below Brookville. The above named families — Baldwin, Fuller and 
Welch — were the only ones which " Uncle " Darius Carrier found located in 
Troy in 1816; but some time previous to this a man named Scott had built a 
saw-mill on what is now known as Hiram's Run, and for some cause unknown 
had gone away and left the mill standing idle. 

Between the years 18 16 and 1820 Frederick Hettrick, Henry Lot, Alonzo 

Baldwin, and MchHwaine were added to the Troy settlement, and the 

Carriers in 1 S20. 

The next settlement was also on Redbank Creek, three miles above Troy, 
at a place afterwards called Puckerty, because of the difficulty of navigating 
rafts around the rapid current of a short and sharp S shaped bend. The first 
settlers at the lower end of Puckerty shute were Thomas and John Lucas. 
They built their cabins there in 18 18. The next >'ear they were joined by 
Moses Knapp, Robert Andrews and Walter Tcmpleton, as neighbors Then, 
in 1820, there came from Huntingdon county the following named per- 
sons and their families: James Shields, William Morrison, Hugh William- 
son, Samuel Magill, John McGiffin, John Kenned)' and John Kelso. These 
came on wagons, the distance being about one hundred miles, and the road 
mostly tiirough woods. They purchased land north and west of the Lucases, 
and formed what was afterwards known as the Irish Settlement; that at Troy 
was called the Yankee Settlement, and one further down the creek, in what is 
now Beaver township, of Jefferson, and Redbanl-, of Clarion county, was 
called the Dutch Settlement. The Irish Settlement is just north of Diiwling- 
ville. The buildings north of the creek a: Baxter Station are called Dowling- 
ville ; those on the south side are called Baxter. 

Pioneer Incidents. — It does not appear why Thomas and John Lucas chose 
to settle at Puckerty. The place does not look very inviting, even at this date, 
but it seems that the first settlers followed the streams, and a little patch of 
creek bottom may have been the inducement. It is related that Mrs. Esther 
Lucas, wife of John Lucas, having occasion to visit a neighbor who resided o\\ 
the hill, found a wolf caught in a trap, and fearing that it might get loose and 
escape, she killed it with a stick. 

A man named Scott built a saw-mill on Hiram's Run, in Troy, about 18 14. 
For some cause unknown Scott abandoned the mill for a time. About 18 16 
the mill was stolen and re-erected on Welch Run. 

" In 1820 a g-ood mill could be built for three hundred dollars, the saw and 
irons costing about one hundred." 

Moses Knapp built seven mills, viz : Two on the North Fork, one on 
Knapp's Run, and four on Redbank Creek. Major A. A. Carrier says : " My 
father, having sold lumber and bought some goods at Pittsburgh, put them into 
a canoe and poled it from Pittsburgh to near Heathville." 



584 History of Jefferson County. 



Troy being located on low ground, some of which was marshy and some- 
what unhealthy, when a man named Lot settled there some wag gave the 
place the name of Sodom. Then having met Lot's flitting, leaving the place. 
he announced that Sodotn was about to be destroyed, " For," said he, " I have 
just now seen Lot flying from it." 

" In the fall of 1826, at a manure hauling at James Shield's, at which there 
were twelve or fifteen teams, there was only one horse team and wagon, the 
other teams being oxen and hitched to sleds. 

" Most of the work was done by bees or frolics. I have seen six frolics in 
a week ; that week we were at home only on the day of our own frolic. 

" About 1826 boards were sold as low as three dollars per thousand feet in 
Pittsburgh. 

" In 1833 the wages for a hand for a trip on the creek was one dollar and 
fifty cents. Fred Hettrick sold a lot of large choice pine timber for six cents 
per foot, linear measure." 

Lumbering. — Lumbering in Clover is chiefly a thing of the past, still there 
are a few lumbermen remaining, and most of the older citizens have taken a 
hand at it in bygone days. The Carriers especially have cleared immense 
forests of timber, and handled millions of dollars worth of lumber. The late 
ex-Sherifl" Nathan Carrier was a partner in a firm which in one year (about 
1866) ran over one hundred rafts of pine timber. About this time there were 
as high as two thousand rafts ran out of Redbank from March till November 
inclusive. As to the value of these the following estimate is not far from cor- 
rect: 

1,000 rafls timber, 4,500 feet per raft, 20 cents per cubic foot $900,000 

1,000 rafts, boards, 40,000 feet per raft, $20 per thousand feet 800,000 

Shingles, lath, boat gunwales, spars, etc 300,000 

Total $2,000,000 

This estimate gives us an aggregate of two millions as the annual value of 
Redbank's lumber at that time, and Clover did perhaps as much as any other 
township in the handling of it. The above estimate of the value of the timber 
is perhaps a little high, but on tlie boards it is low. Brown & Fuller in 1866 
sold boards in Pittsburgh for twenty-four dollars per thousand in the water, 
the boards being what lumbermen understand as the "run of the logs." 

In those days the men of Clover were nearly all raftmen. A pilot's wages 
was twenty dollars and expenses from Brookville to mouth of Redbank, and 
although it took him a day to walk back (unless he did the walking in the 
night) he earned ten dollars a day, and thus some pilots earned as high as a 
hundred and fifty dollars in one season, and in less than a month's work, and 
common hands half as much. But all this has been changed by the railroad, 
and an old-fashioned raft on the creek will soon be as much of a curiosity to 
the rising generation as an Indian. 

There are still two saw-mills in Clover — Carrier's and Baxter's — doing a 





^ 



-*^ 




./ y. J. 



{j^CiyT/tMyL^ 



Clover Township. S^S 



considerable business, and several of the citizens have some lumber interests 
elsewhere. The sights and scenes of the old rafting times would be both in- 
structive and amusing. Sometimes the creek was so full of rafts that some were 
crowded out of the channel. These sometimes formed a gorge, or jam. Then 
at the mouth of the creek there was sometimes the greatest of all jams, and as 
there was sometimes a thousand men there and accommodations for only half 
of them " the night was filled with drinking, and the cares that infested the 
day folded their tents like the Arabs and silently flitted away." 

Churches. — In 1828 the Associate Presbyterian (Seceder) congregation of 
Jefferson was organized in the Irish settlement of Clover township. 

In 1 83 1 this congregation built a church on the property of Robert An- 
drews, a half mile north of Dowlingville. This was one of the first frame 
church buildings, if not the very first in the county. Some years passed be- 
twixt the erection of this building and the seating of it. During this time each 
family provided a board, or slab, and placed it on blocks of wood, or stone, 
for a seat. Then, when the seats were inserted, they were sold, and the name 
of the purchaser was written on the end of it with a red pencil. "When I was 
a small boy I took great pleasure in deciphering those names, and am able, 
after the lapse of forty years, to furnish from memory the following list of 
them : James Shields, Moses Knapp, Robert Andrews, William Morrison, John 
Kelso, John Kennedy, Matthew Dickey, John McGififin, Joseph Magiffin, Will- 
iam Kelso, John Fitzsimmons, George H. S. Brown, George Trimble, John 
Ferguson, Hugh Millen, Christopher Barr, Beech Wayland, Solomon Cham- 
bers, James Ross, Thomas Sharp, Isaac Covert, and perhaps some others. 

This (Jefferson) congregation has never been long without regular preach- 
ing services. The following pastors have been at different times installed, a 
part of the time in connection with Beaver Run, and a part of the time, as at 
present, in connection with Brookville: Revs. James McCarrol, John McAuley, 
John Todd, J. C. Truesdale, A. B. Struthers, G. C. Vincent, D. D., and at the 
present time Rev. G. A. B. Robinson. 

In 1866 the Jefferson congregation erected a new church building about a 
half mile north of where the first one stood. In 1876 a new church was built 
near the site of the old one by a few persons who refused to enter into the 
union formed by the Associate and Associate Reformed Presbyterians. This 
last named is commonly known as the Seceder Church. Standing on a hill 
which is in sight of Baxter Station, a person can see four church buildings, 
viz.. United Presbyterian, Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter), Associate 
Presbyterian (Seceder), and United Brethren. Each of these has a Sabbath- 
school in connection, except the Seceders. The first three use the Bible psalms 
exclusively in worship. Jefferson Sabbath-school has an enrollment of one 
hundred and fifty members. 

The following sketch of the Covenanter Church was furnished by Mr. Jo- 
seph Magiffin : 



586 History ok Jefferson CoUiNTV. 

"The Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) Church had for a number of 
years occasional preaching in Clover township. But their first church building 
was built in the year A. D. 1865. 

"The carpenter work was done by Mr. Patterson Leech, and the stone 
work by Mr. John B. Shields. The cost of the building of the church, as 
nearly as it can be ascertained, was two thousand and ten dollars. There was 
a church belonging to the same body in Rose township, near Belleview, built 
some years before. The membership belonging to both was about eighty- two. 
The pastors who presided over the congregations were Revs. R. J. Dodds, who 
went to Syria as a missionary, and died there, T. M. Elder and A. J. McFar- 
land." 

The United Brethren Church building in Dowlingville was erected in 1874. 
Although it is probable that a Methodist congregation was organized in Sum- 
merviile at a much earlier date, an old citizen tells us that the first Methodist 
Church was built in 1842. It was a large building, and was frequently filled. 
This building was replaced by a new one in 1885. The new church, though 
not as large as the old one, is very handsome and commodious. The name of 
the present pastor is L. G. Merrill. There is a Sabbath- school in connection 
with this church. 

The first church at Mount Pleasant (Johns')' was built in 1850 b\' the 
United Brethren, and purchased in 1855 by the Methodist Episcopal congre- 
gation. The second church building, which was erected on the site of the first, 
in 1875, by the Methodist Episcopal congregation, is a neatly finished build- 
ing, size 56 by 36 feet. The name of the present pastor is R. M. Felt. There 
is a Sabbath-school in connection with this church. 

A Presbyterian congregation was organized in Summerville in 1870. 
They built a church in 1874, There is a Sabbath- school in connection with 
this church, but not kept open in winter. This congregation has no pastor 
at present. 

Schools. — Charles C. Gaskell, the agent of the Holland Land Compan\-, 
donated four acres of land for school purposes at the corners of land pur- 
chased by John Lucas, Robert Andrews, William Morrison and John Kelso. 
In 1825 a small log shanty was built on the acre reserved from the Lucas prop- 
ert\-. This was the first school- house in Clover, and was also used for preach- 
ing services. A Presbyterian minister named William Kennedy preached a 
few sermons in this house, and thus it was that this lot came to be used as a 
cemetery. 

The first school teacher was Robert Knox. The house was not floore<l the 
first year. The pupils sat on the sleepers. There was a little platform for the 
teacher ; but one day the boys managed to put rollers under the platform, so 

1 This was better known to the old seltler.s as the Johns' Church, being located on the property of 
Samuel Johns. 



Clover Township. 587 



that when the teacher ascended his thioiie, it flew from under him, and down 
he went between the timbers. 

March i, 1827, Joseph Magiffin commenced a three months' term of school, 
afterwards extended to six months. Tuition was fifty cents per scholar per 
month. He had twent)'-five or thirty scholars. He boarded with the schol- 
ars, and was free of the school every second Saturday. 

There are at present three graded and three ungraded schools in Clover. 
Tlie ungraded schools are very large, that at Mount Pleasant having an enroll- 
ment of about eighty scholars. 

The graded schools are in Summerville, in a fine large four-room building, 
erected for the purpose in 1884. The teachers names are: For the lower 
grade, Miss Henrietta De Haas; for the middle, John S. Kelso; for the higher, 
W. S. Osborn. 

The names of teachers of ungraded schools are: For Mount Pleasant, 
William Shields; for Lucas, E. H. Shields; for Ross, Samuel C. Simpson. 
Teachers" wages average thirty-three dollars per month of twenty days. 

The finest building in Clover for hterary purposes, is Mount Pleasant Ly- 
ceum, built in 1 88 1 by Webster Literary Society, at a cost of twenty-three 
hundred dollars, twelve hundred of which was paid by A. A. Carrier. Tlie 
orchestra is furnished and occupied by the Twin Sisters Cornet Band. 

Societies. — There is a branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance L^n- 
ion in Dowlingville, which holds regular semi-monthly meetings in the U. 
B. Church. Mrs. R. Campbell is president. There is a Woman's F"oreign Mis- 
sionary Society in connection with Jefterson U. P. congregation. This society 
was organized and presided over by Mrs. M. J. Millen, as long as the care of 
an invalid mother would permit. Mrs. E. A. McGiffin is now president. There 
is also a Woman's I""oreign Missionary Society in connection with Summerville 
Presbyterian congregation of which Mrs. W. J. Corbet is president. 

The Webster Literary Society of Mt. Pleasant was organized in 1880, and 
erected the lyceum building in 1 88 1. This society was instituted for the pur- 
pose of furnishing better employment for young men and women than loafing, 
smoking, drinking and such like, and an intelligent, orderly and [jrogressive 
neighborhood, witnesses to the wisdom of such an institution. 

So/(/iers. — There is one soldier of the War of 18 12 buried in Carrier Cem- 
etery. His name was John Alexander. Of his history we know but little. 
He was justice of the peace in Troy about thirty years ago. 

Some time between 1840 and 1850 Clover was the headquarters of a 
famous rifle company. This company was recruited and organized bj' Dr. 
James Dowhng, and was called the Independent Greens. The uniform con- 
sisted of an Indian hunting shirt of green baize cloth, trimmed with a red 
fringe, and leggins of the same material. David L. Moore, the Knapps, Guth- 
ries and many other large men w ere members of this company, and it would 



5 88 History of Jefferson County. 

have been difficult to find anywhere a company of abler-bodied men. Besides 
this many of them were expert riflemen. They were armed with their own 
rifles. They never had occasion to meet a foe, but if they had been placed on 
a skirmish line, and properly handled, they would have made their mark. The 
" Greens" took several lessons in tactics from Colonel Hugh Brad}' of Brook- 
ville. Captain Dowling soon turned over the command to John Lucas, Hugh 
McGiffin and others. The members served seven years, and were, therefore, 
exempt from militia duty or fine. 

The farm of Robert Andrews, one-half mile north of Dowlingville, was at 
an early day, one of the camps of the " Cornstalk Militia." They were inspected 
by Brigade Inspector Major Joshua Marlin of Indiana. They were not required 
to uniform nor arm, but only to report for duty three daj's in the year. The 
fine for non attendance was fifty cents per day, and as excuses were allowed, 
even this small fine was seldom paid. But as the muster or review (two of 
those days were called musters, and one review), was a day of general meeting 
greeting and hilarity, the turnout on training- day was sometimes quite large. 
In those days any person could take whisky to a muster (or anywhere else), 
and sell it in quantities large or small, by the gallon or by the drink. Drink- 
ing then was the rule, abstinence the exception. Doubtless this was the rea- 
son why fights and fighting men were more numerous then than now. A train- 
ing day which passed without any fighting, was reckoned a dull one. The 
principal amusements at those musters were foot-racing, throwing the shoulder- 
stone, jumping, wrestling, and a free for all row, in which the strongest came 
out best. The militia law required the enrollment of all able-bodied men be- 
tween the ages of twenty-one and forty-five. It is not now known why they 
were required to meet. We think it must have been for the purpose of ascer- 
taining if they were still alive. 

It may well seem surprising that in a township which in 1861 numbered 
less than two hundred voters, seventy-six men bore arms in the War for the 
Union, and yet this is the record of Clover. 

The plan of this history calls for " memorable deeds performed by Jefferson 
county men in the late war." Now the writer of this (Clover township) history 
claims that any man who was in the Union army for a considerable length of 
time, who did his dut\- and was honorably discharged, did many memorable 
deeds, and the same writer could specify some of the memorable deeds done 
by Clover township soldiers, but they were only such as were done in common 
by all good soldiers. The record shows that " eleven men from Clover died in 
the line of duty during the war." This is more than thirteen per cent, of those 
who bore arms. A very heavy loss to leave on the field, as it seldom repre- 
sents one-half of the real loss, and gives no account of the maimed, crippled, 
and diseased. Of those eleven, we may at least say that they did memorable 
deeds. Then we have eleven who enlisted in the first three months' service, and 



Clover Township. 589 



most of whom re- enlisted. Well, now, when we consider that they expected to 
squelch the Rebellion, we must admit that though disappointed in the accom- 
plishment of their object, still they did memorable deeds. Then we have about 
twenty who enlisted and re-enlisted and having been through almost the 
whole war, were honorably discharged at its close. It will never be disputed 
that they did memorable deeds, for if they had not so done, the union of States 
should have long ago been a thing of the past. The following are the names 
of soldiers of the late war who enlisted from Clover, with rank, company, regi- 
ment and remarks, so far as they could be ascertained : 

One Hundred and Fifth Regiment. — Company B: Captain Joseph C. 
Kelso, veteran, three times wounded, and once taken prisoner. First Ser- 
geants: Samuel H. Mitchell, killed at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862; William N. 
Pearse. Sergeant William Lucas, mustered out with company, July 11, 1865. 
Corporals: Nathan D. Carrier, killed at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862 ; James M. 
Thompson. Privates: William Covert, Mathew M. Dowling, David D. De 
Mott, Thomas Hildreth, died of wounds received at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1S62 • 
James A. Robinson. Musician, Winfield S. Lucas. Company G : Corporal, 
William H. Lucas, mustered out with company July 11, 1865. 

Eighth Regiment (first three month's men). — Company K : Privates: Da- 
vid Baldwin, James Baldwin, Isaac Carrier, Andrew Love, Hiram McAninch, 
Harvey McAninch, Adam M. Sugert, Barton B. Weldon. Musicians: David 
B. Dickey, James Campbell. Company I : Private, Robert J. Robinson. All 
discharged on expiration of term of service. 

Eleventh Cavalry. — Privates: John Alexander, Darius Baldwin, George 
E. A. Clark, Jesse Evans, John J. Guthrie, John L. Knapp, John L. Lucas (died 
in Andersonville prison), James McCann, David McElroy (died of fever in 
Eastville, Va., June 6, 1865), Thomas McDoell, George McDoell, Lewis Stine, 
F'rederick J. Strong, Robert M. Thompson, James R. Vandevort, Albert C. 
Vandevort, Paul Vandevort. 

Seventh Emergency Regiment. — Company B : First Lieutenant, William 
Dickey. Privates: Philip Carrier, Lanford Carrier, Oliver Darr, John McEl- 
roy, C. B. McGiffin, John Moore, Charles Shingledecker, Ira Welch, Jackson 
Welch. Company H : Corporal, Hiram McAninch. Private, James J. Wal- 
mer. 

These men were called out for the purpose of heading off the great Con- 
federate raider, John Morgan, and were discharged immediately after his cap- 
ture. They were in the service about six weeks, and would have died for their 
country if Morgan had killed them. 

One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment. — Company B: Sergeant, Sam- 
uel M. Moore. Privates : James Hildreth, Chauncey P. Harding, James E. 
Mitchell, Frank M. Robinson. 

Two Hundred and Eleventh Regiment. — Company B: Private, David W. 
Craft. '1 



590 History of Jefferson County. 

One Hundred and Third Regiment. — Privates: Daniel Brosious (died in 
Andersonville prison), Samuel Clark (died in Andersonville prison), Leonard 
Stine (died of fever at Yorktown, Va.), George Scott, George R. Ward (killed 
in Seven Days' battle). 

Eleventh Regiment Reserves. — Company K: Privates: Milo M. Bryant, 
Clark B. Haven, Moses M. Sugerts. 

One Hundred and P"orty-eighth Regiment. — Company I : Sergeant, Ben- 
jamin F. McGiffin. Privates: Peter P. Love, Joseph M. Thompson (killed at 
Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864). 

One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Regiment. — Company K: Privates: Ja- 
cob Brosious, George W. Brosious (died of chronic diarrhea at Richmond, Va., 
June 16, 1865). 

Regiment Unknovifn. — Privates: Abram Miller, Andrew Hetrick. 

Two colored men, named Green and Butler went to fill the quota of Clo- 
ver, for the draft next to the last one, but when they arrived in Pittsburgh, 
they were offered $600 local bounty, instead of $400, which Clover was giving, 
and so they accepted the $600, and were enrolled for Allegheny county. 

Agriculture and Stock Raising. — There are many good farms in Clover, 
four of which have but few superiors in the county. 

First. The farm at Mount Pleasant, partly cleared by George Eckler, an 
early settler, who was married to Amelia Carrier. A. A. Carrier has occupied 
this farm for thirtj' years, and has, during this time, made the following im- 
provements, besides customary farm buildings, viz : A hen house, 70 by 20 
feet, in which five hundred chickens were produced this season ; also a cream- 
ery building, furnished with Cooley creamers for twenty cows, the churning 
being done by steam power ; also a three hundred dollar steam engine for 
cutting and steaming feed, running chopper, etc. These extra improvements 
were made at an expense of about fifteen hundred dollars. 

Second. The farm chiefly cleared by William. Simpson, and now owned by 
Isaac Lucas, has produced large crops of grain for the last thirty years. 

Third. The farm chiefly cleared by John Kelso, and now owned by William 
Kelso, has produced yearly over one thousand bushels of oats and corn, besides 
large crops of wheat and buckwheat for twenty years. 

Fourth. The farm cleared by James Shields (a first .=ettler) and David, his 
son, and now owned by Samuel M. Shields, although more devoted to stock 
feeding, produces good crops of grain. Here the purchaser or breeder can 
find at all times the best quality of draft horses, and the best breeds of cattle 
and sheep. As farms having peculiar advantages, either natural or acquired, 
we might mention those of J. K. Ross, Jacob Lehman (the old Johns place), 
James Dickey, J. H. Shields, D. B. Dickey, George A., and G. B. Carrier. 
On the farm of G. B. Carrier may be seen the best stock barn in Clover, and 
perhaps there is none better in the county. The barn is octagonal (eight 



Clover Township. 591 



squares), sixty-five feet in diameter. The fodder room is in the center, the 
stock all around. The fodder comes down from the mows by flumes, which 
also serve as ventilators. There are many other improvements in this barn too 
numerous to mention. They must be seen to be appreciated. 

John McLaughlin has a fine flock of thoroughbred Merino sheep. The 
adjoining farms of David Dinger and John Love produce both good stock and 
good crops. J. K. Ross, William Kelso and John C. Smith, each took first 
premiums for Short-horn cattle at the last county fair. S. M. Shields took 
first premium for Perchcron draft horses. 

Almost every farm in Clover has an abundance of choice fruit. In 1882 
John C. Smith planted one thousand peach trees, besides a large number of 
apples and pears on his farm at the mouth of Watertrough (formerly Welch) 
Run. He is also the first in Clover to introduce the fish industry, having this 
season built a fine pond and stocked it with German carp. 

William Miller has a first premium team of Mexican ponies. George A. 
Carrier has a herd of ponies bred from stock purchased of the cowboys at the 
fair. 

On the farm of Captain J. C. Kelso may be seen a flock of fine Southdown 
sheep, and on the farm of David W. Smith, on the opposite side of the creek, 
a fine flock of Cotswolds. A team of three year old horses, belonging to John 
Brosious, would draw nearly thirty hundred on the scales. These are only 
examples of Clover's choice stock, and must not be mistaken for a full list. 

Roads. — Clover is bisected by the Kittanning and Brookville road, which 
follows the creek except at the bends. We cannot easily learn when this road 
was made, but it was traveled seventy years ago — 18 16. It has, however, 
undergone many alterations, the most notable of which is that from Summer- 
ville to Millville via Shannondale, instead of following the creek. Most of the 
high hills over which this road passed have three grades of the same road ; the 
first seemed to have been made by a point of the compass over the tops of 
the hills and the bottoms of hollows ; the second was a better grade, and the 
third still better. From the beginning of the war, 1861, till the completion of 
the railroad, 1874, this Kittanning road was constantly full of teams hauling 
freight from the river at Mahoning, besides a stage line, three hack lines, and 
hundreds of private conveyances. 

The roads in Clover are not very good and never will be until there is 
some system of road-making agreed upon and strictly adhered to. 

Railways. — The Low Grade Division of the A. V. Railroad, which follows 
the creek through Clover, was completed in 1874, and then it seemed to be a 
strange experience for a raftman to get home with all ease by bed- time on the 
same day on which he ran out of the creek. Summerville and Baxter stations 
are both very considerable shipping points, especially for railroad ties and lum- 
ber. There is a part of this railroad between Summerville and Baxter (Ma- 



592 History of Jefferson County. 

lone's cut and two bridges), which cost two hundred and forty thousand dollars 
for fifteen hundred feet. 

The Bench and Bar. — There is not a lawyer in Clover township, but 
"Squire Charles A. Jacox has considerable knowledge of law, and the citizens 
seldom go higher tiian his court for the settlement of their disputes. The cit- 
izens of Clover are, as a rule, peaceably inclined, and much opposed to law- 
yer's fees. Two of the young and rising lawyers of Brookville are from 
Clover, viz., S. H. Whitehill and H. H. Brosius. 

The Press — P. E. Thompson, of Dowlingville, has a small hand- press, from 
which he turns out some excellent work. 

Banks. — .Although there are persons in Clover who have money at interest, 
we have no banks, nor bankers. 

Tlie Medical Profession. — We are informed by an old resident that there 
was a physician named Newton in Troy in 1818. " He (Dr. Newton) boarded 
at Fuller's, and made his own spirits of turpentine. I have often seen the 
notches which he cut in trees to collect pitch. He was a good physician, but 
no surgeon. In 1819 Moses Knapp's leg was amputated by Drs. Newton and 
Rankin, neither of them had surgical instruments. They sent to Kittanning 
and then to Indiana for instruments. Failing to get them they cut the bone 
with a carpenter's tenon saw. The bone was not covered by a flap and was 
always sore to the touch. Dr. Rankin resided in Clarion county, perhaps in 
the vicinity of Rimersburg." 

Dr. Robert K. Scott, who resided on the pike about three miles west of 
Brookville, was the only medical practitioner in Clover in 1826. 

About 1S36 Dr. James Dowling came from Jamestown, Mercer county, 
and located in New Prospect, now Dowlingville, and remained till about 1846, 
when he removed to Brookville. Next to Dowling a young physician named 
Whitehill practiced a year or two in Troy. Then R. B. Bryant, for a few 
years. Then came a young man named R. B. Brown in 1850. Dr. Brown, 
by good practice, moderate bills, and unfailing faithfulness to the poor, has 
built up a practice which is not even approached by any other physician and 
surgeon in the county. 

Hotels. — There has not been a house licensed to sell liquor in Clover for the 
last fifteen years. There are three boarding-houses in Summerville, kept by 
B. F". Osborn, C. A. Jacox and Ed. Ditty. The Osborn House, lately fin- 
ished, is large, handsome and convenient, and considerably patronized as a 
summer resort. 

There are two fine boarding-houses in Dowlingville, one of which is kept 
by Jacob Eshelman, and the other by Joseph Knapp. The Knapp House, 
erected especially for a hotel, is a fine, large building, well patronized by lum- 
bermen, fishing parties, etc. 

The Eshelman House, or rather the site of it, has been occupied as a hotel 



Clover Township. 593 



for fifty years. Tlie sign used to read "New Prospect Inn." There is no sign 
up now, but travelers will tell you to go to Eshelman's and )-ou \\ill get a 
good square meal. 

Mills. — The liistory of Clover would be incomplete without a sketch of the 
mills which have been. Thomas Lucas built a saw-mill at Puckerty in 1820. 
Some time previous to 1830 Lucas sold to 'Squire John C. Corbett. The mill 
did but little work in those ten years. In 1830 'Squire Corbett sold the mill 
and thirty acres of land to Henry Smith and Samuel Lucas, jr., for twenty-five 
thousand feet of boards delivered at the mouth of Redbank. Smith and Lucas 
repaired the mill and the dam, and Lucas's share of the boards, which he ran 
to Pittsburgh market one spring, was one hundred and fifty thousand feet, 
which was a large business for that time. In 1834 Smith sold his share of the 
mill property to John Carrier. In 1836 Lucas also sold his share to Carrier. 
About a year after this Carrier took down the old mill and built a fine double 
mill on the site of the old one. When this mill had cut only about twenty- 
five thousand feet of lumber, a rise in the creek took out a crib next the mill 
which had been built without stone, and in a few days the mill was under- 
mined by the flood, and fell down and went to pieces. 

About the year 1 8 19 Moses Knapp built a saw-mill where Baxter's mill 
now stands. After running the mill for a few years Knapp sold the mill prop- 
erty to Holden & Fairweather ; they in turn sold to John Averill and Caleb 
Howard ; they to Orcutt & Engles ; they to John J. Y. Thompson ; he to 
Dowling & Calvin ; they to Haskells ; they to Rice ; he to Mayo, and he to 
Baxter. In 1854 Richard J. Baxter bought the foundation (the mill having 
been burnt), water privilege, and seven acres of land for the sawing of one 
hundred thousand feet of boards. Mayo furnishing the stock. 

In 1864 Baxter bought the land originally belonging to this mill property 
— three hundred acres. Other parties had examined this land and thought 
that there was no timber on it worth purchasing. Baxter took timber enough 
oft" ten acres of this land to pay for the whole property. 

A shingle-mill was inserted in the saw-mill in 1855, and the whole build- 
ing and machinery rebuilt in 1885, including also a chopper. The property 
now consists of the mills, a good farm, a large tract of woodland, a post-office 
building, several houses for rent, two barns, and many out-houses, the whole 
being valued at sixteen thousand dollars. 

In 1825 Moses Knapp built a saw-mill on Knapp's Bend, about forty rods 
above where the western railroad bridge of Malone's Cut crosses th c eek. 
Soon after building the saw- mill Knapp inserted one run of stone, which he 
brought from the Clarion River. This was for some time the only grist-mill 
in Clover, the one in Troy having stopped short, never to go again. This, 
Knapp's mill, was burnt down and rebuilt. 

In 1838 Moses Knapp built a grist-mill alongside of the above saw-mill. 



594 History of Jefferson County. 



having two run of stones. Knapps ran the mill till near the time of Polk's 
election, 1844, when Hanse Robinson, bought it and ran it three years. The 
saw- mill went out in the great flood of 1847, taking the Troy bridge along as 
it went. The grist-mill stood for years after its use had ceased, and gradually 
wasted away, a part of it being taken and put into other buildings. In this 
connection it may be proper to mention that perhaps about fifty years ago 
there was whisky manufactured in the vicinity of Dowlingville, in a small still 
owned by John Calvin, also that there was a bucket factory erected in 1850 
by Darius Carrier, and ran by him and a man named Leech for five years. 

Seventy years ago (18 16) there was a saw-mill in Troy owned by Solomon 
Fuller, and one on Welch Run owned by John Welch. The F"uller mill was 

afterwards owned by Henry Lot, and still later by McElwaine. In 

1820 the Carrier brothers, Hiram, Darius, George, Nathan, Euphrastes and 
John bought ninety-six acres of land and all the mills in Troy, and having 
rebuilt several times have owned them ever since. 

The first grinding of grain in Clover was done by a run of stones " picked 
up hereabout," which were set in the Fuller mill. 

The first grist-mill was built in Troy by Darius Carrier in 1836. The pres- 
ent grist-mill was also built by " Uncle " Darius in 1861. It is now owned by 
W. Scott Carrier, who, in November, 1886, inserted the roller process and 
other modern improvements, thus making it a first class mill. The present 
saw and planing-mill was built by A. A., G. B. and S. D. Carrier in 1878. 
This mill, about 1S80, under the firm of Carrier & Raine, filled immense 
orders of oak lumber for car building. An ax-handle factory has been inserted 
in this mill by Cassius and S. D. Carrier and R. B. Vermilyea. The value 
of the mills in Summerville would nearly approach fifty thousand dollars. 

Manufactures. — There are two mills in Clover for the manufacture of bar- 
rel staves. One is owned and operated by Nelson Smith and J. H. Shields, 
and the other by Simpson and Templeton. 

There is a wagon and carriage-making shop in Summerville owned and 
operated by the Garvin brothers, and one in Dowlingville by E. D. Thompson. 
The Wilson brothers, in Dowlingville, do a large amount of general black- 
smithing. There are three blacksmith shops in Summerville, conducted by 
the Garvins, William Miller and Darius Baldwin. 

There are in Summerville two manufacturers and repairers of fine boots 
and shoes, viz., Cahin Simpson and John Anderson, and one in Dowlingville, 
S. C. Weister. 

George A., H. W. and Philip Carrier are preparing to build a saw-mill at 
the mouth of Watertrough (formerly Welch) Run. 

There are two steam threshers and choppers in Clover, one owned and 
operated by George A. McAninch and Newton Hall, and the other by Miles 
and Harry Anderson. 



Gaskill Township. 595 



There are three stores of general merchandise in Summerville, besides sev- 
eral smaller ones. These are kept by Carrier and Eshelman, C. E. Carrier and 
H. F. Guthrie. 

Groceries, millinery goods and notions are kept by F. J. Strong, and gro- 
ceries by James Welch. 

At Baxter, M. A. Campbell has a fine large store of general merchandise 
and sells a large amount of goods. 

In Dowlingville, Jacob Eshelman and Joseph Knapp each sell groceries, 
cigars and tobacco. 

Summerville. 

Summerville, the principal town of Clover township, was incorporated a 
borough, in March, 1887. It is a wide-awake, growing town. The census of 
1880 gives the population as three hundred and forty-eight. The business 
enterprises etc., are noted in the foregoing pages. The first election, after it 
was made a separate election district, was held March 15, 1887, with the fol- 
lowing result: Burgess, H. F. Guthrie; justice of the peace, Charles Jacox ; 
constable, D. L. Moore ; high constable, W. M. King ; overseers of the poor, 
R. B. Brown, G. S. Garvin ; town council, B. F. Osborn, H. W. Carrier, J. Van- 
devort, R. B. Vermilyea, D. K. Moore, J. K. Brown ; auditors, C. E. Carrier, 
David Campbell, John McElroy ; assessor, James Guthrie ; school directors, 
S. W. Osburn, S. W. Carrier, G. S. Garvin, H. F. Guthrie, J. C. Simpson, E. 
Carrier; judge of election, Frank Flick; inspectors, R. M. Dehaven, F. H. 
Haven. 



CHAPTER XLV. 
HISTORY OF CASKILL TOWNSHIP. 

GASKILL was the fourteenth township, and was organized in 1842. It was 
formed from a portion of Young, and was named for Hon. Charles C. 
Gaskill, agent of the Holland Land Company. The township is bounded on 
the north by Henderson, on the east by Clearfield county, on the south by In- 
diana county, and on the west by Bell township. 

This township occupies the southeastern corner of Jefferson county. A 
considerable part of the township is uncultivated woodland ; other parts of the 
region, as for example the ravines of Ugly Run and Clover Run, are rugged 
from the outcrop of the Mahoning sandstone. The surface generally is high. 
Chestnut Ridge in the southeast corner has elevations of nearly two thousand 



596 History of Jefferson County. 

feet above tide-water, along its summit and western flank. This ridge is the 
dividing one between the waters of the Susquehanna and the Ohio. Its sum- 
mit (and anticlinal axis) is just east of Jefferson county in Clearfield, hence all 
the surface drainage of Gaskill township flows into Mahoning Creek. Accord- 
ing to barometric measurement, the water level of Mahoning Creek, at Big 
Run village, is 1,226 feet above tide ; the top of the bridge at Bowser's, is 
1,931 feet above tide; Ugly Run has an easy fall ; so has Clover Run, though 
less gentle than the other. . 

The coal seams found in Gaskill are small, and the principal one is the 
Freeport Upper coal. It is not found over three feet thick. The Freeport 
Upper limestone is the principal feature in the geology of the township. This 
limestone underlies the coal from twenty-five to thirty feet, and is of good 
quality. It has not received the attention it merits, as it would be invaluable 
to the farmer for fertilizing purposes. 

Early Settlements. — The family of Carpenter Winslow, who came from 
Maine, in 1818, were the first to settle in what is now Gaskill township. They 
cleared the land and made the first improvements. Two of Carpenter Wins- 
low's sons, James and Joseph, are yet living. A sketch of this family will be 
found elsewhere. 

About the year 1820, Francis Leech, Daniel Coffman, Reuben Clempson, 
John Bowers, Philip Bowers and John VanHorn came to Jefterson county and 
settled in what is known as the Bovvers Settlement. They came from the Shen- 
andoah Valley, in Virginia, from whence they traveled in wagons, occupying 
six weeks in their journey to the town of Clearfield. After their arrival at 
their destination in Jefferson county, Philip Bowers erected the first cabin, and 
then sheltered his companions until they had erected a cabin for each family. 
This first cabin stood near the present residence of Isaac Bowers, while that 
of Daniel Cofifman occupied the site of his son, Samuel's present residence. 
Philip Bovvers died in July, 1866, aged seventy- nine years, and Mrs. Catha- 
rine Bowers, his wife, died January of the same year, aged about sixty-eight 
years. 

When these families settled in the neighborhood, game was very plenty, 
and it is said that they were frequently obliged to go out at night and drive 
whole droves of deer out of their grain fields. Like all the other early pio- 
neers, these people had to encounter hardships, privations and dangers, which 
called forth all their powers of endurance, and they were for many years obliged 
to practice the closest economy ; but hope, faith and endurance overcome all 
difficulties, and they lived to see beautiful farms, as the result of those years of 
toil. 

R. M. Winslow was the first person born in Gaskill township. 

The first lumber was taken out about 1836, by Philip Bowers. 

The first church was built at Hudson, about 1848, and the first school- 
house in the Bower's Settlement, in 1844. 



Gaskii.l Township. 597 



The first grist and saw-mill was built in 1843, by a man named Neel. 

The first store was started in 1868, by A. G. Winslow, at Hudson, on the 
old Winslow homestead. The post-office of that name, the only one in the 
township, is located there. There has never been a hotel in the township. 

The first graveyard was located at Philip Bowers's, about 1840. There are 
now one public and four private burying-grounds. 

Present Business. — The only store is that of T. J. Long, at Hudson, who 
has been justice of the peace for about twenty-five years. The saw-mills are 
owned by A. G. Winslow, at Hudson, which cuts about 600,000 per year, and 
John Hopkins, on the headwaters of Clover Run, built by D. Remaley, about 
thirty years ago. It cuts about 300,000 a year, principally pine, hemlock and 
chestnut. There is one grist-mill, the property of L. Elbel. There is also the 
shingle-mill of Bennett Brothers, which cuts about 10,000 per da\'. 

Far7ns. — Some of the finest farms in Jefferson county are found in Gaskill 
township ; a nice rise of table land running almost to the Susquehanna River. 
Among the best farms are those of Joseph Winslow, Bernard Keegan ; this is 
the old Andrew Brown place, for which Mr. Keegan paid $5,000 in cash. 
George M. Brooks, besides the one hundred acre farm on which he resides, also 
owns the old Corslet farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Also the farms of 
John and Calvin Brooks, William A., Andrew, Eli, Jacob, Henry and James 
Bowers, John, Peter F., David and D. F. Bowser. The McGhee farm, now 
owned by Jacob Zimmerman, George Rhodes, jr., T. J. Long, R. C. Winslow, 
Samuel Neal, V. S. Murray, William Williams. On all these farms are good 
buildings, and excellent orchards of the best varieties of apples, peaches, plums, 
pears, grapes, etc. 

Elections. — At an election held in Gaskill township in 1841, the following 
persons were elected: Constable, Joseph Winslow; supervisors, John Piper, 
Henry Miller, John Kaufman ; auditors, Henry Philippi, Philip Bowers, 
Thomas Thompson ; school directors, Henry Miller, Jonathan Strouse, David 
Haney, Philip Bowers; judge of election, John D. Philippi; inspectors of elec- 
tion, John Pifer, Levi Anthony ; assessor, John Pifer ; overseers of the poor, 
Jonathan Strouse, Thomas Thompson; township clerk, Henry Miller; fence- 
viewers, John Pifer, Andrew McCreight. At the election held February 15, 
1887, the following persons were elected: Constable, Jacob M. Bowser; col- 
lector, Isaac Bowers; supervisors, Peter F. Bowser and W. E. Coffman; assesor, 
John Brooks; poor overseer, David F. Bowser; auditor, Peter Kline, sr.; 
school directors, Peter F. Bovv.ser and John R. Bowers; judge of election, Da- 
vid Sheesley ; inspectors, Joseph Craft and Jacob F. Bowser. The justices of 
the peace in Gaskill township are T. J. Long and Daniel Couch. The mem- 
bers of the school board previously elected arc A. J. Davis, Jacob M. Bowser, 
Henry Sheasly and R. R. Long. 

Taxablcs and Population. — The number of taxables in Gaskill township in 



598 History of Jefferson County. 

1842 were 78; in 1849, 112; 1856, 166; 1863,77; 1870, 116; 1880, 159; 
1886, 204. The population bj' census in 1850, was 603; i860, 303; 1870, 
478; 1880,540. The falHng off in number of ta.xables and population from 
1856 to 1863, was on account of Henderson townsliip being taken from Gas- 
kill in 1857. 

Assessments. — The triennial assessment for 1886, gives the number of acres 
seated in Gaskill township as 8,473 ; valuation, $33,803 ; average value per 
acre, $3.99 ; houses and lots, 2 ; valuation, $270; acres unseated, 3,553 ; val- 
uation, $10,744 ; average value per acre, $3.02 ; number of horses, 124 ; valu- 
ation $4,174; average valuation, '^i2)-(^^\ number of cows, 159; valuation, 
$1,550; average value, $9.75; occupations, 22; valuation, $550; average, 
$25. The total amount subject to county tax, $51,091. Money at interest, 
$2,900. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Gaskill township according 
to the report of June, 1886, was four; average term five months; number of 
male teachers, four ; salary, $29 50 ; number of male scholars, 80 ; female, 77 ; 
average attendance, 102 ; per cent, of attendance, 65 ; cost per month, 82 
cents; number of mills levied for school purposes, ten ; number of mills lev- 
ied for building purposes, five. Total amount of tax levied for school pur- 
poses, $705.49. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 
HLSTORY OF \VARSAW TOWNSHIP. 

WARSAW, the fifteenth township, was formed from Pine Creek, and was 
organized in 1842. It was named for a city of Poland. Warsaw is one 
of the largest townships in the county, and is bounded on the north by Polk 
and Heath ; on the east by Snyder and Washington ; on the south by Wash- 
ington and Pine Creek, and on the west by Eldred. 

The natural characteristics of the township have been thus described by 
Mr. W. G. Piatt, in his geological report of the county : 

'• It consists mainly of elevated upland, thinly covered with coal measure 
rocks. Much of the surface is too rugged to repay cultivation, and a good 
part of the township is, therefore, uncleared land. The drainage goes south 
through the valleys of the North Fork into Redbank. Mill Cieek forms the 
eastern boundary of the township, south of the Snyder line. Its valley is more 
than three hundred feet deep, usually with rather steep slopes, along which 
runs the outcrop of the Homewood sandstone, nearly to tlie Snyder township 



Warsaw Township. 599 



line. Mill Creek has few tiibutaiies, and none of an\' size except Little Mill 
Creek, which starts at Mays\ille. The North Fork, on the other hand, has 
several affluents, all of wliich flow through wide ravines. The main stream 
enters the township at the northeast, and flows westward, keeping close to the 
Polk township line, until it comes up against the Bagdad (Brookville) anticli- 
nal, which deflects it by a sharp bend, wlience its course is southwestward, 
almost directly following the axial line. The valley is from three hundred to 
four hundred feet deep, and is a total wilderness from end to end. A great 
variety of forest scenery is thus presented, from a broad expanse of unbroken 
wilderness, extending as far as the eye can reach, in every direction, over hill 
and valley, to some extremely picturesque views along the water line, where 
the stream of crystal clearness flows at times under a nearly perfect arch 
formed by the overhanging boughs. Moieover the slopes are often thickly 
clothed with laurel, which furnishes them in early summer with a wealth of 
flowers." 

Good coal is found in Warsaw, the principal seams being the Kittanning 
coals, which are found from three to five feet in thickness, of good, clean coal. 
The ferriferous limestone is also abundant. It is over five feet thick, is easily 
quarried, and makes good lime. It is extensively used by the farmers for fer- 
tilizing purposes. Fire-clay and iron ore are also found. 

Early Settlers — The first settlers in what is now Warsaw township were 
John and Jacob Vasbinder, who came from Mifflin county about the year 1 800. 
Jacob Vasbinder first cleared the farm adjoining the farm of James Harris, on 
the east in Pine Creek township, which is now owned by George Vasbinder 
and Benjamin McClelland. He lived on this place until 1841, when he moved 
to the farm now owned by his son, Jacob, where he died in 1848, being at that 
time seventy-two years of age. His wife died at the age of eighty six. Jacob 
Vasbinder had eight children, four of whom are living. His sons, George and 
T. Miles, reside in East Warsaw. 

John Dixon settled in what is now Warsaw about the year 1803, on the 
farm now owned by C. H. Shobert. The venerable John Dixon, of Polk town- 
ship, a son of the above pioneer, relates some of the incidents of those early 
days. He remembers when coffee was seventy-five cents, and tea four dollars 
per pound, and salt ten dollars a barrel. His father on one occasion walked 
to Indiana, where he bought a bushel of salt, for which he paid four dollars. 
He carried it home on his back, and then found that he had been cheated in 
the measurement, as it lacked considerable of a bushel. The family subsisted 
chiefly on wild game, deer, bears, and wild turkeys being abundant. Their 
corn was ground on hand mills, or else taken to Blacklick, in Indiana county, 
until Joseph Harnett erected liis little mill at Port Barnett. 

Mr. Dixon was the first school-teacher in Jefferson county, and was an 
exemplary citizen. He died in 1834, aged about seventy-six years. Mrs. 
Dixon, nee Sarah Ann Armstrong, died in i860, aged about ninety- two years. 



6oo History of Jefferson County. 

Isaac Temple came to Jefterson county in the fall of 1832, with Thomas 
McCormick and his son, John iMcCormick, to look for a site for a home, 
and having selected a location in what is now Warsaw township, he moved his 
family the following April, an old-fashioned six-horse wagon, for which Pen- 
nsylvania was celebrated at that time, being used to transport the household 
goods, and a small wagon, drawn by one horse, for the accommodation of the 
family, or part of it, as there were ten, all told. Mr. Charles E. Temple re- 
lates the following incidents of the journey : 

" On the night of April 2, we encamped on the Galbraith farm, two miles 
south of Brookville. The country was an unbroken wilderness, and in the 
evening of that day we called at a log cabin by the roadside to get some fire, 
which we carried, alternately, a distance of eight or ten miles, as no matches 
were then in use, and no houses, our camping seemed inevitable. Late in the 
evening a site was selected for a night's sojourn near a brook where the road 
now crosses on the aforementioned farm. A fire was made on the ground, the 
horses tied to trees, and after our evening repast we laid down to rest, some 
on the ground and some in the wagons. The night passed away, and much 
refreshed the next morning we resumed our journey. On reaching Brookville 
we were somewhat delayed. Red Bank Creek was at a rafting stage, and there 
were then no bridges, so the horses were detached and mounted to find a ford- 
ing place. After numerous crossings and consultation with citizens, the point 
below the present Baptist Church was selected as the only one at all practica- 
ble, and all the family were carried over on horseback, requiring considerable 
time and involving some risk. When all were landed, and goods and wagons 
safely over, our fears were allayed, and we were ready to move forward to our 
future home. Having no house ready to move into on reaching our destina- 
tion, we took lodging with our friend, Milton Gibbs, a bachelor, who had 
recently come from Armstrong county, who had settled adjoining my father's 
purchase. His small cabin was filled to overflowing until an opening could 
be made and a temporary shelter provided. 

" It being Saturday night when we reached our journey's end, the Sabbath 
was spent in much needed rest, as was our wont. The entire week had been 
spent in the journey of one hundred and ten miles. Early Monday morning 
work was commenced, and on Friday the Dixons, Vasbinders and others, 
from six to ten miles distant, came to help us raise our log cabin home, into 
which we moved our effects on Saturday, and forthwith began preparations for 
crops, clearing and planting by the ist of June six acres of corn and potatoes. 
The family consisted of three girls and five boys, my youngest brother, Joseph 
M. Temple, being born on the 7th day of June, just two months and four days 
after our arrival. Two of the girls are still alive, and all the five boys. The 
eldest. Rev. John Temple, has been pastor of many Baptist congregations in 
Pennsylvania and Ohio, and is now located near Cleveland. Charles E. is now 



Warsaw Township. 6oi 



living in retirement in Brockwayville. After following farming for many years 
in Warsaw, he exchanged his farm with Warren O. Sibley, for his town prop- 
erty, and the latter now resides on the farm in Warsaw. Samuel W. lives on 
the old homestead. Isaac is in Mitchell county, Kan., and Joseph a resident 
of Hamilton county, Texas." 

Isaac Temple, sr., was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and exten- 
sive reading, as were all his family, the sons being noted for their fondness for 
political and religious controversy. Being all professors of religion, and no two 
belonging to the same church, they were frequently pitted against each other. 
Charles E. Temple is well known throughout Jefferson county for his earnest 
advocacy of reform principles, temperance, prohibition, the Bible in the schools, 
and the recognition of the Supreme Being in the Constitution. 

Isaac Temple, sr., died at his home in Warsaw township, March 14, 185 i, 
and Hannah Temple, his wife, SLir\-ived him until September, 1 88 1, having 
resided in Warsaw township almost fifty years. She was a woman of unusual 
qualities of heart and mind, and of great physical strength, having, when a girl 
in her Westmoreland home often shouldered a three bushel bag of wheat while 
standing on or in a half bushel. She was a woman of great tenderness of 
heart, and demonstrated the fact that robust health and physical development 
are not inconsistent with the most womanly gentleness. Mrs. Temple was 
universally respected and beloved, ardently attached to what she believed to be 
truth. She was kind and benevolent to all, and very few of the early pioneers 
made more sacrifices for the comfort of the early settlers, as there are those yet 
living can testify. Her house was ever open to travelers, and many a weary, 
footsore wayfarer found rest and refreshment under her roof. 

Daniel Goup came to what is now Warsaw township, in 1837, and pur- 
chased one hundred and twenty-nine acres of Holland land from Hon. Thomas 
White, three miles north of Brookville, where he has resided ever since. He 
built the Russell mill on the North Fork. Mr. Goup is now about ninety 
years of age, but is able to walk to Brookville, and his intellect is undimmed. 

Russell, father of Eben Russell, settled in the Warsaw region in 

1834 or 1835, and built a saw-mill on the North Fork. The property is now 
owned by the Litches. 

John Pearsall settled, at an early day, the farm now owned by his heirs. 
His brother, Arad Pearsall, moved on a farm in the same neighborhood, in 
1S35, and then moved to Brookville. This farm is now owned by James Bris- 
bin. 

Milton Johnson, who was a soldier in the War of 18 1 2, settled in Warsaw 
in 1834. He died March, i860, aged eighty-si.v years. 

Henry Keys moved from the Beechwoods to Warsaw in 1848, and lived on 
the farm now owned by Gabriel Stahlman, until his death, in 1880. He was 
a respected citizen of Jefferson county for fifty- seven years. 



6o2 History of Jefferson County. 

Elihu Clark settled in Warsaw in 1835. David McCormick, Moses B. 
St. John, John Wilson, Nathan Perrine, about 1838. William Weeks, John 
Bell, Peter Rickard, Nelson Riggs, Andrew McCormick, Jacob Raught, and 
John Dawson were also among the early settlers. 

The first settlement near Richardsville was made by James Moorhead, who 
built a house on the farm now owned by the heirs of Jackson Moorhead, in 

1835, but he did not move his family there until the spring of 1836. John 
Wakefield built a house and moved on the farm now owned by Joseph Mc- 
Cracken, in 1836, but returned to Indiana to spend the following winter. 
William Humphrey built a house on the farm now owned by his son, Samuel 
M. Humphrey, in the fall of 1836, and moved his family there in April, 1837. 
Michael Long built a cabin on the farm now owned by Mathew Humphrey, in 

1836, and occupied it for a short time. Isaac Walker built a house the same 
year on the farm now owned by Thomas Brownlee, to which he moved his 
family the next spring. Mathew Humphrey commenced operations on the 
farm on which he still resides, in 1837. ^^ i^ f'^^ only one of the original set- 
tlers of West Warsaw, remaining. He says when he came to the township 
there were no roads, only a trail leading through the woods to " Boot-Jack " 
(Hazen). 

The Indians had left the country before this part of Warsaw was settled, 
but two of them returned in 1836 and remained a short time at James Moor- 
head's. 

Early Improvements. — The first school- house was built in what is now 
East Warsaw, at Isaac Temple's, and the first church at Maysville, in 1845. 

The first road was opened from Richardsville to Brookville, in 1838. The 
first coal was dug out of the head of the hollow below the present school- 
house at Richardsville, in 1845. 

The first saw-mill was erected at Pekin, by William R. Richards, who 
sawed the first lumber, about 1839. The first grist-mill was erected on Mill 
Creek by E. Holden, The first hotel was kept by Isaac Richards, and the first 
stores by S. Wyant, near the present residence of John A. Fo.x, and David 
Moorhead. 

The first grave-yard was started on the hill east of Isaac Temple's, in 1835, 
and Mrs. Chloe Johnson, wife of Milton Johnson, was the first person buried 
there. 

Warsaw has four post-offices, Richardsville, Warsaw, Allen's Mills and Ha- 
zen. The Warsaw office was established in 1836 at Temple's, but in 1887 was 
removed to John A. Fo.x's. 

There are eleven school-houses, five churches and three cemeteries, — one 
in East Warsaw and two at Richardsville, one of which is controlled by share- 
holders. 

There are, in addition to those mentioned, the stores of Rickard & Petti- 



Warsaw Township. 603 



bone, at Warsaw post-office, and M. Culver & Co. at Allen's Mills. John A. 
Fox keeps a hotel at W'arsaw. 

Farms. — Farming claims the attention of the citizens of the township, and 
some excellent farms are found, prominent among which are those of Joseph 
Steel, Benjamin Snyder; Jacob Raught, in East Warsaw; Joseph McCrack- 
en, Perry Smith, Mathew Humphrey, S. M. Humphrey, J. Moorhead, Zina 
Vanorman, Thomas Brownlee, P'rank Carrier, Alvy Stewart, William Aljoe 
and Lewis Evans, in West Warsaw. 

All the fruit grown in the county is cultivated in the best varieties, Mathew 
Humphrey having about the best orchard in the township. 

Very little attention has been paid to raising thoroughbred stock, James 
Suffolk being the only one who has given the matter much attention, having 
on his farm a fine herd of Short-horn Durham cattle. 

RlCHARDSVII.LE. 

The first improvement in what is now the village of Richardsville, was 
made by William R. Richards, who came there about 1839. He built a house, 
and then commenced in 1840 or 1841 to build a dam. Mr. Mathew Humph- 
rey says he helped to place the first log in the dam. After the dam was ready 
he built a saw-mill, grist-mill and woolen factory ; the former was in running 
order in the fail of 1840, and the woolen-mill was in operation in 1844. In 
the spring of 1843 he moved his family from Indiana county to their new 
home. The first marriage in the new town was that of John Moorhead and 
Nancy A., daughter of William R. Richards, who were married February 13, 
1844, by Rev. David Polk. George W. Richards, the only surviving member 
of the family of William R. Richards, says that his father's house was small, 
but they had quite a gathering for those days. There were fourteen of the 
Moorhead family, ant! these, with the family of Mr. Richards, and the neigh- 
bors invited, filled the house to overflowing. Mr. Richards was a very good 
violinist, and they h;id quite a jolly dance ; no doubt the first of the kind ever 
held in the neighborhood. Mr. Richards died in 1867. 

The first death was that of Henry E., son of William Humphrey, who died 
October 8, 1842. The first grave-yard was laid out near the Presbyterian 
church, and the first interment was in January, 185 i. 

The first store in Richardsville was opened in 1847 t>y D. W. Moorhead, 
who also kept the first hotel. The first school was taught about 1840, by a 
Mr. Wilson, in an old log school, that stood where Miles Flack now lives. He 
was followed in 1 84 1 by Miss Rachel Drain. 

Present Business. — There are two stores in Richardsville, those of Mathew 
Humphrey and William Evans, both doing a fair business. 

The Moorhead Lumber Company have a steam saw- mill, planing- mill and 
grist-mill. G. W. Richards owns and operates a steam tannery. 



6o4 History of Jefferson County. 

There are three churches at Richardsville, — tlie Presb}-terian and Baptist, 
built in 1858, and the Methodist, in 1871. 

Jackson Moorhead, a son of Joseph Moorhead, was one of Richardsville's 
most enterprising and best citizens. He was postmaster for about twenty- 
three years ; kept the only store, for a long time. In 1867 he built the saw- 
mill now operated by his heirs as the Moorhead Lumber Company, and in 
1873 erected the large grist-mill. In 1881 removed to Brookville, but still 
superintended his business at Richardsville until his death, which occurred very 
suddenly August 19, 1885. 

Richardsville is quite a pleasant little town, but grows quite slowly. In 
1853 it contained one store and about eighteen dwellings. The census of 1880 
gives its population at eighty-three. 

M.\YS\TLLE OR HAZEN. 

Another little town situate in East Warsaw, was, for a long time, called 
" Boot-Jack," from the roads that center there, forming a place, in which the 
town is built, in the shape of a boot-jack. The name given to the place was, 
however, Maysville ; but in 1S82 a post-office was established and named 
Hazen, for the first assistant postmaster-general, since which time the place has 
taken that name. It is quite a brisk little town, and in 1886 its citizens 
erected a large school building in which an excellent select school is main- 
tained and well patronized. 

Maysville has one store kept by Trimble & Company, and the hotel of W. 
R. Anderson. In 1880 the town had a population of eighty-two. Joshua 
Vandevort first settled in Maysville in 1825. He died in 1861, aged eighty- 
six years. 

Pekin. 

This little hamlet, situate between Brookville and Richardsville, was set- 
tled in 1845 by Emory Bartlett, who built a chair manufactory there which he 
successfully operated until a short time before his death, in 1883. He was 
then eighty years of age. Mr. Bartlett's chairs were substantial!)- and well 
made and found a ready sale, and there are few houses in Jefierson county 
that do not own one of his comfortable, old-fashioned rockers. This manufac- 
tory is now carried on by his son, A. J. Bartlett. 

The name of Pekin was given to the place by Mr. Bartlett, for one of the 
chief cities in the celestial empire, though he did not carry his admiration so 
far as to encircle his little town with an impregnable wall. 

Elections. — At the first election held in Warsaw township, in 1843, t^'i^ fol- 
lowing persons were elected : Inspectors of election, Thomas McCormick, Peter 
Chamberlain ; judge of election, John Moorhead ; supervisors, William Weeks, 
James K. Hoftman ; school directors, Ira Bronson, O. P. Mather, G. D. Fred- 



Warsaw Township. 605 



erick, Arad Pearsall, James A. Wilkins, Peter Chamberlain ; constable, Da\id 
C. Riggs ; assessors, Andrew McCormick, Jacob Moore, Eli B. Irwin ; audit- 
ors, John Pearsall, Finley McCormick, Thomas McCormick ; overseers of the 
poor, Jacob Vasbinder, William R. Richards ; town clerk, Ira Bronson. 

May 9, 1887, by a decree of court, Warsaw township was divided into two 
election districts. East and West Warsaw ; the former holding its election at 
Mays\'ille, and the latter at Richardsville. The following is the result of tlie 
election held P'ebruary 15, 1887, for both precincts: Warsaw, East — Justice of 
the peace, J. R. Trimble ; constable, N. P. Clark; supervisors, Isaac Lyle, An- 
drew Shaffer ; school directors, Lewis Evans, Simon Stahlman ; tax collector, 
T. Satterlee ; poor overseer, G. W. Corbin ; assessor, Joseph McCracken ; audi- 
tor, J. G. Allen ; town clerk, S. M. Humphrey ; judge of election, Reuben Mc- 
intosh ; inspectors, Moses Slawson, A. C. Williams. Warsaw, West — Judge 
of election. Perry Smith ; inspectors, Amos Riggs, James Yount. The justice of 
the peace for West Warsaw is William Wasson. The school directors pre- 
viously elected are, Thomas Love, Perry Smith, G. H. Hilliard, S. W. Temple. 

Taxablcs, Population, Asscssinetits and Valiiatioti. — The number of taxa- 
bles in Warsaw township, in 1842, were "]"] \ in 1849, 149; in 1856, 156; in 
1863, 220; in 1870, 336; in 1880, 402; in 1886,437. The population, ac- 
cording to the census of 1850, was 870; i860, 930; 1870, 1,122; 1880, 
1,414. The number of acres seated in Warsaw township in 1886, was 18,675 '■> 
valuation, $86,226; average value per acre, $4.62. Eighty-seven houses and 
lots, valuation $8,215. Grist and saw-mills 9 ; valuation, $3,700. Acres un- 
seated 11,443; valuation, $56,143; average value per acre $4.92. Number 
of horses 299; valuation, $1 1,540 ; average value $35.53. Number of cows 
386; valuation, $4,603 ; average value $1 1.92. Number of oxen 10; valua- 
tion, $285. Occupations 139; valuation, $3,954; average $22.69. Total 
valuation, subject to county tax, $173,866. Money at interest $13,940. 

Schools. — The number of schools in Warsaw township, according to the re- 
port for year ending June, 1886, was 1 1 ; average term five months. Number of 
male teachers 6 ; females, 5. Average salary of male teachers $38.28 ; females, 
$30.28. Number of male scholars 267 ; females, 209. Average attendance 
311. Per cent, of attendance 85. Cost per month "]"] cents. Number of 
mills levied for school purposes 13. Total amount of tax levied for school pur- 



poses $2,048.71. 

73 



6o6 History of Jefferson County. 



' CHAPTER XLVII. 

HISTORY OF WINSLOW TOWNSHIP. 

THE next to form in line, making the sixteenth township, was Winslow, 
which was organized in 1847, being taken from Washington, Pine Creek 
and Gaskill. It was named for Hon. James Winslow, then one of the asso- 
ciate judges of the county. It is situated on the east side of the county, and 
its boundaries are as follows: On the north by Washington, on the east by 
Clearfield county, on the south by McCalmont and Henderson, and on the 
west by McCalmont and Pine Creek. It is almost square — the distance across 
it north and south is six and a half miles, and east and west about seven and 
a half miles. 

Much of its surface is uncultivated, owing to the steep slopes of the valley, 
and in others to the rocky condition of the land from the out-crop of sand- 
stone deposits. Decidedly, the best farming land in the township is on the 
uplands south from Reynoldsville, around the heads of Trout Run, where the 
barren measure shoals and slates make a smooth soil, mingled with much lime. 

Topography. — The topography of Winslow township is much diversified, 
with alternating hill and valley. Sandy Lick is the main artery of the drain- 
age system, to which all the other streams, excepting Stump Creek, are trib- 
utary. It follows an irregular course through the township, entering at 
the northeast corner and flowing first westward, then southeast by a sharp 
turn upon itself at Sandy Valley, and then west again from Reynoldsville 
by another turn equally sharp. Both bends are closely connected with the 
Perrysville anticlinal, whose structure has indeed in a large part created 
them. The creek bed falls from about 1,350 feet above tide level at Evergreen 
to about 1,300 feet at Prindable's, which, as the creek flows, is a fall of less 
than five feet to the mile. Some high points in the uplands attain an elevation 
of more than 1,800 feet above tide level, but the average range of the upland 
region is between 1,600 and 1,700 feet. 

Geology. — The Freeport lower coal is so exceedingly excellent a bed 
throughout the Reynoldsville region that it has given great value to all the 
land it overlies. The work of development has been vigorously conducted for 
several years, but still there is a vast expanse of coal untouched. This coal is 
found seven feet thick, and is of so good a quality that it is in great demand for 
gas and steam purposes. A number of collieries have been opened upon it in 
the Reynoldsville basin, which are now all controlled by Bell, Lewis & Yates, 
who are vigorously prosecuting tlieir mines. A large number of coke ovens 
are in operation, but the company not being willing to furnish any statistics of 
their mines, it has been impossible to give any account of the production, as 
has been given of the other mines in the county. 



WiNSLow Township. 607 



Other coal beds are found in the Reynoldsville basin, but they are of so 
inferior a character to the Freeport lower coal that, until it is exhausted, they 
will receive no attention. 

The Freeport lower limestone is found at Pancoast and at Reynoldsville. 
Mr. W. G. Piatt, in his report, says of this limestone stratum: 

" Another exposure of it is in a small ravine on the property of A. Reynolds, 
adjoining Powers and Brown, where it shows two feet of excellent stone, grey- 
ish in color, streaked with calcite, and non-fossiliferous. The same stratum 
was worked some years ago further west, at Douthitt's saw-mill, to obtain lime 
for the masonry work at the time the Bennett's Branch Railroad was building. 
Mr. Wilson, engineer of that road, informed me that all the lime required for 
his purpose in the vicinity of Reynoldsville was obtained at small expense from 
this quarry. Under such circumstances, and considering the scarcity of lime 
in this neighborhood, and how much it is required upon every field being cul- 
tivated there, it is surprising to me that the farmers have allowed the quarry 
to fall shut and the draw-kiln to go to decay. I know of no limestone stratum 
than this Freeport lower in all the measures of Winslow township, and even 
that stratum is very irregular and uncertain. But in those places where its 
existence is proved, and in good condition, the farmers should certainly avail 
themselves of it for a fertilizer." 

Early Settlers. — The first settlers in what is now Winslow township were 
John Fuller and Rebecca, his wife. Mr. Fuller, who was born in Saratoga 
county, N. Y., May 5, 1794, and served in the War of 1812, came to Pennsyl- 
vania in 1 8 18, and in 1820 married Rebecca Gathers, of Armstrong, now 
Clarion county. In 1822 they located in Winslow township, making the first 
trip to their new home on foot, through the wilderness, the only house on their 
route being at Port Barnett. They built a cabin on the spot now covered by 
the Fuller garden on the old homestead, and went to work to hew and dig out 
a home in the wilderness, Mrs. Fuller worked early and late by her husband's 
side, and the first season dug over a piece of ground, upon which the stumps 
stood too thick to admit of its being ploughed, and planted their first potatoes. 
Their first team was an ox and a cow. 

Mr. Fuller was a blacksmith, and was frequently called away from home 
to do work at his trade. At one time he was absent six weeks helping to 
build a bridge over the Susquehanna, and Mrs. Fuller remained at home with 
her little children, the only door to the dwelling being a quilt hung up before 
the entrance, and at night she would lie and listen to the cry of the wild beasts 
that infested the woods, the howling of the wolves bringing fear to her heart. 

She was expert in the use of the rifle, and with it over her shoulder 
would take long tramps through the woods in search of her cows, who would 
stray a long distance from home, often going as far as the present town of 
Luthersburg. 



6o8 History of Jefferson County. 

On one occasion she was out hunting the cows, accompanied by one of her 
little boys and her dog, when night came on and she could not find the way 
home. She sat down on a log, near where the coke ovens of Bell, Lewis & 
Yates are now built, and put one arm around her boy and the other around 
the dog, both of \\ hich nestled up to her and were soon sound asleep ; but no 
sleep visited her eyes — she could hear tlie wild beasts in the distance, and did 
not know how soon they would come prowling about her. Along in the night 
she heard her husband calling her, but as he was very hard of hearing she 
knew that he would not hear her, and she feared to answer him for fear of dis- 
covering her whereabouts to some of the wild animals that she knew were 
lurking in the forest. At length, towards morning, she heard the shouts of 
the McCreight boys, whom Mr. Fuller had called up to help him in his search, 
and answering them they soon found her and she was conducted home. 

Mr. McCreight, who had moved into the neighborhood in 1832, did not 
know of the presence of the Fullers, nor had they any knowledge that they 
had any neighbors nearer than Port Barnett, until one day, when Mr. Mc- 
Creight was out hunting his cows, he heard a crashing in the bushes, and great 
was his amazement to see emerging therefrom, instead of the deer or bear he 
expected to see, a woman with a rifle over her shoulder, Explanations fol- 
lowed, and each was glad to find that they had a neighbor. 

Mr. Fuller first dug the coal out of the creek bed at Reynoldsville to use 
in his blacksmith work, as it increased the heat of the fire. He would fre- 
quently go to Pittsburgh or Indiana and carry home bars of iron on his shoul- 
ders. He done all the first blacksmith work in the county, and as far as can 
be learned was the pioneer blacksmith. 

These were days of toil and deprivation, and with no mills near, and no 
stores from which to purchase any of the necessaries of life, it was no easy 
task for Mrs. Fuller to provide for and raise her family of fifteen children. 
She was obliged to toil early and late, and then when the outdoor tasks were 
done, to contrive something to clothe her little ones. The home also was to 
pay for, and there was no revenue coming in. The land that was cleared 
barely afforded a sustenance, and the main source of revenue was the making 
of maple sugar, which sold at eight and ten cents per pound. To this was 
added occasionally a few dimes received from some isolated traveler after the 
making of the Waterford and Susquehanna turnpike opened up a thorough- 
fare through their place. As the money was gathered penny by penny and 
sixpence added to sixpence, it was tied up in an old stocking and deposited in 
the bureau drawer until enough to make a payment on the farm was gotten 
together, and then at stated times the landowners, or their agents met pur- 
chasers to receive these payments. Miss Beckie Fuller says that she has heard 
her mother relate how, on one occasion, they had almost enough saved to 
make a payment (sixty dollars being the desired amount), and while she was 




T. B. London. 



WiNSLOw Township. 609 



absent helping to work in the fields, some tramp stole the precious stocking, 
with the hard-earned savings. In those days there were no bolt nor bars, the 
latch string always hung out, and the bureau drawers were also unlocked, and 
the thief, perhaps some tramp whom they had befriended, as no one was ever 
turned from their door, had taken the opportunity to pillage the house while 
jMrs. Fuller was absent ; then all had to be gone over again, the payment was 
delayed, and the slow process of saving went on as before. Mr. Fuller as 
soon as he got the land cleared planted a large orchard of apple trees, which 
soon yielded him quite an income, and he sold the first fruit in Brookville. 

In time they built a larger house, which has now given place to the com- 
modious, and pleasant home where Mr. George W. Fuller, the youngest son, 
with his family resides. It is also the home of the youngest daughter. Miss 
Rebecca Fuller. Mr. Fuller died in 1868. Mrs. Fuller survived him several 
years. They both sleep with their nine children, who preceded them, in the 
"Fuller grave-yard," just " across the garden wall." 

The McCreight family were the next to penetrate into this wilderness. Mr. 
McCreight came first in 1832 and prepared a home for his family in what has 
since been called the Paradise Settlement. After clearing a small potato patch 
and building a small log house, Andrew McCreight, in the winter of 1832-3, 
brought his family from his former home in Indiana county, to this paradise in 
the wilderness. The family consisted of Mr. McCreight, his wife, Ann Sharp 
McCreight, and ten children, aged from three to twenty- one respectively. On 
the way one of the little ones was lost from the load, and had not some of the 
boys been walking behind and picked her up, she would perhaps have been 
devoured by wild beasts, or perished with cold before her loss was discovered 
from the bedding amid which she had been placed for safe keeping. She 
was carried for some miles in the arms of her brothers after being found in the 
road. The ax in the hands of the sturdy boys soon felled the trees, and cleared 
the land, and it was not long before a home of plenty and comfort was made 
where they found a dense forest. 

The parents, more than twenty years ago, went to their reward ; full of 
years they passed out from the scenes of their early toil, but of the thirteen 
children, the three younger of whom were born in Jefferson county, all are 
living, though the family is now widely scattered. Thomas and Smith now 
own the old homestead farm, and in October, 1884, twelve out of the thirteen 
gathered about the old fireside, only one brother, Jamieson, li\ing in Kansas, 
being unable to be present. 

About the year iS34TiIton Reynolds came to what is now Winslow town- 
ship, from Chateaugay, N. Y. The family, which consisted of Mr. Reynolds, 
his wife and three children, his brother, William Reynolds, and a young French 
boy, Francis Delorm, by name, who afterwards married a sister of Thomas 
Reynolds's wife, and yet resides in Winslow, traveled in a wagon drawn by 



6io History of Jefferson County. 

two yoke of oxen, and were four weeks on the road in making this journey of 
eight hundred miles. Dr. Wilh'am H. Reynolds was the eldest of these chil- 
dren, and the youngest was a babe in its mother's arms. On account of this 
babe the mother put up at hotels when they could be found, the rest generally 
slept in the wagon, and cooked their meals by the roadside. 

After they reached their destination they staid one week at the house of 
Mr. John Fuller, until their cabin was built, which stood on the present site of 
Rathmel. Tilton Reynolds went to Punxsutawney to buy land from C. C. 
Gaskill, who wanted to article for it at once, but Mr. Reynolds thought this 
would not be exactly right, as Rossell Luther had made some improvement 
on the land, though he had paid nothing for it, so he went to Luthersburg and 
struck a bargain with Mr. Luther by giving him one of the yoke of cattle for 
his improvements, and then made his bargain with Mr. Gaskill. 

The Reynolds brothers had been to Chester county some time previous 
and on their way home passed through this part of Jefferson county, and were 
so much pleased with the immense forests of pine timber, that they went home 
and at once made preparations to move here. Soon after they got settled 
Tilton's wife's brother, Samuel B. Sprague, and two sisters, Rebecca Smith 
and Anna Welsh, and her father, came and settled near them, and soon also 
their brother Thomas followed them to their new home. He found them 
comfortably settled in a log cabin, where Rathmel now is. The first fall they 
captured fourteen swarms of bees ; they also made a large amount of maple 
sugar. Tilton and William Reynolds kept the first store in the township at 
Prospect Hill in 1839. William died in 1854 and Tilton some 3'ears later. 

Tliomas Reynolds, whose biographical sketch will be found in another part 
of this work, surveyed and named Winslow township, he being a warm friend 
and admirer of Judge Winslow, for whom it was called. 

Valentine A. P. Smith, father of Mrs. Thomas Reynolds, also settled in 
Winslow in 1835. He came from Dutchess county, N. Y., and located on the 
farm now owned by T. B. London. Samuel, David and Joshua Rea, Patrick 
Fehley, Thomas Doling preceded the Reynoldses to this region. The Yeomans, 
Yohes, Alexanders, Claytons, Brodheads, Welshes, Ferrises, were among the 
early settlers in Winslow township. 

Old Mr. Yeomans, the father of the wives of Samuel and Joshua Rea, was 
frozen to death in Cold Spring Hollow while on his wa\' home from Reynolds- 
ville. His granddaughter, Miriam Rea, who was living at Thomas Reynolds's, 
was on her way home, when she found his dead body lying in the road. 

David Rea, one of the three brothers noted above, was killed by a limb 
that had lodged in a tree. He went to the spring to get water with which to 
prepare breakfast, when the limb fell and killed him instantly. His wife, Sally 
Wilkins, wondering what kept him so long, went to see, and found him dead. 
She afterwards married Truman B. London. 



WiNSLow Township. 6ii 



The oldest residents of Winslow township now are Mrs. Benjamin Clayton, 
aged about eighty years, Mrs. Fannie Wilkins Rea, about the same age, and 
Mr. Truman B. London, who is in his eightieth year. 

Farms. — Farming is the general business of the citizens of Winslow, and 
among the many well cultivated farms with excellent buildings, are the follow- 
ing : 

In F.ast Winslow, Sharp and John McCreight, G. W. Fuller, Truman B. Lon- 
don, Thomas Reynolds, sr., estate, George D. Sprague, Francis Delorm, James 
A. and W. T. Gathers, William H. Reynolds. West Winslow, Amos, Jacob, 
Noah and Martin Strouse, Noah, Joseph and Daniel Syphert, Henry Stevens, 
Levi Shuckers, David Reynolds, Zackariah Deemer, Alexander Dickey, Will- 
iam and John Doughert\', Henry Kroh. 

Cemeteries. — The first burying-ground in Winslow township was just back 
of the old school-house in Cold Spring Hollow, where Mrs. Joshua Rea, with 
her two children, and several others were buried. The Fuller burying-ground, 
which is a private one, was started at an early day, when a child of John Ful- 
ler's died, and they had no place to lay it. The dysentery, which was very 
fatal in that region, took several more of their children, who were also laid 
there, and now the father and mother, with nine of their children, are buried 
there, only five out of fifteen surviving. Joshua, the eldest son, died and was 
buried at Brookville, Mrs. Rachel Gathers, Mrs. Fuller's mother, and her brother, 
Robert Gathers, and his wife are buried in the Fuller grave-yard. 

The McCreights have a family burying-ground on the old homestead farm. 

Prospect grave-yard was commenced soon after Tilton Reynolds settled 
there, and his little twin daughter, Margaret, was the first to rest therein. Many 
of the old settlers are sleeping their last sleep in that much neglected spot. 

There is another burj-ing-ground in Paradise, near an old Dutch church, 
where some of the oldest settlers in that settlement were buried, among whom 
Jacob Smith and wife, Adam Yohe and many others of those who endured the 
first hardships of pioneer life. 

" Beulah Land " was started in 1S76, being laid out by Thomas Reynolds, 
and Arthur Parke Reynolds, his son, was the first interred there. Since then 
his father, brother John, and his brother-in-law, Gould J. Scott, have laid down 
beside him. 

July 5, 1876, R. Prott, of the firm of McGregor & Prott, who built the 
Summit Tunnel, and some of the railroad bridges of the Low Grade Railroad, 
was buried in Beulah, where, the February before, two children of his brother, 
Alexander Prott, had been laid, and about a year after a fine stone monument 
was erected to their memory by the father and brother, Mr. A. Prott, of Brook- 
ville. 

In 1882 Mrs. Amelia Reynolds removed the bodies of her husband, Wood- 
ward Reynolds, and her children, John and Joana and Richard, with two who 



6i2 History of Jefferson County. 

died in infancy, from Prospect to Beulah. It is beginning to be improved by 
those whose dead he there, and will in time become a beautiful city of the 
dead. There are now two hundred and twenty-five graves in Beulah. The 
Baptist cemetery, near Beulah, was laid out by Rev. C. H. Prescott, on his land, 
about 1883. 

Saiv-niills. — The saw-mills in Winslow, operating in 1887, are those of 
Andrews, Keatley &Co., Bond, McGhee & Carrier, at Sandy Valley; Collins 
& Shaffer, at Falls Creek ; Waite, Hutchins & Co., Sandy Valley; David 
Wheeler, Reynoldsville ; J. C. Swartz, near Reynoldsville ; Levi Schuckers, 
near Emerickville ; Silas Brooks, near Sykesville, and Hopkins, Irwin & Co., 
on Sandy Lick, below Reynoldsville. The latter mill was built by Nathan 
Carrier, and for a time was the property of N. Carrier and Gould J. Scott, 
when it was one of the most extensive lumbering establishments in the county. 
There are also two portable saw-mills in Winslow, owned by Edward Rupert 
and M. B. Wynkoop & Brother. 

There are four post-ofifices in Winslow township, — Sandy Valley, Pancoast, 
Sykesville and Rathmel. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Winslow township in 1847, when 
the following persons were elected : ^ Constable, Joseph McCreight, Oliver 
Welch, Tilton Reynolds; supervisors, Clark Lyon, Joseph Syphert, M. Best; 
.school directors, Andrew McCreight, Thomas Reynolds, John Phillipi ; over- 
seers of the poor, Woodward Reynolds, Thomas Reynolds ; assessors, Oliver 
Welch, Robert Douthett, John Foltz ; judge of election, Andrew McCreight; 
inspectors, John Barr, Jonathan Strouse. 

The best varieties of apples, pears, plums, and all the small fruits, are raised 
in profusion. 

Winslow township was divided into two election districts by a decree of 
court September 17, 1887. The citizens of East Winslow vote at Prescottville, 
and the election for West Winslow is held at the Moore House, in Ohiotown. 
The election held February 15, 1887, resulted as follows: Winslow, East, jus- 
tice of the peace, David Bollinger ; constable, Benjamin Haugh ; collector, A. 
W. Mulholland ; assessor, Martin Strouse ; .supervisors, William Grimes, Fulton 
Henry ; school directors, W. J. Hillis, William Grimes ; auditor, J. M. Norris ; 
poor overseer, J. L. Beebe ; judge of election, John Smith ; inspectors, Benja- 
min Haugh, John Marshall. Winslow, W^est, judge of election, Allen Gathers ; 
inspectors, R. B. Kline, John Dougherty. The justice of the peace for West 
Winslow is Luther A. Hays. The other school directors composing the board 
are Benjamin Kline, James A. Gathers, Henry Stevenson and W. T. Gathers. 

Taxables ami Population. — The number of taxables in Winslow township 
in 1849 were lOO; in 1856, 171; in 1863, 240; in 1870, 364; 1880, 506; 
1886, 849. The population by the census of 1850, 507; i860, 1096; 1870, 
1320; 1S80. 1904. 

1 This is taken from the election docket and does not specify which candidates were elected. 




■£''tj^«^ RSSoU: Soni J."?!^'^''^ 




^//?P^/j^ ^L 



WiNSLOW Township. 613 



Assessments and Valuation. — Tlie number of acres of seated land in Wins- 
low in 1886, was 18,587 ; valuation, $91,361 ; average value per acre $4 92. 
Number of houses and lots 439 ; valuation, $47,739. Number of grist and 
saw-mills 14; valuation, $8,150. Number acres unseated 8,613 ; valuation, 
$48,899; average value per acre $5.68. Number of acres surface 2,085 J val- 
uation, $8,538. Acres mineral 1,367; valuation, $7,093; average value per 
acre $5.19. Number of horses 29S ; valuation, $7,795 ; average value $26.16. 
Number of cows 406 ; valuation, $4,912; average value $12.10. Twelve oxen ; 
valuation, $240. Number of occupations 292; valuation, $5,995; average, 
$20.53. Total valuation, subject to county tax, $230,722. Money at inter- 
est $2,503. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Winslow township, for the 
\-ear ending June 7, 1886, was 16. Average term, five months. Number of 
male teachers 12; females 4. Average salary of male teachers $30.66 ; fe- 
males $25.00. Number of male scholars 398; number of females 334. Aver- 
age attendance 474 ; per cent, of attendance 64. Cost per schokr 68 cents. 
Mills levied for school purposes 10; for building, 5. Total amount of tax lev- 
ied for school purposes $3,975.10. 

Revnoldsville. 

In 1837 David Reynolds, of Kittanning, sent his son. Woodward, to settle 
upon some lands in what is now Reynoldsville and Winslow township, for 
which he had a title. Woodward Reynolds had that year married Miss 
Amelia Ross, also of Kittanning, and in the spring of 1838 the young couple 
came to the new home in the woods. Some years before Charles C. Gaskill, 
who then owned the land, had erected a log house of two rooms, to be used as 
a tavern, as they were called in those days. Woodward Reynolds found a 
man named Potter keeping this house, having squatted there, and it was with 
some difficulty that he was induced to give up his claim. Two men, by the 
names of Caldwell and Banks, had preceded Potter as keepers of this hostelry. 
Mr. Reynolds built additions to the " log hotel," and entertained the public 
there for a number of years. In this house, which occupied the site of the 
present residence of Albert Reynolds, David Reynolds, the first white child 
born in what is now the town of Reynoldsville, first saw the light. Mr. Rey- 
nolds, in 1850, built the brick hotel still known as the Reynolds House, which 
he kept until his death, in January, 1861. He at first owned three hundred 
acres of land in Reynoldsville and vicinity, to which he added, by purchase, 
eight hundred acres more. This was all valuable timber land, and, after he 
was gone, and the timber too, the land being good coal territory, was sold by 
his sons David and Albert, who laid out the home farm in Reynoldsville into 
town lots, streets and alleys, which is now the main business portion of the 
town. Mrs. Reynolds lives in a comfortable residence, one door east of the 
74 



6i4 History of Jefferson County. 

Reynolds House, with her daughter, Ida, the only one of her family who has 
not made a home for herself 

Though the Indians had left this region before Reynoldsville became the 
abode of the white man, one lady yet living has cause to remember the visit 
of one of the last of his race, and it yet makes her shudder when she recalls 
her narrow escape from the scalping-knife of the bloodthirsty red man. 

One day in the year 1843, an Indian came to the house of Woodward Rey- 
nolds, and demanded food. Mrs. Reynolds, who happened to be alone at the 
time, placed bread and meat before him, but he refused to eat until he was 
provided with tea. Mrs. Reynolds assured him that she had no tea in the 
house ; but he would not believe her, and throwing the bread and meat on the 
floor to the dog, he glared savagely at her, and stalked away. In the evening 
he returned, but Mr. Reynolds and his two hired men were present, and after 
asking this time for whisky, he again left. In a short time news came that he 
had murdered the Wigton family in Butler county, and Mrs. Reynolds had no 
doubt then, that his last visit would have resulted in her death, had he not 
been deterred by the presence of the men. She can yet recall the murderous 
looks he cast upon her. Mrs. Reynolds calls the Indian Blackhawk, but the 
following narrative published in the Pittsburgh Commercial o{ ]w\y ii, 1887, 
of his bloody deed in Butler county, gives his name as Sam Mohawk : " The 
news of the death of James Wigton, who died at Salina, Venango county, a 
few days ago, aged seventy-six, recalls one of the most dreadful chapters in 
the criminal history of Pennsylvania, Wigton's entire family, consisting of his 
wife and five children, having been murdered in Slipper}' Rock township, But- 
ler county, in 1S43. 

" At that time an Indian named Sam Mohawk, who lived on the Seneca 
Reservation, in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., made periodical trips down the Al- 
legheny Valley, and he was the terror of the region. He came to Butler in 
the latter part of June, 1843. His first demand was for whisky. He was 
refused at ever)' place, which enraged him so that the inhabitants, fearing the 
result of his temper, made up a purse to pay his stage fare to Meadville. This 
•was paid to the driver, and Mohawk got aboard. At Stone House, twelve 
miles from Butler, he left the stage and disappeared, and the conveyance went 
on without him. At midnight of that day he appeared at the stage-house, 
■which was kept by a man named John Sills, and demanded the money that 
had been raised for his fare in Butler and also whisk)'. Sills was compelled to 
drive the Indian from his house with a club. At da\'break, on the morning of 
July 1st, lames Wigton, who lived on a farm a few miles from Stone House, 
left his home to go to his father's farm, two miles and a half distant, on an 
errand. He did not return until eight o'clock. He saw a crowd of people 
about his house. He was stopped at his gate, and the terrible news was broken 
to him that during his absence Sam Mohawk had entered his house, and bru- 



WiNSLOW Township. 615 



tally murdered his wife and five children. The news so stunned Wigton that 
he was unconscious for three days. The murder had been discovered by James 
Wigton's brother John, who lived a mile or so from the former. He had seen 
the Indian pass the house just after daylight. John Wigton went to his broth- 
er's house an hour latei' to borrow a wagon. On entering the house he dis- 
covered the dead bodies of his sister-in-law and her five children lying on the 
kitchen floor, the children being piled in a heap on the body of the mother. 
Their brains had been beaten out with a large stone, which la\' covered with 
blood on the floor near by. Mrs. Wigton was thirty years old. Her children 
were aged respectively eight, five, four, three and one years. Mrs. Wigton was 
partially dressed, but it was evident that the children had been taken from 
their beds by their murderer and killed. 

"The Indian was arrested and placed in tlie Butler jail, which was guarded 
by armed men day and niglit to prevent a rescue by wandering bands of In- 
dians, which were common in the Allegheny Valley forty years ago. Mo- 
hawk was tried in the following November, and was hanged on the 22d of 
March, 1844. One of the witnesses of the hanging was James Wigton, hus- 
band and father of the Indian's victims." 

Thomas Reynolds in 1841 built a little log liouse on a site now situated on 
Jackson and Tenth streets, and the following year he was married to Julia 
Anna Smitli. The wedding trip was a two-mile journey on a path through 
the forest to the little shanty. While on their way seven full grown deer were 
seen walking leisurely along, and exhibited no fear, as they stopped and gazed 
a few moments at the couple, and then proceeded leisurely on their way. The 
footprints of bear, deer, and other animals were often discovered near the 
house, and Mr. Reynolds once shot a deer while standing in his _\'ard. The 
Indians had a hut near the spot upon which he built, by a fine spring where 
the old logs were yet to be seen. 

Miss Rebecca Fuller relates the fact that the wolves seemed to have some 
way of surrounding the deer and killing them in great numbers, near the cold 
spring above Prescottville, as she said her parents would find the bones and 
blood there frequently in those early days, showing how the rapacious, blood- 
thirty brutes had surrounded and killed numbers of the timid creatures. 

In 1842 Thomas Reynolds built a large log house on East Main street, 
near where the present Reynolds mansion now stands. He also put in opera- 
tion a tannery and saw-mill at the same locality. These were the onl)- busi- 
ness enterprises between the years 1840 and i860. 

In 1845 Tilton Reynolds, who was postmaster at Prospect Hill, brought 
down \.h.e post-office in a cigar-box, and handing it to his brother said, " Here, 
Tom, is the post-office. I am going away, and you will have to attend to it." 
For some time no attention was taken of the change'^ by the post-office de- 
partment, until Mr. Thomas Reynolds requested that the name of the office be 



6i6 History of Jefferson County. 

changed from Prospect Hill to Reynoldsville, which was done, and he was 
appointed postmaster. When Thomas Reynolds gave the name to the town 
by having the post-office called Reynoldsville, there were no houses west of 
the school-house hill, between Thomas Reynolds and Woodward Reynolds's 
homes, except a small house built by Woodward Reynolds, on the site of the 
present Belnap house, and a log house that stood somewhere near the present 
Presbyterian Church, until Archibald Campbell put up a row of small build- 
ings east of what is now Sixth street. Archie Campbell, as he was called, was 
one of the pioneers of the town, and up to his demise in 1876, was well known 
throughout the county. He was a zealous patriot, a true friend to those whom 
he liked, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. 

The editor of the Pun.\sutawney Tribune, who is a native of Reynolds- 
ville, tells the following story of Archie Campbell's peculiarities: "Whoever 
has lived long in Jefterson county must have known Archibald Campbell. 
'Archie' was an Irishman by birth, and a financier by profession. He lived 
with his good wife, Mary Ann, in a little striped house on Main street, Rey- 
noldsville, for many years, and was at one time sole proprietor of the Sandy 
Lick Hotel. The ' Sandy Lick ' was the theater of many a lively scene during 
the palmy rafting days of twenty years ago. Archie made a good deal of 
money in those days by selling ' swate molasses' to the raftsmen at a dollar a 
pint. ' Egad ! No,' Archie would say, ' I kape no whusky, but I've got plenty 
of swate molasses.' But with all his faults Archie was a pretty good kind of 
an Irishman when he was asleep. The peculiarity, however, which rendered 
Archie unique and original, was the eagerness with which he sought money, 
and the tenacity with which he clung to it. To illustrate : Once, when the 
writer was a little boy, Archie engaged him and his elder brother, Sid, to clean 
out his Augian cow stable. Archie kept a cow and a horse in a very small 
stable, which was never cleaned out as long as the animals were able to stand 
upright inside. ' Now clain it out good boys,' Archie said as we went to work 
with shovel and mattock, ' and I'll pay yees woll fer it' We worked hard all 
that day and the next day. finishing the job in the evening. Archie pro- 
nounced it first rate, and told us to go with him to the house and get our 
money. As times were pretty flush then, we didn't expect to receive less than 
two dollars, but Archie soon put all our sordid calculations at rest by produc- 
ing a three-cent ' shinplaster,' and presenting it to Sidney with the remark : 
' Guv Wully a cint av that ! Egad, he earned it ! ' 

" For many years afterwards, when, in playing ball, we happened to catch 
a fly or make a run, there was always some bad boy to yell, ' Guv Wully a cint 
of that ! Egad he earned it ! ' 

"Archie was a warm friend of Dave Reynolds, and once he opened his heart 
so far as to give Dave's little boy a little pig. A few months afterwards Archie 
got it into his head Dave was indebted to him, and he accordingly demanded 



WiNSLOW Township. 617 



a settlement. The settlement was made at once, and, very much to his cha- 
grin and surprise, Archie came out two dollars in debt. He scratched his head 
a moment, then said ! 

" ' Sure that pig is chape enough at two dollars ! ' 

" ' But,' said Mr. Reynolds, ' I thought you gave that pig to the boy ! ' 

" ' Egad ! an I did,' said Archie, ' but sure I'm not the mon to allow a but 
of a pig sthand in the way of a settlement betwixt meself and Dave Rey- 
nolds ! ' " 

"Jimmy Kile was also an odd character, who figured in the early history 
of Reynoldsville. Although he and Archie Campbell prided themselves on 
their open-handed generosity, as most Irishmen do, they were chiefly cele- 
brated for their penuriousness. Many and ingenious were the schemes that 
Archie would invent to avoid parting with a penny that would not bring him 
two in return. Once on a time the citizens of Winslow township took a notion 
to fix up the Prospect Cemetery, and in order to reach the Kiles and Camp- 
bells, who were wealthy, a subscription paper was put in the hands of Jimmy 
Kile. He called on Archie Campbell one morning with his paper, when the 
following colloquy took place : 

" ' Gud morning, Muster Cummel.' 

" ' Gud morning. Muster Kile.' 

" ' Are ye's all wull, this morning. Muster Cummel ? ' 

" ' Yes, Muster Kile, there's only meself and Mary Ann, and we're all wull.' 

" ' Muster Cummel, I've got a superscruption paper here to fix the grave- 
yard beyand, an' wud yer be afther puttin' somethin' down ? ' 

" ' Egad ! no, Muster Kile, not a cint for that oul cow-pastuie. As long 
as I lav I won't be buried there. Egad, I won't ! ' 

" ' Wull, Muster Cummel, we duffer in opunion on that, for if I luv and 
kape my health, / iviilll ' " 

Early Schools and Churches. 

The first school-house in this localit}', a little log one, was built in 1836, 
on the hill above the present flouring-mill at Prescottville, It was known as 
the Fuller school-house, and in it Thomas Reynolds taught the first school 
under the common school system. A few years later another building was 
erected in Cold Spring Hollow, which was in constant use until 1874, when, 
it with a building of later date, was sold, and the large school building on Cen- 
tral Main street was erected in 1875. In the first few years of Reynoldsville's 
existence religious services were only occasionally held. An old house on 
East Main street, afterwards remodeled and occupied by Milton Coleman, was 
often used for the purpose of holding religious meetings, and on one occasion, 
about the year 1852, the floor gave way, precipitating the congregation to the 
basement, and it is said that five persons perished in the accident, which was 



6i8 History of Jefferson County. 

augmented by the fire from the over-turned stove. The school- house in Cold 
Spring Hollow was used for Sunda3'-school purposes and as a place of worship 
for many years ; then about 1861 C. H. Prescott built a Baptist Church in Pres- 
cottville, and in 1870 the Presbyterians built a church east of the residence of 
Thomas Reynolds, which was succeeded in 1881 by a large brick church on 
Main street. The Methodist and Lutheran Churches are also commodious and 
fine structures. In the latter the Episcopal services of the church, organized 
in Reynoldsville by that denomination in the spring of 1887, are held. The 
Baptist congregation have the foundation built for a large' and elegant church, 
which they will occupy before the close of 1887. The Catholics, in 1873, 
built a commodious frame church, which took the place of a little building, 
which they had heretofore occupied in the eastern suburbs of the town. Miss 
Harriet Fuller, who taught school at the Fuller school-house about the year 
1834, started the first Sunday-school. She was a very zealous worker, and 
when any of her scholars whispered or misbehaved at Sunday-school she would 
punish them the next day. She was afterwards Mrs. Guthrie, of Troy. In 
this school-house James McCreight and Mr. Ross also taught. In those days 
a debating society was held in the school-house, and Thomas Reynolds, who 
had been a strong temperance man in his New York home, where he was 
a prominent lecturer, organized the first temperance society in the township. 
Mr. Reynolds, in after years, acquired a taste for spirituous liquors from 
having brandy administered to him (much against his will) by his physician 
during a severe illness. 

It is a strange coincidence that Woodward Reynolds and Thomas Reynolds, 
coming from different localities, one from Kittanning and the other from the 
State of New York, and with no kinship or previous knowledge of each other, 
should have chosen this place for their home, and locating about a mile apart, 
one at the eastern and the other at the western part of what is now the thriv- 
ing town of Reynoldsville. The town has beeu aptly named, called as it was 
for the pioneers who first settled there, and whose descendants make up so 
large and important portion of the citizens both of the town and township. 

Of the older members of these families, nearly all have passed awaj', Mrs. 
Thomas Reynolds and Mrs. Woodward Re^-nolds alone remaining. There are 
three distinct families of Reynoldses now residing in Reynoldsville. Tilton, 
William, and Thomas were brothers, and their descendants now living number 
seventy-three. Of these Tilton Reynolds's descendants are three children, 
thirty-three grand-children, and ten great-grand children living. 

William Reynolds's descendants are five children and ten grand children 
living. 

Thomas Reynolds, sr., five children and seven grand-children living. 

Woodward Reynold.s, eight children living and eighteen grand-children. 

Dr. Samuel Reynolds, who settled in Reynoldsville in the last decade, and 
represents the third family, has five children. 



WiNSLow Township. 



619 



Seal that was here 
broken out 



J Clayton 



There are thirty-six in the town of Reynoldsville who answer to the name 
of Reynolds, and one hundred and four in the township. 

Dr. William Reynolds, son of Tilton Reynolds, has in his possession the 
marriage certificate of his grandfather Reynolds, of which a copy is given 

below : 

The President of the 
Deleware State 
To any Minister or Preacher of the 
Gospel. 
Whereas Application hath been made unto 
me, by Thomas Reynolds and Ann Reynolds 
to be joined in Holy Matrimony, and finding 
upon due examination, that there is not any 
lawful Let or Impediment, by Reafon of Pre- 
contract Confanguinity, Affinity, or any other 
just Caufe whatfoever, to hinder the faid 
Marriage : Thefe are therefore to licence and 
authorize you to join the faid Thomas Rey- 
nolds & Ann Reynolds in the Holy Bands of 
Matrimony, and them to pronounce Man and 
Wife. 

Given under my hand, and attefted by the 
Secretary of the faid State, under the public 
I the underwritten do hereby. Seal of his Office, this Sixth day of October 
certify that I joined the above in the year of our Lord one Thoufand Seven 
Parties in Holy Matrimony the hundred and ninety one 
day & year above mentioned 
Chas H Wharton 
The prevalence of the names of Reynolds and Smith was pretty aptly illus- 
trated by the following, which appeared in the Reynoldsville "Paper" a few 
years ago : 

" Reynolds vs. Smith — Quite a mirthful explanation was given by Smith, 
the evangelist, of his non-arrival at Reynoldsville, as expected, some time 
since. Mr. W. H. Smith, the engineer, received the telegram which should 
have been sent to Mr. W. J. Smith, the evangelist, thus delaying the latter and 
puzzling the former. 

" The evangelist remarked : ' Smith is a very honest name, but often very 
inconvenient, but, indeed, not more so than other names in some localities. 
For instance, as I came up the Low Grade the last word I heard on board the 
train was ' Reynoldsville,' and stepping off confronted Mr. Reynolds. Of 
course I thought he was the founder of the town. As I perambulated the 
streets I saw 'Reynolds House,' 'Reynolds Opera House,' and 'Reynolds 



Jas Booth Sect 



620 History of Jefferson County. 

Restaurant.' I picked up a newspaper of the town, and lo ! ' Reynolds Her- 
ald,' published by a ' Reynolds' company, and edited by W. S. Reynolds, met 
my eyes. Then there are ' Reynolds Colliery' and ' Reynolds Grove.' ' Miss 
Reynolds ' is too numerous to mention, and ' Mr. Reynolds ' is exceedingly 
plentiful. There are Dr. Reynolds and Albert Reynolds, both about six feet 
and three inches high; in fact every Reynolds I saw -bordered on the Brog- 
dingnag in stature, and when we consider their avoirdupois and number, we 
wonder where the rest of the people get room to live. So now if I get any of 
your names mixed, just blame it on Reynolds. 

"The evangelist was seen in the post-office next morning enquiring for 
mail. ' Smith ?' queried the postmistress. ' Oh, that's a horrible name ! It 
used to be mine, but I changed it to Reynolds.' Smith wore a sardonic smile 
as he marched away to the time of a sad tune. REYNOLDS." 

Early Stores and Indjistries. — Thomas Reynolds kept the first store in 
1 844 in his residence. 

Frederick Farmer and Daniel Dunham are also mentioned as pioneer mer- 
chants of Reynoldsville. They kept in an old black house, six doors east of 
where King & Co.'s store was established in later years. They were followed 
by Washington Rhodes, who in turn gave way to Henry Gordon, and he, 
again, retired to make way for his son, Charles H. Gordon. Previous to i860 
Charles H. Prescott also kept store in Reynoldsville. 

In i860 John Reynolds, second son of Woodward Reynolds, returned from 
Kittanning, where he had been engaged in merchandising, and was elected jus- 
tice of the peace for Windsor township, and in 1869 he introduced the first 
industry of the new town by erecting a planing-mill and sash and door manu- 
factory on the corner of Main and First streets. This establishment was after- 
wards owned by James McGhee and C. R. Hall. 

In 1871 George Thompson came to Reynoldsville, and a year later en- 
gaged in the planing-mill, sash, door and furniture manufactory, in conjunc- 
tion with J. S. Winslovv. This manufactory, which was located on the corner 
of South and Tenth streets, was afterward operated by Mathew R. Reynolds. 

One of the most potent reasons adduced by Thomas Reynolds for wanting 
a town was to induce a physician to locate there, as there was none nearer 
than Brookville. Those who have practiced the esculapian art will all be 
found noticed at length in Dr. C. M. Matson's sketch of the medical profession 
of Jefferson county. 

In 1 87 1 Dr. R. M. Boylcs and J. Van Reed came from Clarion county, 
erected a large store building on the corner of Main and Fifth streets, and kept 
a well-stocked drug store, until the fall of the following year they were burned 
out. Dr. William H. Reynolds was also engaged in the drug business in 1871. 

Until 1870-71 Reynoldsville was one straggling street of widely separated 
houses, extending from. the residence of Thomas Reynolds to the Reynolds 



WiNSLow Township. 621 



House, and the population did not exceed two liundred ; but the surveying of 
the Bennett's Branch Raih-oad, as it was then called, infused new life into the 
people, and the well known excellence and extent of the coal fields in and 
about the town directed the attention of capitalists to the place. As has al- 
ready been stated, the home farm of Woodward Reynolds was at once laid out 
into lots and sold by his sons, David and Albert, and at the same time E. C. 
Shultze, of St. Mary's, Elk county, obtained the agency of the Thomas Rey- 
nolds lands, and at once proceeded to lay out over twenty streets of town lots, 
and to the push and energy of Judge Shultze is Reynoldsville greatly indebted 
for the opening up of the town. He died in 1875, and the lands which he had 
widely advertised, reverted, with the exception of the lots already sold, to their 
original owner. 

Alititicipal Poivcrs. — In 1873 Reynoldsville was incorporated into a borough, 
and M. M. Miner was appointed chief burgess to fill the office until the ne.xt 
election. The next burgesses elected, were : J, W. Faust, M. D., F. M. Cole, 
R. C. Faust, David Hartman, and Albert Reynolds. 

The rapid growth of the town until 1875, was astonishing, and it put on 
the airs of a little city ; but the big fire of 1875, followed by another the fol- 
lowing year, almost crushed the life out of the place and business languished, 
and it was not until the building of the Soldier's Run railroad, and the open- 
ing of the mines, that the town " got on its feet again." The mines furnish 
the principal industry of the town, and William Sharpe, tlie pioneer of this coal 
region, deserves the praise for the first development of the now famous bitu- 
minous coal region of Reynoldsville. 

The Fire Record of the Tozvn. — There has been several scathing fires in 
Reynoldsville, the greatest conflagration occurring on the 25th of August, 
1875, by which twenty-one buildings in the heart of the town were destroyed, 
involving a loss estimated at almost $100,000, on which there was only $42,- 
000 insurance. Tlie principal losers were D. C. Oyster & Co., bankers, $3,000, 
insurance, $1,500; Burgess & Alexander, $4,000, insurance, $2,550; Reilley's 
Arcade Block, $7,500, insurance, $4,500; C. H. Butler, $1,000, insurance, 
$600; E. L. Brown, $1,000, insurance, $500; F. M. Cole, $13,000, insurance, 
$7,500; A. M. Cotton, $3,000, insurance, $1,500; C. H. Gordon, $3,500, 
insurance, $1,580; Thompson & Degnan, $5,000, insurance, $2,000; L. P. 
Seeley, $10,000, insurance, $4,000; M. Winslow, $2,000, insurance, $1,100; 
Brandon & Reynolds, Herald, $4,000, insurance, $2,500; A. Bogner & Co., 
$11,000, insurance, $5,700; D. Reynolds, $4,000, insurance, $1,000; H. M. 
Iseman, $4,000, insurance, $2,500; Thompson & Reynolds, $5,000; John A. 
Doyle, $3,000, insurance, $2,000; S. B. Ake, $6,000, insurance, $2,400; A. 
Bogner, $1,000, insurance, $200 ; and a number of other losses ranging from 
$50 to $800. 

Another disastrous fire occurred in 1S76, by which all the dwellings on the 

75 



622 History of Jefferson County. 

north side of Main street, between Centennial Hall and the residence of Mrs. 
Amelia Reynolds, were destroyed. In the fall of the same year the planing- 
mill and sash and door factory of E. Campbell, and the machine-shop of Bar- 
clay & Crowell, with several dwelling-houses between First and Second streets, 
were destroyed. The following year the St. Charles hotel was burned down, 
and the saw-mill of H. S. Belknap, the large tenant house of Dr. R. M. Boyles, 
on Third street; the residence of W. H. Kneeland, on South, and above Grant, 
the shoe store and residence of Isaac Winters, on Main street ; the Warmick 
House in Ohio town, the large flouring mill of T. & S. McCreight, of Prescott- 
ville, have fallen victims to the devouring element. In the decade ending in 
1870, some fifty of the best buildings on Main street were destroyed. 

War Record, — The war record of Reynoldsville is one of which they can 
well feel proud. The majority of their boys in blue marched to the front 
under Captain Tracy, of the One Hundred and Fifth Pensylvania, and subse- 
quently served under Captains Conser and Reynolds. Of those who laid 
down their lives for the old flag, were Major John C. Conser, George W. Cross- 
ley, Benjamin L. Johnson, Joseph F. Green, Irvin R. Long, Philip N. Tapper, 
Daniel G. Carl, George Howlett, John Kirker, Joseph Rutter, John W. Rea, 
Hiram P. Sprague, Peter Sharp and John Winkleby. A few enlisted in other 
organizations, but they will all be found in that part of this work devoted to 
the war record of Jefferson county. 

During the war the village was almost deserted. The men and the boys 
were doing the fighting, while the wives and children and the aged parents 
they had left behind were waiting in dreary suspense for "news from the war." 

General Business. — There is one banking house in Reynoldsville, estab- 
lished about 1874, by F. K. Arnold & Co. It is now owned by Seeiey, Alex- 
ander & Arnold. W. B. Alexander is the cashier. 

Charles H. Gordon, general store (double) clothing, dry goods, etc., was 
started in 1867, by C. H. Gordon & Brother, then C. H. Gordon, until 1875, 
when a co-partnership was formed by Mr. Gordon, with L. P. Seeiey, as Gor- 
don & Seeiey. Mr. Seeiey soon retired, and the business has since been con- 
ducted by C. H. Gordon. 

McKibbon & Brown, drug store established November, 1874. 

E. D. Seeiey, dealer in groceries, established May, 1886. 

Dr. S. Reynolds, drug store, established about 1879. 

King & Coleman, drug store, established about 1871. 

H. A. Stoke, drug store, successor to Stoke & McConnell, established in 
1882, owned by Mr. Stoke since April i, 1887. 

J. B. Arnold, dry goods and clothing store, established by Arnold & Alex- 
ander, owned by J. B. Arnold, since 1884. 

C. C. Gibson, dry goods and clothing store, established spring of 1882. 

B. E. Wellendorf, dealer in all kinds of hardware, and house furnishing 
goods, carpets, etc., established October, 1875. 



WiNSLOw Township. . 623 



N. Hanan, general store, established in 1875, b)' Hanan & Strause. Since 
1878, owned by N. Hanan. 

Joseph Strause, general store, established June, 1879. 

Guth & McConnell, jewelry store, established in April, 1883. 

Hamilton & Dennison, dealers in dry goods, groceries, etc., successors to 
J. C. King & Co.; owned by present firm since March, 1S86. 

D. McCracken, dealer in groceries, established June, 1867- 

J. A. Harding, grocery store, started in October, 1878, by Gordon & Hard- 
ing. Since 1880, owned by J. A. Harding. 

I. H. London, grocery, flour and feed store, started May, 1881. 

S. J. Iseman, grocery store, established in 1885. 

A. G. Milliron, grocery store, started by Jameson & Spears, in 1882, then 
sold to Jacob Schwem, who in turn disposed of it to A. G. Milliron, in 1885. 

E. S. Lawrence, grocery store, successor to Degman & McDonald. The 
business has been run by the present proprietor since 1883. 

W. S. Sankey, general store and grocery, established December, 1871. 

Joseph S. Morrow, general merchandise, established April, 1885. 

E. T. McGraw, boot and shoe store, established September, 1882. 

S. T. Dougherty, grocery store. This store was removed from Brookville, 
about 1883, by I. C. Fuller, who run it a short time, when it was purchased 
by Mr. Dougherty. 

Frank J. Black, book store, and news depot, established December, 1877. 

Joseph ZoUner, jr., jewelry store, and dealer in pianos, organs, etc., estab- 
lished in 1 885. 

Priester & Brother, dealers- in furniture, established in 1887. 

M. Cartin, grocery store, established by H. I. Cartin, in 1873. 

Bell, Lewis & Yates, "company store," established in 1885, E. J. Lofts, 
manager. 

Mrs. Mary G. Brown, millinery store, established in 1 88 1. 

Miss R. McCallin, millinery store, established in 1879. 

Miss Hattie Cotton, millinery store, established April, 1887. 

Mary E. Moore, millinery store, established in 1879. 

Miss Florence Best, millinery and dressmaking, established April, 1887. 

D. Bolger, merchant tailor, established December, 1879. 

M. Geisler, merchant tailor, established August, 1884. 

A. J. Broadhead, undertaking, painting and paper hanging, established in 
1885. 

J. C. Williams, photographer, established in spring of 1880. 

William Foster, dealer in confectionery, established November, 1886. 

William Barclay, bakery and confectionery, established in 1883. 

John Barto, bakery, established April, 1885. 

Charles Fries, bakery, established May, 1887. 



624 History of Jefferson County. 

J. & H. C. Dible, wagon manufactory, established in 1875. 

David Hartman, blacksmith and repair shop, established in 1874. 

Samuel Sutter, blacksmith and general repair shop, established in 1878. 

Aaron Rodgers, marble works, established in 1875, by Fulton & Rodgers. 
Rodgers sold his interest to his partner, William Fulton, in 1876, and re-pur- 
chased it in 1877. 

T. H. Scott, shoemaker, established February, 1874. 

William Barclay, saddlery and harness, establisiied in 1884. 

Felix Weber, saddlery and harness, established in 1886. 

C. N. Lewis, general insurance agent. 

H. H. Lewis, planing-mill, established in 1882. 

William E. Fhilippi, and Burton E. Hoover, dentists. 

Michael O'Halloran, tailor. 

Joseph Shaffer, agent Adam's Express Company. 

H. M. Iseman, agent American Express Company. 

Elwood DeHaven, cabinet maker. 

Burns House, built by O. Grey, in 1S55 or 1856, and sold to Thomas Rey- 
nolds in 1858. It is now owned by Charles Burns. Valentine Smith was the 
first landlord ; the next was William Ferris, then Thomas Montgomery, William 
Vandevort, John Rodebaugh, then Charles Burns, who has had charge of it 
since, with the exception of one year, when it was run by John Uillman, 
until 1886, when H. L. Kastrop, took charge of the house. 

The Reynolds House was built in 1850, by Woodward Reynolds, who kept 
the house until his death in 1861. Then it was managed for a time by his 
sons. It is now the property of his widow, Mrs. Amelia Reynolds, and has 
had numerous landlords in the last twenty- five years, among whom were H. S. 
Belknap and G. W. Stoke. Thomas Evans ib now occupying the property. 

The Belknap House was built in 1873-74, by H. S. Belknap, who kept the 
hotel until 1883, when J. H. Clover became the landlord. 

Schwem House, built in J 879, by Jacob Schwem, who occupied it until 
1887, when the property was purchased by Frank A. McConnell, who has 
refitted and remodeled the house, and is now yi: landlord of the same. 

A, M. Cotton, billiard parlor, established about 1875. 

J. C. Dillman, billiard parlor. 

William Priester, barber, successor to James Gale, established since 1879. 

William Loding, barber, started in 1886. 

R. Thomas, barber shop, established in 1887. 

Thomas Tapper, livery, sale and exchange stable, established in 1873. In 
April, 1887, Mr. Tapper purchased the livery stable of Homer B. Leech, who 
had been in the business in Re\noldsville, since 1875, and consolidated it with 
his own. 

Thomas Mahone}-, meat market, established about 1873. 



WiNSLOW Township. 625 



Blissell Brothers, meat market, established September, 1885. 
William VVilie, meat market. 

Prescottville. 

In 1853 Charles H. Prescott settled about a mile east of Reynoldsville, 
where the large flouring mill of R. S. Gathers, was located. Mr. Prescott 
entered largely in the lumber business, established a store, and gathered quite 
a number of workmen about him, and from i860 to 1870, Prescottville was the 
centre of business in Winslow township. R. S. Gathers was also one of the 
prominent lumbermen of this place, and J. H. Gorbet succeeded Mr. Prescott 
in the mercantile business. Mr. Prescott was an active member of the Baptist 
Ghurch, and in 1870, was licensed to preach by the Reynoldsville Ghurch. In 
1876, he, in connection with John H. Corbet, built the Centennial Hall in Rey- 
noldsville, in order to have a suitable place for religious services. The rooms 
underneath the hall are rented for secular business purposes, and the revenue 
thus derived, is, after the expenses are deducted, devoted to general missionary 
work Mr. Prescott removed to Michigan about 1880, and his business interests 
in Jefferson coimty are now managed by his partner, Mr. Corbet. Prescottville 
is no longer a busy mart, the only industry of any kind being the large grist- 
mill now owned by T. & S. McCreight. Dr. W. H. Reynolds's drug store is 
the only store now in the place. In 1880 the census gives the population of 
Prescottville as one hundred and thirty. 

Ohiotown. 

This is that part of Reynoldsville situated on the west side of Sandy Lick, 
where the depot and offices of the Low Grade division of the Allegheny Rail- 
road are situated. It has sprung into life since the building of the railroad, 
and since the building of the West Penn tannery is quite a busy place. In 
1880 the census gave the population of Ohiotown as two hundred and forty- 
two ; but it has been largely increased since then. There are two graded 
schools in this suburb, and the Ross and Moore hotels are also located there. 

General Business. — William Burge, grocery and general merchandise, 
established about 1878. 

M. Sloppy, grocery store. 

William Gibson, grocery, established in 1886. 

The Ross House, built in 1878 by W. S. Ross, owner and proprietor. In 
1883 an additional story was added, making it a three-story building, and in 
1885 it was again enlarged, refitted and refurnished. 

The Moore House, James Moore, owner and proprietor. This house was 
built by Dr. R. M. Boyles, in 1878, who sold it to Frank Best, .who opened it 
as the Best House. It was then purchased by A. U. Moore, who changed it 
to the Moore House. 



626 History of Jefferson County. 

Reynoldsville machine shop, Herpel Brothers proprietors, started July, 
1884. The proprietors of this shop are graduates of the Pittsburgh Locomo- 
tive Works, and make to order and repair mill, tannery and mine work. 

Jones & Wilson, planing mill. 

Saw and shingle-niill, built as a shingle-mill bj' H. S. Belknap, about 1S83. 
It was then destroyed by fire, and rebuilt as a steam saw and shingle-mill. It 
is now owned and operated by David Wheeler. 

M. T. McLain, manufacturer of Anchor pick, and general line of miner's 
tools, established in 1S79. 

The West Penn Tannery ranks next to the coal mines in importance. It 
was built in 1 88 1 by P. K. Grim & Son, from the eastern part of the State. 
They sold the concern to Messrs. Hall ,& Vaughn, of New York, in October, 
1882. When they assumed control of it they were working one hundred and 
seventy-five sides per day, while they are now turning out every day as many 
as six hundred. Their plant is situated along the Low Grade division of the 
Allegheny Valley Railroad, on twenty-five acres of land, on which they have 
bark-mills and sheds with switch tracks running into them. They have room 
under roof for twelve thousand tons of bark, and they consume annually about 
twenty thousand tons of this material, five tliousand tons of which is brought 
to them in wagons, while the remainder is conveyed to them by the Allegheny 
Valley and the Rochester and Pittsburgli Railroads. The output of the works 
is sole-leather exclusiveh', known as the "Union Backs," and having ''West 
Penn " stamped on them. In the process of tanning, both the oak and hemlock 
bark is used, and the claim made by many of the consumers that it is more 
serviceable than other similar leather, seems irrefutable. The firm allow noth- 
ing to go to waste at the tannerv. The grease they get from the fleshings taken 
from the hides, is made into three thousand pounds of tallow each week, while 
they separate the white hair from the dark, wash it and sell it to manufacturers 
of cheap clothing and carpets. The lime, after they are through with it, and 
the ashes of the burnt bark, which they use for fuel after they take the strength 
out of it, are sold for fertilizing. Not only is the West Penn Tannery orte of 
the largest in Pennsylvania, but it is as well a model industry in evevy respect. 
It is equipped with eveiy device and improvement necessary for the constant 
promotion of the business, and all of the buildings devoted to it are roofed with 
slate and iron. These buildings are protected against fire by large force- 
pumps, buckets and ample hose to reach any part of the premises, which are 
illuminated throughout by the incandescent system of electric light produced 
by a plant the firm owns for tiie purpose. Messrs. Hall & Vaughn have never 
experienced any strike among their workmen, for they paj' them good wages 
in cash every week and provide many of them with homes at very reasonable 
rent. The hides, the management work, are all of the Chicago slaughter, and 
when tanned the bodies are shipped to New York, while the scraps are sent to 



WiNSLow Township. 627 



Boston to manufacturers of cheap stock. The grease is shipped to New York, 
and the hair, averaging 400,000 pounds per year is shipped to Pittsburgh, 
Harrisburg and Philadelphia. A. P. Utter, is inside manager, and James 
Woodring is outside manager. They employ one hundred and twenty men. 

Elections. — The first election in Reynoldsville after it became a borough, 
was held October 21, 1873, and resulted in the election of the following per- 
sons to fill the different town offices : Burgess, M. M. Miner ; justices of the 
peace, George E. Wisner, William H. Jackson ; town council, J. B. McCracken, 
Joseph Pence, H. S. Belknap, W. S. Sankey, William K. Reynolds, J. Van 
Reed; auditors, D. Burgoon, J. L. Test, Albert Reynolds; constable, Samuel 
Saxton ; high constable, William Heckman ; assessor, B. F. Barris ; assistant 
assessors, E. DeHaven, William Seeley ; judge of election, William Ferris ; 
inspectors, H. M. Clark, R. M. Boyles. 

At the election held February i 5, 1887, the following persons were elected : 
Justice of the peace, C. J. Kerr; burgess, A. G. Milliron ; constable, Jerry 
Heckman ; high constable, James Tigue ; collector, Albert Reynolds ; town 
council, James Spear, D. P. Wormer; school directors, J. W. Foust, H. C. Dei- 
ble ; assessor, O. F. Smith ; auditors, C. C. Gibson, three years, H. H. Stoke, 
one year, A. T. Bings, unexpired term ; poor overseer, James Butler, two 
years, William Ferris, one year, E. T. McGaw, unexpired term ; judge of elec- 
tion, J. C. Swartz ; inspectors, J. C. Ferris, Harry Cartin. The other justice 
of the peace for Reynoldsville, is Thomas H. Scott. The other members of 
the school board are P. F. Bolger, David Wheeler, C. Mitchell and W. B. Al- 
exander. 

Taxables and Population. — The number of taxables in Reynoldsville in 
1880, were 631 ; in 1886, 729. The population according to census of 1880, 
was 1,410. 

Assessments and Valuation. — The triennial assessment for 1886, gives the 
number of acres of seated land in Reynoldsville as 200, valuation $3,710; av- 
erage per acre, $18.55 ! number of houses and lots, 661 ; valuation $95,523 ; 
unseated lots, 170; valuation, $6,755; average, $35.74; number of horses, 
125 ; valuation, $8,041 ; average value, $24.33 ! cows, 113 ; valuation, $973 ; 
average value, $8.61; occupations, 51.10; valuation, $12,777; average value, 
$25.05. Total valuation subject to county tax, $122,779. Money at interest, 
$17,501. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Reynoldsville, for the year 
ending June 7th, were 8; length of term, 6 months; number of male teachers, 
4 ; female teachers, 4 ; average salary of male teachers, $40 ; female, %t,o ; 
number of male scholars, 246; female scholars, 233 ; average attendance, 424; 
percent, of attendance, 90; cost per month, 54 cents. Thirteen mills were 
levied for school, and five for building purposes. Total amount of tax levied, 
$2,407.14. 



628 History of Jefferson County. 

Pancoast. 

Pancoast is another little village in Winslow township, situated on the Low 
Grade Railroad, which owed its existence to the opening of the mines of the 
Reynoldsville and Washington coal companies, and was for several years quite 
a brisk little mining town, but the collieries are now worked out. In 1880 
the census gave the population of Pancoast as 131. 

Sandy Valley. 

This is also a little hamlet situated on the same railroad. It has one store 
and the post-ofifice of Sandy Valley. William Boner manages both. In 1S80 
the population of Sandy Valley was TJ. 

R.\thmel. 

Rathmel is at the terminus of the Soldier's Run Railroad, and where the 
upper mines of Bell, Lewis and Yates are situat';d. It is a small place, started 
about the time of the finishing of the Low Grade Railroad, by John A. Wilson, 
of Philadelphia, chief engineer of the road, who built a large steam saw-mill 
there. 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 
nLSTORY OF Hf:ATH TOWX.SHIP. 

THE seventeenth township organized was Heath. It was taken from Bar- 
nett, in 1847, and was called for Elijah Heath, one of the first settlers 
of the county, and for many years a prominent citizen of Brookville. It is 
bounded on the north by Forest county, from which it is divided by the Clarion 
River, on the east by Polk township and Elk county, on the south by Eldred, 
Warsaw and Polk, and on the west by Barnett. 

Geology. — This region being an almost unbroken wilderness, verj- little 
coal or limestone is found. Wood being in such great abundance, no atten- 
tion has been paid to the small coal deposits. The most of the uplands being 
rugged, unbroken wastes, the massive rocks of the Homewood sandstone be- 
ing the principal features of the geology. In the region of Raught's Mills, 
huge boulders of these rocks are found, which from their gigantic size, deserve 
the celebrity they have acquired as curiosities. 

Early Settlers. — The first settlers in Heath township appear to have been 
Job Carr, James Aharah and John Wynkoop. Mr. K. L. Blood, of Brookville, 
says of the early settlement of this region : " My father took me, in the fall 



Heath Township. 629 



of 1833, to what was then Ridgvvay township, now Heath Job Carr lived 
there, and was running a saw-mill, and was then building a dam across the 
Clarion River. James Watterson, of Armstrong, now Clarion county, had 
made a settlement at the mouth of Spring Creek, and built a saw- mill in 1833, 
and a man named Ransom and Ralph Hill, had built a shanty, and took up- 
what was then supposed to be vacant land, in the Beech Bottom, now owned 
by Calvin Rodgers." This mill of Job Carr, which was about one mile above 
Millstone, was the first mill built in what is now Heath township. Mr. Carr 
took out and ran to market the first lumber. The first school-house was built 
at Lathrop's, and the first church was built on the Edeburn farm, about 1883. 

Lumbering has always been the principal business of the township, Heath 
being noted for its fine timber, and the majority of those operating in the town- 
ship have resided elsewhere. One of the principal steam mills was owned by 
George G. Frazier. This property has recently been sold by Mr. P'razier. The 
other mills in operation in 1887, are those of L. C. Wynkoop, of Pittsburgh, 
and William Dickey, of Brookville. 

Farms. — The rugged wilderness condition of Heath has precluded farming 
to any great extent, but some good farm land is found especially along Spring 
Creek, where farms have been opened up, the best of which are those of Sam- 
uel Wallace, R. S. Winlack, William Kelly, George Frazier and William Cris- 
pin. The only post-office in Heath township is Dunkle. There is some tim- 
ber yet to be found in Heath, and deer and bears are found amid its rocky wil- 
derness, while its streams especially Clear Creek, are noted for excellent speck- 
led trout. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Heath township, February 22, 
1847, ^"^ resulted in the election of the following persons : ^ Justice of the 
peace, John Kenning, John Wynkoop, Abram Winsor ; supervisors, Abram 
Winsor, David Rankin, William Dougherty, John Kenning, D. H. Dimmon ; 
assessors, Abram Winsor, John Kenning, John G. Cayle ; auditors, Henry 
Raught, David Rankin, Patrick O'Neil, Abram Winsor, John Wynkoop, 
George Vasbinder, John G. Cayle ; constable, Robert Aharra ; judge of elec- 
tion, David Rankin ; inspectors, John Knopsnyder, D. H. Dimmon, John Ken- 
ning ; school directors, Henry Raught, John Wynkoop, David Rankin, Abram 
Winsor, D. H. Dimmon, Patrick O'Neil, William Dougherty. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following were elected: 
Justice of the peace, Naman Kirkland ; constable, Michael Bott ; super- 
visors, Adam Hidinger and Jacob Hidinger; school directors, Adam Hidinger 
and R. M. Painter; auditor, Elrod Aharrah ; assessor, R. M. Painter; tax 
collector, Martin Disque ; treasurer, Thompson Crow; clerk, Mathias Melzer; 
poor overseer, S. H. Wallace ; judge of election, William Aharrah ; inspect- 

l This is the election return just as given in the election docket, which does not specify who were 
elected justice of the peace, supervisor, assessor, or school directors. 
76 



630 History of Jefferson County. 

ors, J. B. Haight and T. J. Crow. The other justice of the peace is \\'illiam 
Kelly. The other members of the school board are John B. Haight, S. H. 
Wallace, James Aharrah and A. J. Harriger. 

The number of taxables in Heath township in 1849, were 62 ; in 1856, 56; 
in 1863, 37; 1870, 78; 1880,65; 1886, 84. The population by census of 
1850, was 203 ; 1860,214; 1870,247; 1880,207. 

The number of acres seated land in Heath, in 1 886, were 5,267 ; valuation, 
$14,737; average value per acre, $2.79; one saw-mill, valuation, $300; num- 
ber of acres unseated, 5,287; valuation, $16,107; average value per acre, 
$3.06; number of horses, 47 ; valuation, $2,170; average value, $46; num- 
ber of cows, 63; valuation, $778; average value, $1235; occupations, 30; 
valuation, $920; average, $30.61. Total valuation subject to county tax, 
$350.12. Money at interest, $1,158. 

The number of schools in Heath township, for the year ending June 7, 
1886, were 4; length of term, 5 months; number of female teachers, 5; 
average salary of teachers, $20; number of male scholars, 19; female, 19; 
average attendance, 22; per cent, of attendance, 60; cost per scholar, $2.33 ; 
mills levied for school purposes, 13. Total amount of tax levied for school 
purposes, $5,581. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 
HISTORY OF lUNGGOLD TOVYXSHIP. 

RINGGOLD, the eigtheenth township, was organized in 1848, being taken 
from Porter township. It was named in honor of Major Ringgold, a gal- 
lant officer of the United States army, who was killed at the battle of Palo Alto, 
in 1846. The township is bounded on the north by Beaver township, on the 
east by Rose and Oliver, on the south by Porter, and on the west by Arm- 
strong county. 

Topography and Drainage. — Little Sandy Creek flows along its northern 
jdge, and Pine Run along its southern edge. Both streams occupy deep and 
-wide valleys. The centre of the township is high, but much broken by small, 
lateral ravines, one set of which trends north towards the Little Sandy, and the 
■other south, to Pine Run. Along the beds of the main valleys, the elevation 
above tide-water ranges from twelve hundred and fifty to thirteen hundred 
and fifty feet ; on the uplands the summits occasionally attain an altitude of 
sixteen hundred feet above the ocean. 

Geology. — There is coal found in nearly all parts of Ringgold township, the 
only important beds being the Freeport Upper, and the Kittanning Lower coal. 



e 



Ringgold Township. 631 



These beds are from three to four feet thick, of good coal, but have been but 
httle investigated, as there is no demand except for local supply. Limestone 
of good quality is plentifully found. Mr. W. G. Piatt thus describes it: "The 
ferriferous limestone is below water level, at A. Enty's, at which place it is well 
exposed, being quarried for fertilizing purposes. The stratum is about four 
feet thick, in one compact layer of light grayish color, brittle, of good quality, 
and fossiliferous, displaying in this respect its characteristic encrinite stems." 

The Early Settlers. — The first settlers in what is now Ringgold township, 
were Andrew Shaffer, David Milliron and Vanlear, who settled there in 18 18. 
Tliey came from Northumberland and Westmoreland counties. They cleared 
the first land, and made the first improvements. A number of their descend- 
ants yet reside in the township. 

Daniel Geist, who is the oldest citizen of Worthville, came to Jefferson 
county in 1834. He was born in Upper Mahanoy township, Northumberland 
county, June 17, 1809, and when sixteen years of age learned the millwright 
trade, at which he worked for several years in his native county, and then 
came the great cry of " Westward Ho !" and Mr. Geist became engulfed in the 
tide of emigration that was flowing westward, principally to Illinois, and 
started on a packet boat on the canal, intending to take the cars at Hollidays- 
burg, but when he reached that place he found that a train had been wrecked on 
the Portage Railroad, and several persons killed, so he decided not to go west, 
but instead came to Jefferson county, having had some knowledge of the " Pine 
woods country.'.' He purchased two mill-sites, one at New Maysville, in what 
is now Clarion county, and one where Worthville now is, with a large tract of 
land in the same vicinity. He spent about a month travelling over all the 
region of country embraced now in Jefferson and Clarion counties, and then 
returned to his home in Northumberland county, taking the stage where Strat- 
tonville now is, on the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike, and introduced 
the people of the eastern part of the State to Jefferson county. Mr. Geist 
returned the next spring and erected a grist-mill at Maysville, and through the 
influence of his recommendation, within three j-ears time, Ringgold and Porter 
townships were largely settled by people from the eastern counties, who had 
not means to take them farther West. 

Among those who were thus induced to come to Jefferson county was John 
Martz, who purchased a large tract of land near the village of Ringgold, all of 
which he still owns. Mr. Geist furnished him his flour until he had cleared a 
portion of land and was able to raise his own grain. Mr. Martz is still liv- 
ing, and is the oldest citizen of the township, being eighty- nine 3'ears of age, 
and is still a healthy, active man. Among others who came to Ringgold with 
barely means to bring them there, but who now own good farms, and are in 
easy circumstances, are, Jacob Wagner, John Kiehl, Levi Mottern, Jesse Geist 
and Samuel Geist. 



632 History of Jefferson County. 

The county was full of wild game, especially wolves, bears, and deer, which 
naturally attracted hunters, and Mr. Geist relates the followin<T incidents : 
" Among other hunters who came into the region were Henry Nolf, from Clar- 
ion county, where New Bethlehem now stands, and Lewis Doverspike. They 
were hunting in the northern part of Ringgold township, and wounded a bear- 
which attacked Mr. Nolf, and would have killed him had not his cries brought 
Doverspike to his assistance. The latter found that the bear had Nolf down, 
and was tearing away at him in a terrible manner with teeth and claws. He 
tried to shoot the animal, but his gun missed fire, and he then punched the 
bear in the ribs with his gun, causing it to leave Nolf and take after him. 
It chased Doverspike around a tree several times before he succeeded in get- 
ting a shot at it. After killing the bear he went to Nolf s assistance, and found 
him so badly wounded that he begged Doverspike to kill him and put him out 
of his misery. This, of course, Doverspike refused to do, but being a remark- 
ably strong man, he picked Nolf up and carried him three miles to a house, 
from where he was removed to his home, and finally recovered from his 
wounds. Several years after he was again hunting in the southern part of the 
township, where he and his son George had erected a small shanty to stay in 
at night. One evening Mr. Nolf went to cut down a tree for fire-wood, and 
the tree splitting at the butt, snapped off, falling upon and killing him instantly. 
When his son discovered what had befallen his father, he had to go some three 
miles before he could get help and a team to take the body home. They then 
had to summon men from the Dutch Settlement, near Redbank Creek, to hold 
an inquest: and a part)- started with a jug of whisky, and the same night held 
an inquest, and then started for Milliron's, the nearest neighbor's house ; but 
on the road they lost the body, it having rolled out of the sled into the snow. 
When they discovered the loss, one of the party remarked that he expected 
he (Nolf) was on a deer's track. They found him, however, by the side of the 
road, and took him home. 

" Another man by the name of Hettrick, followed trapping and hunting. 
One morning his wife went to look after the traps, and found a wolf in one of 
them. Not having a gun, she tied a butcher-knife to a stick antl run the knife 
repeatedly into the animal's side until she killed it." 

The first year that Daniel Geist lived in Ringgold, he killed nine deer and 
one large bear, but he soon found that hunting was not a paying business, and 
quit it. Mr. Geist though in his seventy- eighth year, is a hale, hearty man, 
ab e to attend to his business. He resides at Worthville, where he still owns a 
half interest in the property he bought over fifty years ago, and where in com- 
fort, he is able to quietly enjo\' the evening of his days. 

Early Business and Improvements. — The first grist-mills in the township 
were built by Daniel Geist, at what is now Worthville, and by Henry Freas, 
near the present village of Ringgold, in 1840. The first saw-mills were built 



Ringgold Township. 633 



by Isaac Cherry, on Cherry Run, in 1844, and by John and William Postle- 
thwait, at Geistown. The first church was built at David Hauses, and the first 
school-house at Valentine Shick's, near Ringgold, in 1836. The first store was 
started by Shannon & McFarland, about the year 1843, on the Shrauger farm. 

Robert McFarland kept the first hotel in 1845, in the village of Ringgold. 

In 1847, Moses Weaver had a wool-carding mill on Cherry Run, and at 
an early day the powder-mill of Henry Milliron, was also located on that 
stream. The first coal was discovered in the Enty bank, in 1837- 

The first graveyards were located on the Milliron farm, near North Free- 
dom, and at St. John's Church. William Boyer, who was drowned at Worth- 
ville, was the first person buried at the latter place. 

There is a tradition that at a very early day some settlers were killed by 
Indians, on what is now the Powell farm, near the village of Ringgold. 

Farmmg Interests. — Ringgold township has many fine farms, under good 
cultivation. It is one of the best wheat producing districts in the county, and 
is equally good for rye, corn and oats, while much attention is paid to the rais- 
ing of fruit, and apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, and the smaller fruits 
are grown on all the well improved farms. The best cultivated farms in the 
township are those of John Wise, Samuel Micheas, John Smathers and Jacob 
Wagner. Thoroughbred grades of horses, cattle and sheep are raised by Will- 
iam Stahlman, Isaac Bartoff, Samuel Geist and Filmore Smathers. There is 
no lumber trade in the township, but the coal, as before noted, is good. There 
are two churches and seven school-houses. There are two post-ofiices in Ring- 
gold besides Worthville, New Petersburg and Ringgold. 

Elections. — At an election held in the township of Ringgold, on the 25th 
day of February, 1 850, the following persons appear to be elected : Justice of 
the peace, R. M. McFarland, had 72 votes, A. M. Smith, 56; constable, Peter 
Seller, 68 ; supervisors, Amos Weaver, 69, Adam Hane, 69 ; assessor, Peter 
Seller, 23 ; auditors, William Furgeson, i year. 5, F. Shrauger, 2 years, 5, P. 
H. Shannon, 3 years, 5 ; overseer of the poor, John C. Ferguson, I ; school 
directors, William Ferguson, jr., 21, D. D. Boyington, 21, R. M. McFarland, 
21 ; judge of election, Philip Milliron, 16; inspectors of election, Daniel Geist, 
1 1, Amos Weaver, 4. 

At the election held February 15, 1S87, the following persons were elected : 
Constable, A. B. Howard ; collector. A, B. Howard ; supervisors, Jacob Stahl- 
man, Eli Hendrix; poor overseer, William Young; school directors, Jacob 
Stahlman, Isaac Bottorf ; auditor, Reuben Wonderling; assessor, Charles Sny- 
der ; judge of election, Samuel Shilling; inspectors, William Hause, David 
Graham. The justices of the peace are, W. D. Reitz and E. A. Holben. The 
other members of the school board are Elias Dinger, John Hunger, E. A. Hol- 
ben and Philip Smathers. 

Taxables and Population. — The number of taxables in Ringgold township 



634 History of Jefferson County. 

in 1849, were 132; in 1856, 156; in 1863, 172; in 1870, 221; in 1880, 236; 
in 1886, 265. The population according to the census of 1S50, was 665 ; i860, 
909; 1870, 1,106; 1 880, 1,078. 

Assessments and Valuation of Property. — Tlie number of acres of seated 
land in Ringgold, in 1886, were 11,651 ; valuation, $54,410; average value 
per acre, $4.67 ; number of houses and lots, 51 ; valuation, $4,904; one mill, 
valuation $100 ; number of acres of unseated land, 130; valuation, $748 ; av- 
erage value per acre, $5.75 ; number of horses, 196 ; valuation, $5,440 ; aver- 
age value, $22 40 ; number of cows, 300 ; valuation, $2,369 ; average value, 
$7.87; number of occupations, 60; valuation, $1,070 ; average, $17.83. To- 
tal valuation subject to county tax, $69,041. Money at interest, $17,061. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Ringgold township for the 
year ending June 7, 1886, were 7 ; length of term, 5 months; number of male 
teachers, 4 ; female teachers, 2 ; average salary, $25 ; number of male schol- 
ars, 201 ; female, 157; average attendance, 238; per cent of attendance, 78; 
cost per scholar, 51 cents; mills levied for school purposes, 10. Total amount 
levied for school purposes, $977.34. 

VVORTHVILLE. 

The village of Worthville was laid out by Daniel Geist, and was for a long 
time known as Geistown, until 1854, when it took its name of Worthville, from 
the post-office established there. April 1, 1878, it was incorporated as a bor- 
ough, the only one in the township. In 1858, Worthville contained about eighty 
citizens, one store, one grist-mill, two saw-mills, one blacksmith and one car- 
penter shop. There were in 1887 the saw-mill of Jacob Wagner, with a daily 
capacity of two thousand feet, the large grist-mill of Daniel and Samuel Geist. 
The hotels are kept by Elias Geist and Alvin Startzell. There are two general 
stores kept by H. K. Carrier & Son, and Wagner & Smith, and the shops of 
Elias Buzzard, Martin Reymer, Amos Caylor and Robert Richards. 

There is a cemetery in Worthville, the first person interred there, being 
Andrew Falk, who was drowned in a tan-vat at Worthville. 

Elections. — The first election held in Worthville after it was incorporated 
as a borough was April 30, 1878, when the following were elected : Justice of 
the peace, S. M. Bleakney ; burgess, D. Geist; town council, M. R. Putney, S. 
M. Geist, E. H. Geist, S. M. Bleakney, J. Wagner, Elias Buzzard ; constable, 
W. S. Kiehl ; high constable, James Richards, auditors, W. A. Putney, W. 
H. Smith, R. G. Dinger; overseers, W. H. Smith, W. B. King, S. M. Geist. E. 
H. Geist ; assessor, W. S. Kiehl ; school directors, D. W. Smith, J. G. Geist, A. 
Holben, Joseph Simons, J. Wagner, S. M. Geist ; judge of election, T. L. Hall ; 
inspectors, D. W. Smith, Jacob Wagner. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following were elected : Bur- 
gess, A. C. Richards; constable, Elias Buzzard ; high constable, Elias Kiehl ; 



Ringgold Township. 635 



tax collector, Elias Buzzard; assessor, E. H. Geist ; town council, S. M. Geist, 
Amos Caylor ; auditor, James G. Resslar ; school directors, W. S. Smathers, 
D. W. Smith ; poor overseers, S. M. Geist, Jacob Wagner ; judge of election, 
S. M. Geist; inspectors, Amos Holben, A. C. Richards. The justices of the 
peace of Worthville, are Thomas L. Hall and George B. Shannon, and the 
other members of the school board are Amos Caylor, Amos Holben, T. L. 
Hall and Amos Geist. 

Taxables and Population. — The number of taxables in Worthville, in 18S0, 
were 46 ; in 1886, 55. The population in 1880, was 174 

Assessment and Valuation of Property. — The triennial assessment for 1886, 
gives the number of acres of unseated land in Worthville, as 376 ; valuation, 
$2,800 ; average per acre, $7.70 ; number of houses and lots, 52 ; valuation, 
$4,522; one grist-mill, valuation, $400; number of horses, 15; valuation, 
$305; average value. $20; number of cows, 31; valuation, $375; average, 
$12.23 ; occupations, 27 ; valuation, $553 ; average, $18.15. Total valuation 
subject to county tax, $8,937. Money at interest, $28,524. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Worthville, for the year end- 
ing June 7, 1886, were I ; length of term, 5 months ; number of male teachers, 
I ; salary of teacher, $30; number of male scholars, 33 ; females, 28; aver- 
age attendance, 52 ; per cent, of attendance, 93 ; cost per month, 57 ; eight 
mills were levied for school purposes. Total amount of tax levied, $111.13. 

Ringgold. 

Ringgold is the other village in the township. Its first post-office was estab- 
lished in 1 847. It is situated in the midst of a fine farming country. The Ea- 
gle Hotel, is kept by W. D. Geist, whose daughter, Susanna, is post-mistress. 
There are three general stores kept by R. Wonderling, E. A. Holben and W. 
Donnis. The store of John A. Geist, is situated on Pine Run. There is also 
a tannery owned and operated by Solomon Falk, near Ringgold, and the saw- 
mill of Isaac Brocius, on Pine Run, and the grist-mill of Elias Buck, near 
Ringgold. There is a cemetery located at Ringgold. 

Among those prominently identified with the early history of the village of 
Ringgold, was P. H. and M. H. Shannon, who were for a number of years en- 
gaged in merchandising there. The former was twice appointed postmaster 
at Ringgold. In i860 he was elected sheriff of Jefferson county, and removed 
to Brookville, where he resided until his death, in 1883. Martin H. Shannon 
is a resident of Brookville ; Daniel Shannon, their father, settled in Armstrong 
county, in 1823, from where he removed to Beaver township, in 1848, and 
resided there until 1861, when he went to reside with his son, Philip H. Shan- 
non, at Brookville, where he died in the ninety-first year of his age. Mr. 
Shannon was a soldier of the War of 1812. 



636 History of Jefferson County. 

CHAPTER L. 
HISTORY OF UNIOX TOWNSHIP. 

UNION township was organized in 1849, being taken from Rose and El- 
dred, and made the nineteenth in number. The name was derived from 
the term appUed to our whole country and which signifies so much to the 
American citizens. It is bounded on the north by Eldred, on the east by EI- 
dred and Rose, on the south by Clover, and on the west by Clarion count)'. 

Drainage. — Mill Creek flows northwestward through a deep and rugged val- 
ley, which extends along the entire northern edge of the township. Little 
Mill Creek, also flowing west, has cut another deep ravine a few miles farther 
south. South of the last and running due east and west is a narrow but dis- 
tinct watershed, which divides the waters of the Clarion River from those of 
the Red Bank. The Brookville Pike follows the summit of this divide and 
thus plainly marks its course upon the map. South of the divide are several 
small runs, of which the most important is Coder and Welch Runs. 

The average altitude above sea level along the divide is about 1,550 feet, 
which expresses very closely the elevation of the uplands throughout the 
township. Corsica stands at its level, so also does Roseville and the Metho- 
dist Church on the divide between the two Mill Creeks. Here and there are 
prominent knobs which rise for too feet or so above the general average and 
form conspicuous summits or " round tops." Evans's round top, the most pro- 
minent feature in the topography of Union township, is an instance of one of 
these summits. 

Geology. — While all the Kittainning coal beds are found in Union town- 
ship the Kittanning middle seam is the best and is found from four to five feet 
in thickness. This is the bed worked at W. B. Cowans, where in all the rooms 
of the mine it shows three feet of good coal with slate roof and fire-clay floor. 
The coal at William B. Kennedy's and William L. Morrison's is the same as 
that found in the Cowan mine. The Brookville coal is also found three feet 
thick but is of an inferior character. The Freeport limestone is also found at 
Henry Evans's and other parts of the township, four feet in thickness and of 
good quality for fertilizing purposes. 

Early Settlers. — The first settler in what is now Union township was John 
Scott, a brother of Samuel Scott, who came with the Barnetts from Lycoming 
county. He married a daughter of Paul Clover and made the first improve- 
ment where the town of Corsica is now located about 1802. William Love 
came from the vicinity of Sligo, then Armstrong county, about 1820, and 
there was then but one family living there, that of John Scott. Mr. Love 
would therefore be the second citizen of Union. He settled on the farm now 



Union Township. 637 



owned by heirs of Andrew Steele. His son William's widow is now living in 
Corsica, aged eighty-four years, and has in her possession the first old-fashioned 
wheel for spinning flax that was made in this part of the country. A daughter 
of William Love, Miss Elizabeth, who is eighty-one years of age, also makes 
her home in Corsica. 

One of the first settlers was Elisha M. Graham, who located on the farm 
now owned by Sheridan McCuUough, to whom he sold it in 1829. 

Samuel D. Kennedy, whose history is given in that of Rose township, set- 
tled about a mile and a half east of Corsica on the farm now owned by Samue) 
T. Simpson in 1825. In the little log cabin his good wife for weeks at a time 
lived alone while he was absent at work and many a time the Indians would 
come and chop on the trees with their tomahawks near her house, and she 
could see the red eyeballs of the wolves as they glared at her through the 
cracks of her humble dwelling. 

Probably the ne.xt settler after Scott and Love was Alexander Powers ; he 
also located at the intersection of the Pike with the Olean road. 

Samuel Davison, afterwards a resident of Knox township, was one of the 
first to make any improvement in that section on the farm now owned by 
James Millen. One of the first improvements was in what is now Cowan's 
orchard, where the first blacksmith shop was located. John Devens was the 
blacksmith and was at work there when William McKee, about 1823 or 1824, 
first visited that neighborhood. Mr. McKee returned in 1837 ^"d located on 
the farm where he now resides, and he also worked at blacksmithing. 

One of the early settlers in Union was Joseph Kaylor. Mr. Kaylor first 
settled in what is now Rose township near the present residence of William 
Rodgers where he made the first brick in the county and where was located 
the first brick yard. He removed from there to the farm near Corsica now 
owned by Joseph Matson, where he built a large brick house and where he 
resided until his death. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kaylor were very hard working 
and energetic, and it is said of the latter that after assisting her husband all 
day in the brick-yard, she would sit up nearly all night and knit stockings. 
They passed their later years in ease and comfort. 

Rev. William Kennedy came with his family in 1823 and located on the 
farm now owned by his son, William B. Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy was one of 
the pioneer preachers, and was the first settled minister in the county. Three 
of his children, William B., John M. and Mrs. Mary Hindman reside in Union 
township. 

Previous to 1827 John Barnett settled on the farm now owned by Jona- 
than Haugh, and Peter Walters settled on the farm now owned by Robert 
Hindman, about 1828. 

John Christy settled on the farm now owned by John Green, in 1826. 
Michael Shadle made first improvements about 1828 on the farm now owned 



638 History of Jefferson County. 

by John Morrison. William Mendenhall settled on the farm now owned by 
his heirs, previous to 1827. Mr. Mendenhall died in 1870. John W. Monks 
settled on the farm now owned by his son, G. D. Monks, in 1828. William 
Summerville, in 1829 settled down in the woods and cleared the farm now 
owned by Nathaniel Oaks. Joseph Hughes, William Morrison, and James 
Sharp, came previous to 1827, John Fleming about 1829, Michael Troy in 1831 
or 1832. The White's came at an early day. Samuel Love is also an old 
resident of the township. 

The first marriage of which there is any record was that of James Hind- 
man to Miss Rachel Christy about 1825 or 1826. 

The first deaths were Alexander Powers and Mrs. Sharp, mother of Thomas 
and Samuel Sharp, who reside in Union. These deaths occurred about 1827. 
They were both buried in the old grave-yard on the present Cowan farm, and 
were the first interred there. Mrs. William McKee states that she, with a Miss 
Lott and another lady whose name she cannot recall, were the only women at 
Mr. Powers' funeral, and that she helped prepare the shroud in which he was 
dressed. 

Mr. William McKee states that when he first came to the neighborhood, 
there was an old school-house built of logs, standing on what is now the Ren- 
sell place, opposite Cowan's. It had first been built and used as a shanty by 
the men who worked on the turnpike. He says that the family of John Mat- 
son attended that school. The next school-house was built on the top of the 
hill west of William McKee's, in 1834 or 1835. The first church was the old 
Bethel, built in 1824, about three miles west of Brookville, near the present 
residence of Mrs. Cowan. Soon after it was built a fire broke out in the woods 
surrounding it, and the logs of which the church was constructed were much 
scorched and blackened, presenting a rather hard appearance. In 1S30 or 
1 83 1, the church was divided by a new congregation being organized at Brook- 
ville, and for a time what is now the Corsica congregation, worshiped and 
held their communion services in John Christey's barn, as the old church had 
become unfit for use. 

The first grave- yard, as has been stated, was started on the farm now 
owned by the heirs of James Cowan, and there repose nearly all the pioneer 
settlers of Union — the Christys, the Kaylors, the Hughes, Mendenhalls, and 
many others. This ground is still used as a burial place by some of the de- 
scendants of the early settlers buried there. 

The first grist-mill was built at Corsica, and the first saw-mill was erected 
on Little Mill Creek, where the Olean road crosses, by Nathan Bunker. 

The first coal was taken out on the Mendenhall farm, opposite Cowan's. 
The coal of Union township was mostly developed by James Cowan, who fol- 
lowed mining in and about Corsica for about twenty years. Mr. Cowan's set- 
tlement in Eldred township has already been noticed. He removed to Union 



Union Township. 639 



in 1866, where he purchased ten acres of hind from G. H. S. Brown, and after- 
wards, in 1867, bought the Joseph Hughes farm, where he resided until his 
death, in 1878, and where his wife and family still reside. 

Among the oldest persons, and longest residents in Union are Mr. William 
McKee, who is now eighty-two years of age, and his wife, who is not much 
younger. They have lived in Union over sixty years. Mr. Sheridan McCul- 
lough is now in the eighty-fourth year of his age, and has resided in Union 
about fifty-eight years. Mr. McCullough for some years has been almost blind. 
He says that the worst experience he had in farming in Jefferson county was 
caused by the long and severe drought of 1844, which was of longer duration 
than that of the summer of 18S7 — no rain fell for many weeks. The streams 
were almost all dry, and the mills stopped for want of water. Mr. McCullough 
had taken grain to four different mills, but though he went to the mills time 
after time, he found his grain unground, and his family had to subsist on pota- 
toes When he had gone for the ninth time to mill, his son David, and daugh- 
ter, Elizabeth, who were digging potatoes upon which to make another meal, 
descried him coming, and perceiving that he had at last a " grist" with him, 
threw down their hoes and rushed to the house, knowing that they would have 
bread at last. Mr. William B. Kennedy, though not the oldest in years, is 
probably the oldest citizen of the township, to which he came with his parents 
almost sixty-five years ago. 

Nearly every person who travels the road between Corsica and Brookville 
knows where " Ghost Hollow " is. This dark, grewsome place is the ravine 
of Campbell's Run, where, years ago, a man named Campbell built a saw-mill, 
the rotting timbers of which are still to be seen. It is said that one evening in 
1831 a terrific rain and wind storm visited the locality, and that all those from 
Union who had been in Brookville that day took shelter from the storm at the 
house of Joseph Clements, except one man who, with his wife and two children, 
were in a carriage, drawn by two horses. Although the others earnestly be- 
sought him to stop until the storm was over, he refused, saying he would go 
on to his destination or to h — , and drove on. When the storm had subsided 
it was found that a large tree had fallen across the carriage, crushing it to the 
ground, and killing this man, who was driving, instantly, while the horses and 
other inmates of the carriage escaped unharmed. It was for a long time 
asserted by the ignorant and superstitious that the hollow where this occurred 
was haunted by the ghost of this unfortunate man, who would appear to be- 
lated travelers, and one stage driver asserted that on one dark, stormy night 
his horses were stopped by the ghost, at which he threw a hatchet. The 
ghost must have been somewhat dishonest, as the hatchet could not be found 
the next morning. The uneasy spirit of Ghost Hollow seems to have been 
appeased of late years, as very little is now heard of it, only as a legend of the 
past, the only excitement that the locality has had in later years being the un- 



640 History of Jefferson County. 

successful attempt to get gas in the hollow, a test well being put down there 
in 1886. 

Present Business, ete. — At present there is only one store in Union town- 
ship, kept by William B. Cowan at his coal mines. There are two saw-mills, 
both on Little Mill Creek, one owned by Marlin Brothers, and the other by 
Charles Love. There is no hotel in the township outside of Corsica, and for a 
number of years there has been no licensed house. 

Mail facilities are supplied to the citizens of Union by the post-ofifices of 
Corsica and Brookville. 

Farms — Farming is the principle business of Union, and among the best 
improved farms are those of William L. Morrison, Joseph D. Orr, Crawford 
Hindman, Matson Knapp, Joseph Matson, Thompson Moore, James Moore, 
Hugh Magill, J. H. Kennedy, David Simpson, Robert Hindman, James Cow- 
an's estate. 

Those farmers in the township paying the most attention to raising im- 
proved stock are : L M. Knapp, Peter B. Cowan, and Thompson Moore. 

Excellent fruit, apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, etc., are raised on 
nearly all the farms. 

Elections. — At an election held in the township of Union, on the 25th day 
of February, 1850, the following persons were elected: Justices of the peace, 
WiUlam H. Barr, John W. Monks ; constable, Anthony Rencill ; supervisors, 
Samuel Hindman, Joseph Hughes; assessor, J. K. Mendenhall ; auditor, Jo- 
seph Summerville ; fence appraisers, Michael Haugh, Joshua McKinley, Will- 
iam Kelly ; overseers of the poor, John J. Y. Thompson, Joseph Kaylor ; 
school directors, George H. S. Brown, Samuel Sowers, William M. Hindman ; 
town clerk, Ebenezer Barton ; judge of election, George H. S. Brown ; inspec- 
tors, David Lamb, William McKee. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following township officers 
were elected : Constable, George Shultz ; tax collector, George Shultz ; school 
directors, N. J. Hawk, L. Clinger ; supervisors, N. J. Hawk, J. W. Kyle ; au- 
ditor, John Morrison ; assessor, James Brown ; justice of the peace, James 
Brown ; poor overseer, G. W. Kelso; town clerk, John Mendenhall; judge of 
election, R. A. Summerville; inspectors, G. B. Orr, J. P. Steel. 

The other justice of the peace is J. T. Aaron, and R. A. Summerville, 
S. Snyder, William Moore, and J. H. Summerville are the other members of 
the school board of Union. 

The number of taxables in L-nion township in I S49 was 93 ; in 1856, 179; 
in 1863, iio; in 1870, 156; in 1880, 205; in 1886, 206. The population, 
according to the census of 1850, was 597 ; 1S60, 542 ; 1870, 595 ; 1880, 809. 
The decrease of taxables and population was on account of the erection of 
Corsica into a borough in 1859. 

The triennial assessment for 1886 gives the number of acres of seated land 



Union Township. 641 



in Union township as 9,980 ; valuation, $42,163 ; average value, $4.43. Saw- 
mills, 3; valuation, $400. Unseated, 274 acres; valuation, $1,888; average 
per acre, $6.89. Number of horses, 155 ; valuation, $3,670; average value, 
$2293. Number of cows, 223; valuation, $1,904; average value, $8.53. 
Oxen, 2 ; valuation, $40. Number of occupations, 49; valuation, $1,865; 
average, $38.00. Total valuation subject to county tax. $51,930. Money at 
interest, $14,192. 

The number of schools in Union township for the year ending June 7, 1886, 
were 5 ; average term taught, 5 months ; teachers, 3 females and 2 males ; 
average salary of female teachers, $27.00 ; males, $23.43 ; number of male 
scholars, 123; number of females, 116; average attendance, 169; percent, 
of attendance, 84 ; cost per scholar, 56 cents ; mills levied for school purposes, 
1 3 ; mills levied for building purposes, 2 ; total amount of tax levied for schoo] 
purposes, $764.02. 

Corsica. 

The first improvements made in what is now the borough of Corsica, was 
about 1802, as has already been stated, by John Scott and Alexander Powers. 
The first hotel was McAnulty's, which was located at the intersection of Olean 
road and the pike, and the first store was Lee Tipton's in 1835 or 1836. The 
town was first surveyed and laid out in 1847 by John J. Y. Thompson and 
Daniel Stanard, esq., of Indiana. Mr. Thompson had previously purchased a 
tract of land of Mr. Stanard, einbracing what is now the town of Corsica, 
where he erected a hotel and where he was appointed postmaster in 1843. 
Mr. Thompson gave the name Corsica to the new town, calling it for the birth 
place of Nopoleon Bonaparte, an island in the Mediterranean. In 1856 Cor- 
sica is spoken of by the papers of the day as " a thriving town seven miles 
west of Brookville, with about three hundred citizens, and containing five 
stores, three taverns, two blacksmith shops, two churches, and one in process 
of erection, two groceries, two tailor shops, two shoe shops, one wagon shop, 
one cabinet shop, one school-house, a line of stages passes through east and 
west daily." 

Corsica was incorporated as a borough in i860. Among its oldest citizens 
besides those already mentioned, is Hon. Peter Clover, eldest son of Paul 
Clover, one of the first settlers in Clearfield county. John Scott, the first set- 
tler at Corsica, married Mr. Clover's sister. He was one of the first Metho- 
dists in Jefferson county, being one of the original members of the class formed 
at Troy. Mr. Clover is now ninety-two years of age, but retains all his men- 
tal faculties unimpaired. 

Another of the old residents whose history is interwoven with the first era 
of civilization in Jefferson county is the venerable Isaac Jones, son of Peter 
Jones, who has been already noticed in the history of the first settlers of the 



642 History of Jefferson County. 

county. Mr. Jones's. motlier was a sister of John Scott above noted. He has 
resided during the greater part of his life on his farm west of Corsica, in Clar- 
ion county, but in his declining years has come to Corsica, where his son, 
Joseph Barnett Jones, resides. Mr. Jones, who is now in the eighty-seventh 
year of his age, in 1826 married Jane Love Wilson, who is also past eighty. 
They have been more graciously favored than usually falls to the lot of persons 
wedded here below, having in 1876 celebrated their golden wedding, and Jan- 
uary 9. 1886, celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of that event at the home of 
their son, J. B. Jones, of Corsica. A sister of Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Nancv Hender- 
son, wife of Judge Henderson, of Brookville, was the only one present on this 
occasion who had witnessed the ceremony sixty years before. Mr. and Mrs. 
Jones are cheerful and happy in their old age, and bid fair to celebrate more 
anniversaries of their marriage day. 

Two of Mr. Jones's children reside in Corsica, Miss Rebecca with her aged 
parents, and J. B. Jones, who is one of Corsica's most prominent citizens, hav- 
ing for about fifteen years been engaged in merchandising and lumbering 
there. 

Fires. — Corsica has been twice terribh' devastated by the fire fiend. The 
first fire occurred on the night of March 17, i860. The loss principally fell 
upon E. B. Orcutt, whose hotel, occupied by Calvin B. Clark, was destroyed. 
The entire loss was estimated at $3,000. 

In 1873 nearly the whole town was laid in ashes, the loss being estimated 
at $100,000. 

The first grist-mill in Union township was built in Corsica by John P. 
Wann, a short time before the big fire. 

Pisgah Presbyterian Church was the first erected in the town, and the first 
grave-yard was laid out adjacent to it, the first interment being a child of Da- 
vid and Polly Lamb. Mrs. Lamb, the mother of this child, now resides at Port 
Barnett. 

Pj-esent Business — In 1887 the business register of Corsica was as follows: 

J. B. Jones, general store ; G. M. Simpson, dry goods and groceries; R. R. 
Snyder, dry goods and groceries ; Isaac Lucas & Son, dry goods and gro- 
ceries ; F. R. Knapp, groceries and feed ; Mrs. Ellen Ray, millinery goods; 
Miss Hettie Reed, millinery goods ; Holden & Scott, drug store ; C. N. Ray, 
dentist ; D. Glenn & Co., shoe shop ; W. H. Scott, shoe shop ; Robert Moore, 
shoe shop ; H. A. Smith, blacksmith ; P. C. Love, blacksmith ; A. P. Simkins, 
blacksmith; J. A. Myers, harness maker; Jones & Orr, planing-mill ; A. 
Knabb, stave-mill and jointer ; A. M. Slack, dealer in wagons and buggies, and 
undertaker ; E. B. Orcutt, hotel ; W. B Glenn, barber. 

There are three churches in Corsica, Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic. 
Corsica sustains an e.\cellent select school, or academy. 

The post-office at Corsica was established in 1843, and the present post- 



Union Township. 643 



mistress, Mrs. Sarah A. Reed, has handed out the mail to the citizens of that 
pleasant little town for the past twenty-five years, having been appointed in 
1862. 

Elections. — The first election after Corsica became incorporated as a bor- 
ough, was held in i860, and resulted in the election of the following town 
officers : 

Justice of the peace, James Garvin, S. P. Barr; constable, H. McGiffin ; town 
council, W. B. Mapes, S. C. Espy, F. H. Sowers, J. C. McCombs, William B. 
Slack; auditors, D. Undercofter, G. H. Kennedy, J. L. McCullough ; assessor, 
J. W. Rea, J. J. Merideth ; judge of election, William B. Slack, J. H. Dill (tie 
vote) ; inspectors, Samuel Short, F. Sowers ; school directors, J. W. Rea, Will- 
iam B. Slack, J. W. Ardery, J. C. McCombs ; burgess, A. Slack. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected: 

Burgess, N. Taylor ; justice of the peace, A. M. Slack ; constable, W. H. 
Glenn ; town council, A. P. Simkins and I. D. Lucas ; school directors, John 
McCullough and A. P. Simpkins and John Myers, tie vote ; poor overseer, 
John McCauly ; assessor, Samuel Cable; collector, J. M. Garvin; auditor, W. 
B. Reed ; judge of election, J. H. Monks; inspectors, Harry Thompson and I. 
H. Smith. 

The other members of the school board are A. Knabb, N. Corbet, J. H. 
Monks and R. R. Snyder. 

The taxables in Corsica in 1863 were 45 ; in 1870, 89; in 1880, 91 ; in 
1886, 126. 

The population of Corsica in i860 was 249; 1870, 372; 1880, 391. 

The triennial assessment for 1886 gives the number of acres of seated land 
in Corsica as 21 1 ; valuation, $3,053 ; average per acre, $14.42 ; number of 
houses and lots, 112 ; valuation, $10,171 ; number of horses, 47 ; valuation, 
$1,390; average vali^, $29.57 ; number of cows, 36 ; valuation, $336 ; aver- 
age value, $9.33 ; number of occupations, 69; valuation, $1,890; average, 
$27.39; total valuation subject to county tax, $16,840; money at interest, 
$32,603. 

The number of schools in Corsica borough for the year ending June 7, were 
three ; number of months taught, five ; one male and two female teachers ; sal- 
ary of male teacher, $35 ; females average salary, $26.50; number of male 
scholars, 60; females, 71 ; average attendance, 105 ; per cent, of attendance, 
94 ; cost per scholar, 64 ; thirteen mills levied for school, and five for building 
purposes; total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, 
$1,300.56. 



644 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER LI. 

HISTORY OF BEAVER TOWNSHIP. 

BEAVER, the twentieth township, was organized in 1850, being formed from 
portions of Clover and Ringgold. It was named for the principal stream 
within its bounds, Beaver Run, which traverses the township from east to 
west, entering Red Bank at Heathville. 

This township has Clover township on the north and Rose and Oliver on 
the east while on the west is Clarion county, and Ringgold forms the south- 
ern boundary, being separated from the latter by Little Sandy while Red Bank 
flows along its western boundary. These two streams then unite just beyond 
the Jefferson county border. The central part of the township and the east- 
ern part consists of high land much diversified by small ravines, but contain- 
ing summits which range from 400 to 450 feet above Red Bank Creek. 

Geology. — The principal coal found in Beaver is the Brookville seam, which 
is the only workable one. Its average thickness is four and a half feet though 
it has been opened at Hetrick's where it was found to be seven feet thick. 
The Freeport, Kittanning and Clarion coals are of no account in Beaver town- 
ship. 

The Freeport upper limestone is one of the conspicuous features of the 
geology of Beaver. It tops all of the highest knobs, and is found at D. Buck's 
and at E. Jones's, near Worthville, not less than fifteen feet thick. 

The ferriferous limestones found on the Boyer, Updegraff, Brocius and 
Lang farms, also on the farms of Daniel Reitz and C. Brocius, at all of which 
places it has been worked. It is generally about five feet thick, richly fossil- 
iferous and in good condition for quarry lime. 

Buhrstone iron ore is also found at several localities in the township, but 
has not been investigated. 

Early Settlement and Improvements. — Hulett Smith and his wife were pro- 
bably the first settlers in Beaver township, to which they came from Connecti- 
cut in 1816. They were thirty-five days making the journey and when they 
came, Brookville as well as nearly all portions of the county, was a dense wil- 
derness. Mrs. Eunice Smith died at her home three miles south of Troy, 
where she had lived fifty-three years, June 6, 1869; she was in the seventy- 
sixth year of her age. Mr. Smith removed to Brookville, during the later 
years of his life where he died in 1879, aged ninety years; he was a soldier of 
the War of 1812. 

Then in the year 1834 a number of families came from Dauphin county, 
among whom were those of J. and S. Philliber, Jonas Sowers, Ludwick 
Bierly, William McAninch, Mr. Mentear, Henry and Conrad Nulf, Solomon 
Gearhart, George Reitz, Michael Hetrick. The Holt family came about 1837. 



Beaver Township. 645 



The only ones of those early settlers now living are four sons of William 
McAninch and two of Jonas Sowers's. 

Henry Nolf and Hance Robinson made the first improvements and cleared 
the first land. The descendants of these early pioneers yet reside in the town- 
ship and are among its best and most enterprising citizens. 

The first school house was built about the year 1837 on the Mentear farm 
or at William Furguson's, and the first church on the Philiber farm, about the 
same time. The first grave-yard was located on the Holt farm and the father 
and mother of J. and S. Philiber were the first persons buried there. Hance 
Robinson built the first grist-mill at Heathville, and he or his brother William 
started the first store. Henry Nolf built the first saw-mill at Heathville; the 
second was built by Hance Robinson and the ne.xt by Conrad Nolf Aaron 
Fuller built a saw- mill in 1830 at the mouth of Beaver Run. 

In 1835 James McKennan and Thomas White, of Indiana, under the firm 
name of MeKennan & White engaged in lumbering at what is now Langville. 
They also established a store at that place with Adam Bausman as clerk. 
James Maize, father of James H. Maize, cashier of the First National bank of 
Punxsutawney was the general manager for McKennan & White while they 
done business in Jefterson county, a period of about three years. Mr. Maize 
removed to Armstrong county and has been dead for a number of years. 

Samuel Lerch was born in Lebanon county in 1800 and in 1836 removed 
to Jefterson county, locating in what is now Beaver township, where he pur- 
chased eighty-seven acres of land with a one and a half story shanty 24x24 
upon it and having about five acres cleared. His children were all young, three 
of them being unable to walk. The family set to work to make a home in this 
place, and for a time were obliged to exercise the utmost economy. They 
made their own clothes, even to the buttons and for years their own fields and 
garden furnished all their food. Instead of Rio their coffee was rye and for 
the invigorating herb from China they substituted the native herbs. 

Mr. Lerch was a good carpenter and cabinet maker, and in the small cabin 
which had one room below and a loft above he placed his work-bench in one 
corner. Above was set the tread-lathe and the children would tread this lathe 
while their father would turn out in a day four bed-posts, four feet long and 
four inches square. 

In 1854 Mr. Lerch engaged in store- keeping at New Salem, in Armstrong 
county, and in 1859 removed to Ringgold, where he engaged in merchandis- 
ing until his death, which occurred in 1862. His wife, nee Rebecca Bultz, 
died in 1844. Mr. Lerch was the father of nineteen children. 

Jacob Reitz, with his family, came to Jefferson county in 1842 from North- 
umberland county, the journey being made in wagons. He purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now Beaver township. This land 
was partly cleared, but in very poor condition. Having but little money, and 

78 



646 History ok Jefferson County. 



being in debt for part of his farm, and only two of his children, Manuel W. and 
Edward, aged respectively eleven and thirteen, being able to render him any 
assistance ; but as the others became large enough, they, too, put their shoul- 
ders to the wheel that moved the home machinery, and in a little over ten 
years the farm was cleared from debt, besides being in a good state of cultiva- 
tion. Jacob Reitz lived to enjoy the prosperity that the toil of himself and 
family had secured until 1877. when he died in the seventy-fourth year of his 
age. He was the father of ten children — seven sons and three daughters. 
They have all borne prominent parts in the history of Beaver township. M. 
W. and Edward ha\'e filled the different offices of trust in the township. 
The former while serving as constable was appointed deputy-sheriff by Sheriff 
P. H. Shannon, and in 1863 was elected to that office, his brother, Edward, 
serving as deputy. Since 1866 four of the brothers — Manuel W., Edward, 
Aaron, and Benjamin W. — formed a copartnership and purchased the James 
Hill property at Belleview, wheie they have since been engaged in merchan- 
dizing, lumbering, and farming. Aaron and Jonathan reside in Beaver town- 
ship, as does Mrs. Samuel Thomas, one of the sisters. Mrs. Sarah Lankert, 
the remaining member of the family, lives in Mississippi. 

Thomas Holt, another of the early settlers of Beaver township, was born in 
Cumberland county, in 1793, and served in the War of 18 12. He was mar- 
ried in Cumberland county to Sarah Pilgrim, and in 1838 removed to Jeffer- 
son county, locating in what is now Beaver township. Mr. Holt was a car- 
penter and pump- maker by trade, but on his arrival located on a farm about 
seven miles from Brookville, where he followed farming until his death, in 1871. 

Thomas R. Holt, their son, was raised on a farm, but learned the black- 
smithing trade, being an apprentice of the late Arad Pearsall, of Brookville, 
and of Jacob Lehman, of Rose township. He erected a shop on the home 
farm, and worked at his trade for seven years, when he purchased the John 
Philliber farm, and has since that time devoted his attention to farming and 
lumbering. He is largely engaged in stock-raising, Durham cattle being his 
speciality, owning some fine registered and graded animals. 

Present Business. — There are four post-offices in the township — Heath- 
■ville, Patton's Station, Pansy, and Ohl — and two stores, that of Shaffer & Reitz, 
at Pansy, E. M. Ohl, at Pleasantville, and C. L. Guthrie, at Heathville. The 
blacksmiths in Beaver are: Jonathan Horner and George Myers, at Heathville, 
and Jonathan Buzzard, at Pansy. The large woolen factory of John Lang, 
erected about 185 i or 1852, at Langville, is the only manufactory in the town- 
ship. The only grist-mill is that of Nicholas McOuiston, also located at Lang- 
ville, on Little Sandy. There are no hotels in the township. There are seven 
school-houses and six churches in the township, with a cemetery at each 
church. 

Farms. — Beaver township is mainl)' settled b)- hardy, honest Germans, 



Beaver Township. 647 



who ha\-e made farming their business, and who liave made this locality one 
of the best farming regions in the county. It is especially adapted to stock- 
raising. Among the best farms, with the best improvements are those of Elias 
Jones, Solomon Shaffer, sr., Solomon Shaffer, jr., Mrs. Lydia Thomas, Solomon 
Glantz, David Benjamin, Michael and Jacob Brocius, Jonas Sowers, and the 
farm owned b\- the Isaac Mottern estate. All the fruits that can be grown in 
the county are raised in profusion, and of the best known varieties. 

Elections. — The first election was hckl in Beaver township, in 1 850, and 
resulted in the following persons being elected : 

Justice of the peace, Charles Jacox, Absolam Smith ; con.stable, David L. 
Moore ; supervisors, John Imhoof, Michael Brocius ; auditors, Lewis McAn- 
inch, David Fayrweather, George Gumbert ; school directors, Henr\' McAn- 
inch, Peter Motter, Michael Brocius, David Himes, Absolam Smith, Charles 
Jacox; judge of election, David Edmonds; inspectors, James B. VVayland, 
George Gumbert ; poor master, John Hastings, David Smith, David Fayr- 
weather. 

At the election held F"ebruary 15, 18S7, the following persons were elected : 
Constable, J. B. Sowers ; collector, Joseph Spare ; supervisors, David Plyler, 
Baltzer Raybuck; school directors, Jonas Sowers, jr., Jonathan Horner; audi- 
tor, David Brosius ; poor overseer. Walker Smith ; assessor, Josiah Fensta- 
maker ; judge of election, David Sowers and Walter Bracken, tie vote; in- 
spectors, Israel Keck and Samuel Ressler. 

The justices of the peace for Beaver township are Daniel Reitz, and Michael 
J. Brosius, and the previously elected members of the school board are John 
Updegraff, Wallace Morrison, F. P. Hetrick, and Josiah Fenstamaker. 

Statistics of Population, Asscsswci/t, and Schools. — The number of tax- 
ables in Beaver township in 1856 were 15S ; in 1863, i66; in 1870, 201 ; in 
1880, 274; in 1886, 294. 

The population, according to the census of 1850, 662; i860 was S74; 
1870, 1,094; 1880, 1,113. 

The triennial assessment of Beaver for 1886 is as follows : Number of acres 
of seated land, 11,581 ; valuation, $47,244; average per acre, $4.08. Houses 
and lots, 3; valuation, $100. Nimiber of acres unseated, 1,091 ; valuation, 
$175. Number of horses, 144; valuation, $2,563; average value, $17.78. 
Number of cows, 247; valuation, $2,328; average value, $8.40. Number of 
occupations, 85; valuation, $1,552; average, $18.20. Total valuation sub- 
ject to county tax, $55,695. Money at interest, $19,181. 

The number of schools in Beaver township for the year ending June 7, 
1886, were 7 ; number of months tauijht, 5 ; male teachers, 2 ; female teach- 
ers, 5; average salary of teachers, $25.00; number of male scholars, 158; 
females, 134; average attendance, 226; per cent, of attendance, 87; cost per 
scholar, 62 cents; 13 mills levied for school, and 3 for building purposes; 
total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, $1,079.57. 



•648 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER UI, 

HISTOKY OF POLK TOWNSHIP. 

POLK was organized in 1857, being taken from Warsaw and Snyder. It 
is the twenty-first township, and was named for James K. Polk, eleventh 
president of the United States. It is one of the northern tier of townships, 
and adjoins the PLlk county line; being bounded on the north by Elk county 
and Heath township, on the east by Snyder, on the south by Warsaw', and on 
the west by Warsaw and Heath. 

Nearly the whole township is drained b}' the North Fork, which starts 
among the highlands at the Elk county line. One branch (Hetrick Run) runs 
to Shoffner's Corners, where it curves slightly around the base of the uplands. 
Geology. — The Brookville coal is the principal bed yielding the best 
coal, but like all the seams in Polk, is small, averaging only about two feet in 
thickness. Ferriferous limestone is found in all parts of the township. It is a 
compact rock of excellent quality, easily quarried, and quick to calcine, and 
not very fossiliferous. It is quarried at a number of places in the township. 
Buhrstone iron ore is also found. 

First Settlers. — The first settler who made any improvement in what is now 
Polk township, was Paul Vande\'ort, but he only remained a short time ; then 
Frederick Hetrick, in 1838 settled on the farm now owned by Jacob Mc- 
Fadden, and cleared the land and made the first improvements there. He 
lived there for several years, and then remo\ed to the west, where he died. 

Philip Hetrick came to Polk township in 1842, and improved the large 
farm now owned by his son, Darius Hetrick. He, after some years, removed 
to the west, and is also dead. 

Next came Isaac NichoUs in 1844 from Genesee county, N. V. Then 
John Masters made the first improvements on the farm now owned by Shan- 
non McFadden. John Lucas, in 1846, settled on the farm first cleared by 
Paul Vandevort, but he too sold out and removed to the west. John Di.xon 
settled in what is now Polk township, in 1847. He was a son of John Dixon, 
one of the first settlers in the county, who is noticed elsewhere, and was born 
in Jefferson county in 1807, and has ever since resided within her borders. 
He has grown up with the county ; has witnessed all the pioneer struggles, as 
well as all its future prosperity. Every native born citizen, every town and 
hamlet has grown up under his eye, and now, at the age of eighty years, he 
is still a hale, hearty man, and has for several years held the office of constable 
for Polk township, to which office he was re-elected at the spring election in 
1887. He is able to walk from his home to Brookville, a distance of about 
fourteen miles. Although raised amid the toils and privations of pioneer life. 



Poi.K Township. 649 



and deprived of the advantages of education, as he informs us that one term 
of school, at Indiana, where his father sent him when a boy in his teens, to 
attend school, and where he had to do chores for his board, was all the educa- 
tion he received, but he has read a great deal, and is well informed on all the 
topics of the day, while his penmanship is legible, and plain, remarkably so 
for a man of his age. Mr. Dixon is a prominent member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, with which he united fifty-eight years ago. 

In 1848 Jacob McFadden settled on the farm now owned by his son, Shan- 
non McFadden. His family consisted of nine children, four of whom went 
into the army, and one died in the service. 

Henry Shoffner came in February, 1849, from Redbank, Clarion county, 
and soon had one of the best farms in the township, and for many years his 
house was the haven to which all travelers through that region wended their 
way, and where they were sure to receive the best fare and treatment in his 
hospitable home. Mr. Shoftner was a straight forward, honest man, and for 
forty-si.K years a prominent member of the Albright, or Evangelical Church. 
He was the father of thirteen children. Mr. Shoffner has been dead about four 
years, but his aged and estimable widow is still living at the homestead, now 
owned by her son, Fulton Shoffner. 

Others of the old settlers of Polk were Leonard Lockwood, who moved 
there in 1847, James K. Hoffman, John Plotner and John Nofsker in 1850, 
Amos T. Riegle, James Carnahan and Henry Wingert. 

The first marriage in the township was Adam, a son of Frederick Hetrick, 
to Mariah, daughter of Philip Hettrick. The ceremony was performed by 
Darius Carrier, justice of the peace of Troy. The next was Mathew Wells, a 
little Irish man, and Delilah Nichols. 

The first birth, of which there is any record, was Rebecca, daughter of 
John Dixon, born in 1848. 

The first deaths were Rebecca, aged two years, and James, aged si.x, chil- 
dren of John Dixon, who died of dysentery, in August, 1850, then a daughter 
of Philip Hetrick, and one of Jacob McFadden, the next, and first adult to die 
in the township, was "Mother Black," who died suddenly at a prayer- meeting 
just as she had finished giving her testimony for Christ — the last words she 
spoke. 

The first grave-yard, and the one now in use, is situated on a rising portion 
of ground, near the Zion Church, on the farm of Shannon McFadden. The 
ground was set apart for the purpose by his father, Jacob McFadden, who then 
owned the farm 

The oldest inhabitants in the township now living are John Di.xon, aged 
eighty years, his wife, aged seventy-five ; Jacob K. Huffman, eighty, and his 
wife, eighty-one; Jacob McFadden and his wife are both about seventy-five ; 
Mrs. Plotner (widow of John Plotner), is seventy-six, and John Clover, sixty- 
five. 



650 History of Jefferson County. 

The pine timber has nearly all been cut off with the exception of a small 
amount on the west side of Elk Run, on the north side of the township. There 
is considerable hemlock, sugar maple, and oak yet standing. On the land 
owned by Wainwright & Bryant, there has been a large amount of timber cut 
within the last two years. These logs are put into the North Fork and then 
" driven " to the company's mills, at Nicholson, on the Low Grade road, where 
they are manufactured. There is a large amount of hemlock bark also taken 
out of Polk each season. Since the decline of the lumber trade, the citizens of 
the township have turned their attention to agriculture, and the farms are be- 
ginning to show the renewed activity, so that Polk will soon rank with any of 
the otlier townships in this respect. The fruit raised is also of a superior 
qiiality, and much attention is paid to its culture. 

Among the best farms in the township are those of Scott Smith, John 
Shoffner, Fulton Shoffner, Jesse Huffman, Sylvester Davis, Jacob McFadden, 
Darius Hettrick, Jared Jones, J. K. Huffman, John Snyder, C. Longwell, and 
Shannon McFadden. 

The first store was started about 1866, by Sylvester Davis, who was ap- 
pointed postmaster about the same time, and still holds the position. J. R. 
McFadden also started a store in 1879, at Blowtown ; is still engaged there in 
general merchandising. The other store in the township is that of Newton 
Webster, at Mundorff. 

There are two post-offices in the township — -Schoffner's Corners and Mun- 
dorff 

The first saw-mill was built in 1844 b\- Philip Hettrick, on Hetrick's Run, 
a branch of the North Fork. Tliere is only one mill now in the township — 
that of Darius Hettrick, built in 1865 at " Blowtown." near the site where his 
father's mill was first erected. It is a good water-mill, and cuts a large amount 
of boards each season. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Polk township, February 23, 
1852, at which the following persons were elected: 

Justices of the peace, Samuel Cochran, Frederick Hetrick ; constable, 
Steven Hetrick; supervisors, Philip Hetrick, Amos Riegle ; auditors, Samuel 
Cochran, John Plottner, James K. Huffman ; assessor, Samuel Cochran ; assis- 
tant assessors, Thomas Allison, James K. Huffman ; school directors, Fred- 
erick Hetrick, Nathaniel Clark, John Smith, John Snyder, Jacob McFadden, 
Amos T. Reigle ; town clerk, Nathaniel Clark ; judge of election, Samuel 
Cochran ; inspectors, Francis Allison, John Plottner. 

The election held February 15, 1887, resulted in the following persons be- 
ing elected : 

Constable, John Dixon ; supervisors, D. J. Plotner, Reese McFadden ; 
poor overseer, C. C. Longwell ; tax collector, Jesse Hoffman ; school directors, 
John Webster, Alvin Hoffman ; assessor, John Chamberlain ; auditor, George 



Oliver Township. 651 



Chamberlain ; judge of election, Jared Jones; inspectors, H. M. McKillip, J. 
W. Plotner ; town clerk, Ambrose Morrison. 

The justices of the peace for Polk township are S. Davis and Newton Web- 
ster, and the previously elected members of the school board are F. Shofther, 
John Leech, John Plotner, R. McF"adden. 

Taxables, Population, Assessments, and School Statistics. — The taxables in 
1856 in Polk township numbered 35 ; 1863, 53 ; 1870, 84. 

The population in i860, according to the census, was 244; in 1870, 256; 
in 1880, 361. 

The triennial statement of the commissioners of the county for 1886 gives 
the real and personal property in Polk township as follows: 

Number of acres seated, 7,924; value, $21,563 ; average per acre, $3.00. 
Number of acres unseated, 13,176; value, $42,952 ; average per acre, $3.00. 
Number of horses, 98 ; value, $2,660 ; average value, $27.00. Number of 
cows, 143 ; value, $1,348 ; average value, $9.00. Occupations, 37 ; value, 
$688; average, $19.00. Total valuation subject to county tax, $69,211. 
Money at interest, $1,046. 

There were 5 schools in Polk township in 18S6 ; average number of months 
taught, 5 ; number of male teachers, 2 ; female teachers, 3 ; average salary, 
$33.24 ; number of male scholars, 72 ; females, 59 ; average number attending 
school, 89 ; per cent of attendance, 81 ; cost per month, $1.44 ; 13 mills levied 
for school purposes, and 4 mills for building ; total amount of tax levied, 
$1,121.24. 



0' 



CHAPTER LIII. 

HISTORY OF OLIVER TOWXSHIP. 

,| .LIVER, the twenty-second township, was organized in 1851, and, as it 
was taken from Perry, it took also the Christian name of the great naval 
hero for which that township was called. Oliver is bounded on the north by 
Knox and Rose, on the east by McCalmont and Young, on the south by Perry, 
and on the west by Beaver and Ringgold. 

Drainage. — The region is one of deep valleys. Big Run, heading near 
Oliveburg, flows across the southern|part of the township and receives numer- 
ous small tributaries coming from the north and south. The Little Sandy 
makes a long circuit through the northern part. It has also numerous impor- 
tant tributaries coming from the north and east, all of which occupy deep, 
■wide ravines. 



652 History of Jefferson County. 

Geology. — The Freeport lower coal is the principal bed in Oliver, and is 
found in nearly all parts of the township, but notably in the Little Sandy re- 
gion. Its thickness is from five to six feet where it has been mined. Mr. W. 
G. Piatt says of this coal : " Most probably the Freeport lower coal is her'e a 
large and valuable bed, but the determination of that fact must wait develop- 
ment. To all appearances there is an enormous expanse of it on the lands of 
Messrs. Jenks & Winslow, situated on both sides of Jordan's Run, east of 
Burkett's. These lands, embracing thousands of acres, are unimproved forest." 

The Kittanning lower and middle coal beds are found averaging about two 
feet thick, and the Brookville about the same. 

The ferriferous limestone is found in good condition, and is from five to 
seven feet thick in the Little Sandy and |Big Run valleys, and is easily quar- 
ried, making excellent lime. Buhrstone iron ore and fire-clay is also found in 
the Little Sandy valley. 

Early Settlers. — The first settler in what is now Oliver township was Reu- 
ben Hickox, who came from Connecticut in 1822. Mr. Hickox has been 
mentioned in the history of Perry township. 

William Hadden, who came with his parents from Indiana county in 18 12, 
when his father, Archibald Hadden, settled in Perry township, is the oldest 
living citizen of the township, being now in the eighty- second year of his age, 
having' resided in Jefierson county over seventy-five years. In 1831 Mr. Had- 
den moved on to the farm in what is now Oliver township, where he still re- 
sides. Mr. Haddcn's life of three-quarters of a century in Jefferson county 
comprises the greater part of its history. He was always very fond of the 
chase, and when only about eleven years of age killed his first deer near the 
town of Indiana, and the last one some six years ago. He computes the whole 
number of deer that have fallen before his unerring rifle as at over six hundred. 
In one year alone he killed forty deer, one bear and si.xteen wild turkeys, be- 
sides smaller game. Another year he killed twenty- five deer. Game was so 
abundant in those days that the hunter could choose that which suited him 
best. At one time Mr. Hadden, John Henderson and Hugh McKee, who 
were hunting together, killed an elk, the horns of which measured from five to 
six feet. 

Mr. Hadden did not confine himself to hunting, but cleared and improved 
a large farm, besides engaging in lumbering. About the )-ear 1842 he built a 
saw-mill in Oliver township, and was one of the first pilots on the Mahoning, 
when rafts had to be run out to Kittanning before they could be tied up. The 
rafts at that time were steered with two oars at the front end instead of one as 
in the present day. 

For many years Mr. Hadden every spring would open up a sugar camp 
on his farm, where he made all his own sugar and molasses. While at his 
early home in Perr\' township he had often to go to the mill on Black Lick, in 



Oliver Township. 653 



Indiana county, to get a grist ground, or to tlie town of Indiana to purchase 
the necessary store goods. Indiana was then a small \'illage, and only a trail 
through the woods led to it. Mr. Hadden is still a sprightly, well preserved 
man, and bids fair to live longer than is often allotted to man. He has never 
been sick but once in his life and that was more than thirty years ago. 

George and William Newcom settled on adjoining farms and cleared land 
in 1825. The latter had one of the best improved farms in the township, with 
good buildings. It is now the propertj' of his son, Samuel T. Newcom. 

John Jones settled in Oliver in 1S26, Peter Depp in 1828, and Samuel 
Cathcart in 183 1. The McKinstry brothers, Alexander and William, came 
from McVeytown, Mififln county, about 1833, and settled first near where 
Worthville now is, but afterwards moved to the present Cool Spring. Alex- 
ander McKinstry had purchased a large tract of land, on Little Sandy, of the 
Holland Land Company, and many of those who settled there about the same 
time purchased their farms of him. Among these were James and David 
Harl, Benjamin and Samuel Reed. 

Alexander McKinstry was one of the most prominent settlers of what is 
now Oliver. He was for a number of years justice of the peace, and his house 
was for many years a popular stopping-place for travelers. 

In the year 1855 dysentery prevailed to an alarming extent in Jefferson 
county, especially in the Little Sandy valley, where, in less than two months, 
there were some thirty deaths. It was during the prevalence of this epidemic 
that a sad affliction befell the family of Alexander McKinstry. The wife, child 
and sister-in-law (Miss Kelly) of his son, William B. McKinstry, who resided 
with his father, died of the prevailing disease within a few days of each other, 
the last of the trio, the little child, dying on the 25th of September. Soon 
after seeing his little one close its eyes in death the bereaved husband and 
father, crazed by grief, went out into the woods near his childhood's home 
and there shot himself. He was an unusually gifted and intelligent young 
man, beloved by all who knew him, and his sad death cast a deeper gloom 
over the community in which the dread pestilence had made such terrible 
havoc. 

In i860 diptheria visited the same community and with the same dire 
effect. In the month of January eight children of William McKinstrj' (brother 
of Alexander) dying within a space of two weeks. All the heads of these two 
families have been gathered in by the same Great Reaper. 

William M. Reed now lives upon the farm first settled by his father, Samuel 
Reed. James Harl resides on the Benjamin Reed farm and cares for Mr. Reed 
and his wife, both being about eighty years of age. 

Joseph Manners came into the township in 1835, Adam Dobson and Sam- 
uel Gaston in 1833, Jacob Fishel in 1837, George Stewart in 1838, John and 
William Coulter in 1841, Samuel Burket in 1842, Robert Hice and Elias Gil- 
79 



6s4 History of Jefferson County. 

housen in 1848, Henry Brown, Daniel Fair, Jonathan Rowan, William Smith, 
Robert Parks, John Kellar, Jacob Wyant, were among the early settlers in 
Oliver. 

Mathew Barr came to the township in 1849, and settled on a farm pur- 
chased from Alexander McKinstry, where he lived until his death. His son, 
James Barr, now owns the place. 

Of the first settlers in this end of the township only John Coulter, Benjamin 
Reed and David Harl survive, all residing on the farms their own hands have 
cleared and improved. Nearly all the land in Oliver township belonged to 
the Holland Land Company, and was sold by their agent, C. C. Gaskill, and 
and it was owing to his leniency that many of these early settlers were able to 
pay for their farms. In some instances where they had been unable to make 
the first payment, or pay the interest, they would go to Mr. Gaskill, who, by 
their paying a dollar or two on the new article, would cancel the old, and allow 
them to commence in the new. On one occasion, a certain man in Oliver or 
Perry township, wishing to get hold of some land claimed by another party, 
went to Mr. Gaskill, and tried to purchase it, and when reminded that it had 
been sold to another, replied that he would never pay for it. "Well," said Mr. 
Gaskill, " he tells me that he hopes to pay for it, and / ivill not deprive him of 
that hope. There is plenty more land that thee can have." 

Early Improvements. — The first store was opened at Cool Spring by James 
Gray, who came from Indiana county, about 1836. Mr. Gray also built a 
small saw- mill on Kellar's Run, which he operated for a few years. He died 
there in 1844. He was the fifth postmaster appointed in the county, and his 
office was the only one except Punxsutawney south of Redbank. He named 
the office from a remarkably cold spring on the premises. Only one of Mr. 
Gray's family is a resident of this county, Miss Margery Gray, of Brookville, 
who is in the eighty-third year of her age. 

The next store was opened about 1846, at Sprankle's Mills, by David Frank. 

Thomas Houston also kept store at an early day at Sprankle's Mill. He 
was followed by Peter Seller, who kept a store for several years, until he per- 
ished in the fire which consumed his premises.. Finding the building on fire 
one night, he entered with the intention of saving his books, when the draught 
caused by the fire closed the door upon him, and he was unable to escape. 
His son, Daniel, succeeded to his business. 

The first grist-mill was built by Frederick Spranlde, of Indiana county, 
about the year 1833, at the junction of the Big Run and Kellar's Run, who 
called the place Fredericksburg. The next grist-mill was built by Philip En- 
terline. 

The first saw-mill was built by John Sprankle, son of Frederick, at the 
same place, and the next by William McKinstry, on Little Sandy. William 
Hadden built the next, and about 1848, Levi Gilhousen built a mill on the 



Oliver Township. 655 



south branch of Little Sandy. Daniel Enterline built one below Sprankle's 
Mill, in 1852. Samuel and Benjamin Gilhousen also built one of the early 
saw-mills. 

John McKee started the first carding- machine on Little Sandy, near Mc- 
Kinstry's, in 1S46. Mr. McKee came from Westmoreland county, near Leech- 
burg, and started his carding-mill, with one set of rolls, which he ran for a while, 
and then put in another set. He did the wool-carding in that section of the 
county until 1S59, when he removed to Frostburg, where he has since resided. 
He has followed wool-carding almost ever since he located in the county, do- 
ing the first work of the kind in Brookville, where he still superintends that 
part of the business in the woolen manufactory of Newsome & Fawcett. Mr. 
McKee was one of the early school teachers in Oliver. The first school-house 
was built at the Cross Roads, near William Newcome's. It was an old log 
structure, and was succeeded by one at Kellar's. The first church was built 
in 1854, at Oliveburg. The first grave-yard was on the farm of John Kellar, 
where several of his children, and some others were buried, and the next was 
started at Oliveburg, in 1853, two children of Isaac C. Jordon, being the first 
buried there. 

Present Business. — The saw-mills in Oliver are those of William Hadden, 
T. A. McKinstry, Eli EnterUne, S. T. Newcom, Robert Geist, C. C. Geist, 
George Geist, J. M. Hadden, Raybuck & Brocius, and Eli Coulter. The lat- 
ter is on the site of the mill built by John Sprankle, whose daughter, Sarah, 
Mr. Coulter married. Mr. Coulter also owns the grist-mill at Sprankle's Mill. 

About twenty years ago the old saw-mill at McKinstry's, was torn down, 
and a new steam mill erected. This, with the large grist-mill, one of the best 
in the county, is owned and operated by Thompson A. McKinstry, son of Al- 
exander McKinstry, who owns and resides on the old homestead. Joseph M. 
Elder owns and operates a tannery in Oliver. The stores in Oliver are those 
of Daniel Seller and William Eisenhart at Sprankle's Mill, M. J. Kunselman, T. 
A. McKinstry, John Shafler and Harry Ickes at Cool Spring, and John Fink 
at Oliveburg. 

There are nine school-houses and six churches in the township, with a cem- 
etery at Oliveburg, and one at Wesley Chapel. 

Farms. — Agriculture is the principal business of the citizens of this town- 
ship, and some excellent farms with fine improvements are found within its 
territory. Fruit growing also receives a great deal of attention, and the best 
varieties of apples, peaches, pears, cherries, quinces, grapes, plums, currants, 
gooseberries and strawberries, are grown. Among the best farms are those 
of S. T. Newcom, Isaac C. Jordan estate, George Startzell, J. H. Rowan, 
Charles M. Law, William Hadden and Daniel Seller. 

The post-offices in Oliver are Cool Spring, Oliveburg and Sprankle's Mills. 
The former was moved to McKinstry, in 1856. 



656 History of Jefferson C(junty. 

Elections. — At the first election held in Oliver township, in 185 i, the fol- 
lowing persons were elected : Justice of the peace, John Scott ; constable, John 
Ferguson ; supervisors, Samuel Gaston, Robert Reed ; assessor, William Had- 
den ; auditors, John P. McKee, Joseph Manners, Peter Depp; overseers of the 
poor, George Cochran, H. Doverspike ; school directors, Samuel Jordon, 
George W. Shaffer, Mathew Barr, Henry Hoch, George C. McKee; town 
clerk, William B. McKinstry; judge of election, William P. Gaston; inspectors, 
George Newcom, George Manners. 

At the election held February 15, 18S7, the following persons were elected : 
Constable, J. I. Barr; tax collector, R. Geist ; supervisors, W. M. Reed, S. S. 
Jordan; poor overseer, G. D. Geist; assessor, J. M. Elder; auditor, W. R. 
Meredith; town clerk, J. R. McKinstry; judge of election, Mathew Cochran; 
inspectors, S. Huffman, W. L. Yeager. The justices of the peace for Oliver 
are R. H. McKinstry and Eli Coulter ; and the members of the school board 
previously elected, are C. M. Law, William R. McGaughey, J. A. Harl and 
Robert Geist. 

Taxablcs, Population, Assessments, and Sc/iool Statistics. — The number of 
taxables in Oliver township in 1856, were 180; in 1863, 183; in 1870,245; 
in 1880, 300; in 1 886, 324. The population in i860, was 977; in 1870, 
1,1 17 ; in 1880, 1,305. 

The triennial assessment for 1886, gives the number of acres of unseated 
land in Oliver township as 14,806; valuation, $68,249; value per acre, $4.60; 
houses and lots, 44; valuation, $3,058; unseated, 3,919 acres, valuation, 
$23,416; average value per acre, $5.96 ; number of horses, 263; valuation, 
$8,815; average value, $37.35 ; number of cows, 362 ; valuation, $4,174 ; av- 
erage value, $11.53 ; number of occupations, 86; valuation, $2,375 . average, 
$27.53. Total valuation subject to county tax, $110,087. Money at inter- 
est, $10,648. 

The number of schools in Oliver township for the year ending June 7, 1886, 
were 9 ; length of term, 5 months ; number of male teachers, 4 ; female teach- 
ers, 5 ; average salary of teachers, $30 ; number of male scholars, 225 ; female 
scholars, 184; average attendance, 262; percent, of attendance, 82; cost per 
month, 73 cents; 13 mills were levied for school, and 3 for building purposes. 
Total amount of tax levied, $1,486.82. 



Knox Township. 657 



CHAPTER LIV. 

HLSTORY OF KNOX TOWNSHIP. 

I/'NOX made the twenty- third township and was taken from Pine Creek. 
\^ It was organized in 1853 and called for Hon. John C. Knox, then presi- 
dent judge of this judicial district. It is bounded on the north by Pine Creek, 
on the east by Pine Creek and Winslow, on the south by McCalmont and 
Oliver, and on the west by Rose and Oliver. 

TopograpJiy. — The greater part of Knox township is situated between 
Sandy Lick Creek on the north and east, and Five Mile Run on the west. The 
southern border rests on McCalmont and Oliver townships. The topography 
of Knox township consists of a net-work of valleys and ravines, some of 
them deep and others shallow, some with steep precipitous walls, and others 
with gentle slopes, separated by narrow ridges of land, the summits of which 
are of very uniform height. The average elevation of these summits is about 
1,750 feet above tide level, (barometrical measurement), some few points in the 
township, as for example a prominent knob on the Mathews farm, and another 
on the Shaffer farm are even higher than this. Knoxville stands on an ele- 
vation of 1,700 feet above the ocean, the Low Grade Railroad skirting Sandy 
Lick Creek is 1,341 feet above the ocean at the mouth of Camp Run, and 
1,268 feet above the same datum at Bells Mills, above the mouth of Five Mile 
Run. These figures sufficiently express the range of elevation from the bed 
of the deepest valleys to the summit of the uplands. The drainage system is 
simple and sharply defined. The waters in the southern part of the township 
flow southward through the ravines of Indian Camp and Elk Runs into Little 
Sandy Creek. The western side of the township, and much also of the north- 
ern part is drained by Five Mile Run. The water basin of Sandy Lick on the 
northern and eastern side, is there confined very nearly to the hills that over- 
look the stream. 

Geology. — The Freeport Lower coal is the principal seam in Knox town- 
ship, being by far the most reliable, and yielding the best coal. It is found 
from three to five feet thick, easily mined and of excellent quality, and cov- 
ering a large area. Limestone is found, of good quality, and so near the 
surface that it can be easily and cheaply quarried for use as a fertilizer; good 
fire- clay is also found in Knox. 

Early Settlers, etc. — The first pioneers, in the wilds of what is now Kno.x 
township, were Joseph Karr, who in 18 17 settled on the farm now owned by 
Manuel Reitz. George Gray and Samuel McQuiston, came in 1827, the former 
settling on the farm now owned by David Carr, and the latter on that now the 
property of William McMillen ; Andrew Hunter on farm now owned by his 



658 History of Jefferson County. 

son, S. A. Hunter, in 1834; John Mathews on the farm now owned by his son, 
John Mathews, about 1830; Jeremiah Parker settled on the farm now owned 
by David Chitester ; Thomas ElUs on a farm where he cleared some land, then 
sold to James Loughrey, who in turn sold to Samuel Davidson about the year 
1848. Israel Swineford, about the year 1835, settled on the farm now owned 
by Elmer Hunter. Daniel Sylvus, about 1848, settled on the farm now owned 
by Silas R. Anderson. John Smith settled on the farm now owned by his son, 
John Wilson Smith. Samuel Findley, in the year 1857 settled on the farm now 
owned by Frank Barber. John S. Lucas, in 1848, settled on the farm now 
owned by Calvin Rodgers. Elijah Chitester about 1835 settled on the farm 
now owned by Isaiah Johns. 

William Wyley came to what is now Knox township in April, 1834, with 
his family in a wagon drawn by o.xen. They came from Westmoreland 
county, and there was no house between Squire Bell's and their destination. 
They encamped for the night at Little Sandy, near where Cool Spring now is. 
The family consisted of Mr. Wylej', his wife and si.x children. Mrs. IMary H. 
Stewart, one of the daughters, remembers their coming perfectly, and says 
there were only five families in Knox when they came, Joseph Carr's, Samuel 
McQuiston's, George Gray's, Elijah Clark's and John Mathews's. They had to 
stay in the woods two days without shelter, until the neighbors gathered to- 
gether and put them up a log house. Mrs. Stewart says her mother, who was 
wearied with her long journey, spread a bed under a tree and lay down to rest, 
and soon fell asleep. The children, who had scattered about to play, descried 
the feet of a man, all they could see for the trees, approaching them through 
the woods, and running to their mother awakened her with the cry that a big 
Indian was coming to kill them all. When the intruder appeared they found 
he was Charles B. Clark, who was hunting his cows. The first horse was 
brought into the township five years after the arrival of Wyley, by David 
Chitester, and Mrs. Stewart says her first lessons in horseback riding was taken 
on this old shaggy, black animal. It pastured near her father's, and she and 
her brothers and sisters took turns in riding it, as many as could pile on its 
back riding at a time, one of the number being stationed to avoid a reprisal by 
the owner of the horse, or their parents. 

Mr. Wyley sold his farm after some years and commenced improving the 
one now owned by his son, Huston Wyley, where he died in 1867. Mrs. 
Wyley died in 1871. They had thirteen children, only si.v of whom survive. 
Only three reside in Jeflerson count}-, George P. and W. Huston in Knox, and 
Mary H., who in 1840 married Robert Stewart, has since resided in Brook- 
ville. 

Elijah Clark was the fifth man to settle in Kno.x township. He was or- 
iginally from Massachusetts, from whence he had emigrated to West Virginia, 
and then to Westmoreland county, from where he moved to this wilderness in 



Knox Township. 659 



1833. On the arrival of his family at Brookville, they were piloted through 
the woods to the Carr and Gray settlement, as it was called by Mr. John Long. 
Mr. Clark settled on the farm now the property of the heirs of Samuel Johns. 
In 1847 he built the Iowa mills in Pine Creek township. He died of paralysis 
in 1850. A singular fatality attended the family in that year. The family of 
his son, Charles B. Clark, were attacked with typhoid fever, and his wife, nee 
Jane Sloan, and daughter Julia died, while Mr. Clark himself was for months 
prostrated by the disease, and while death was thus busy in the Knox town- 
ship home. Samuel K. Clark, another brother, who was down the river with 
lumber, died suddenly in Cincinnati of cholera. 

The family all removed to Brookville in 1856. Of the family of Elijah 
Clark, only Martha A., wife of Enoch Hall, and Hannah J., wife of E. H. Dar- 
rah, both residing in Brookville, remain. Mrs. Charlotte Sloan died several 
years ago Mrs. Julia Darling died in 1880, and Charles B. Clark, January 
3, 1883. Mr. C. B. Clark had resided in Brookville for about thirty years, and 
was one of its most worthy and respected citizens, earnest in everything that 
tended to the good of the town. He was for a number of years one of the 
overseers of the poor, and in him the unfortunate and needy ever found a 
friend. After the struggles and sorrows of his early life, he was able to enjoy 
his closing years in comfort and affluence. His second wife, nee Eliza McCoy, 
and his two daughters, Misses Amelia and Margaret, reside in the homestead 
in Brookville. Samuel K. Clark left two sons, Ernest, a resident of Washing- 
ton City, and Samuel K., a prominent lawyer of Clarion. 

Reuben Hubbard settled on the farm now owned by Sylvester McAninch. 
Mr. Hubbard removed to Brookville, where he died. 

Calvin Rodgers settled in Knox township in 1856. He was, for a number 
of years, connected with the firm of Bell & Rodgers, at Bell's Mills. Mr. 
Rodgers is now a resident of Brookville, having purchased the residence of 
James Neal, on Jefferson street, in that place. He is largely engaged in lum- 
bering on the Clarion River, where he owns mills at Arroyo, in Elk county. 

The first school-house was built in 1830, and the first church at Knoxville, 
in 1850. 

The first grave-yard was started on the McCann farm about 1828 or 1830, 
and the next on the farm of Lewis Mathews, now owned b}' James Cummings, 
in 1830. 

Lumber and Saw-mills. — The fine timber for which Knox township was 
noted has nearly all been used up, some hemlock and hard woods alone re- 
maining. The only mills in the township are the steam saw-mills and shingle- 
mill on Sandy Lick, of Arthur O'Donnell,^ that of R. B. Stewart, formerly 
owned by Rietz & Spare, and William Wingert's mill. 

Fai-rns. — Farming is now, since the decline in the lumber trade, the princi- 

'The mil! of Mr. O'Donnell was destroyed by fire in August, 18S7, but is being re-built. 



66o History of Jefferson County. 

pal business of the citizens of Knox township, and some good farms are found, 
among the best cultivated, and with the best improvements, being those of 
R. B. Stewart. John Mathews, S. R. Anderson, S. A. Hunter, John Cummings, 
Samuel Yount, James Neal, and Calvin Rodgers. 

Natural Gas. — Kno.xboro township holds the first place in the county as 
a gas producing district. On the 5th day of July, 1887, a company com- 
menced drilling a well for gas, on the farm of William Love, about three miles 
from Brookville. At a depth of seven hundred and twenty- five feet the first 
gas was struck ; the second at nine hundred and twenty feet, and the third at 
ten hundred and forty feet. The well was drilled to a depth of twenty-three 
hundred and fifty-five feet ; a second well was commenced one thousand feet 
east of well number 2, the latter part of September following, gas being found 
in the same strata. This well is now down about twelve hundred feet. The 
gas of well number i has been piped to Brookville, and will furnish gas for two 
hundred fires. The officers of the company are Samuel Chambers, president; 
C. C. Benscoter, secretary; treasurer, M. B. Marlin ; directors. Dr. T. C. Law- 
son, Dr. W. G. Bishop, J. N. Garrison, C. A. Carrier, A. B. IMcLain, E. A. Litch. 

Knoxville. 

The pleasant little village of Knoxville, situated in Knox township, on the 
road leading from Brookville to Punxsutawney, was laid out by Michael E. 
Steiner, who came to Kno.x township in 185 i, and purchased a farm where 
Knoxville now is. His father. Dr. D. J. Steiner, was the first pliysician in 
Knox township. When Mr. Steiner came to Knox, with his wife and two little 
children, it was almost all wilderness, and he laid out his little town in the 
woods, but he soon had the satisfaction of seeing quite a hamlet spring up 
about him. A post-office was established in 1863, but on account of there 
already being one called Knoxville in the State, it was called Knoxdale, by 
which name the place is generally known. 

When Mr. Steiner came to what is now Knoxville, there were no churches 
in the township, and only one school-house — a small log-cabin — built of 
round logs, with split and hewed log benches. Now there are si.x churches in 
the township, three of which — Presbyterian, United Brethren, and Evangeli- 
cal — are in Knoxville, and seven school-houses in the township, nearly all 
equipped with the most approved school furniture. 

Knoxville has two stores, those of H. G. McCracken and Jacob Hopkins. 

Its post-office, Knoxdale, is the only one in the township. In 1880 the 
population was one hundred and three. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Kno.x township in the year 
1853. The following persons were elected : 

Justices of the peace, N. McQuiston, S. Swineford ; supervisors, Henry 
Rhodes, Andrew Hunter ; auditors, Amos S. Austin, Lewis Mathews ; asses- 



Knox Township. 66 i 



sor, Samuel Davidson ; overseers of the poor, M. E. Steiner, Israel Swineford ; 
school directors, N. McOuiston. John H. Bish, Andrew Hunter, Patterson 
Hopkins, J. S. Lucas. George S. Mathews ; judge of election, William David- 
son ; inspectors, Horace Harding, N. McQuiston ; township clerk, Elijah Chit- 
ester. 

At the election held February 15, 1 88/, the following persons were elected 
Constable, Joseph Knabb ; supervisors, J. F. Siverling, William Eckman 
school directors, H. E. JMcCracken, John Reinert ; collector, Joseph Knabb 
poor overseer, A. Eshbaugh ; auditor, H. D. Morrison ; assessor, A. Esh- 
baugh ; clerk, A. G. Mercer; judge of election, John Matthews; inspectors, 
Israel Eshbaugh, J. D. Mercer. 

The justices of the peace in Knox township are James G. Averill and M. E. 
Steiner, and the previously elected members of the school board are John 
Matthews, Jacob Shaffer, E. E. Hunter, and J. R. Sarvey. 

Taxables, Population, Assessments, and School Statistics. — The number of 
taxables in Knox township in 1856 were 1 1 1 ; in 1863, 143 ; in 1870, 20.5 ; in 
1880, 278; in 1886, 337. 

The population, according to census, in i860 was 6-':j'j ; in 1870, 863 ; in 
18S0, 1,01 1. 

The triennial assessment of 1886 gives the number of acres of seated land 
in Knox township as 1,273; valuation, $50,052;. average per acre, $4.00. 
Number of houses and lots, 50 ; valuation, $2,335. Number of grist and saw- 
mills, 2 ; valuation, $750. Acres of unseated land, $5,567 ; valuation, $18,055 ; 
value per acre, $3.24. Number of horses, 206; valuation, $8,865; average 
value, $43.00. Number of cows, 262; valuation, $2,616; average value, 
$10.00. Number of occupations, 117; valuation, $3,110; average, $28.00. 
Total valuation subject to county tax, $85,783. Money at interest, $7,205. 

The number of schools in Knox township for the year ending June 7, 1886, 
were 7 ; length of term, 5 months ; number of male teachers, 5 ; female teach- 
ers, 2 ; average salary of male teachers, $28.00; of female teachers, $26.50 ; 
number of male scholars, 186 ; number of female scholars, 148 ; average atten- 
dance, 271 ; per cent, of attendance, 81 ; cost per month, 82 cents; 13 mills 
were levied for school, and 5 for building purposes ; total amount of tax levied, 

$1,233-96. 

so 



662 History of Jefferson County. 



CHAPTER LV. 
HISTORY OF BELL TOWNSHIP. 

BELL wasthe twenty-fourth township organized, and was taken from Young 
in 1857. It was called for Hon. James H. Bell, a prominent citizen of 
the township. It is bounded on the north by McCalmont township, on the 
east by Henderson and Gaskill, on the west by Young, and on the south by 
Indiana county. 

This township closely resembles Young, both in size and shape. The Ma- 
honing Creek, flowing across it from east to west, splits it into two nearly equal 
parts. The southern area is traversed longitudinally by the valley of Canoe 
Creek, of which Ugly Run is an important tributary. The northern part of 
the township has only small streams, all of which flow southward into the 
Mahoning. The surface generally is smooth and there are no coal beds of any 
value in Bell township. The Lower Barren Measures cover nearly the whole 
of the township, and the only rock of any material value to be found being a 
stratum of good limestone. 

Early Settlement. — The early settlers in what is now Bell township were 
Nathaniel Tindell, a native of Connecticut, who came with Dr. Jenks in 1818, 
Jesse Armstrong, Jacob Bowersock, Daniel Graffius, J. Gano, and John Hess, 
who came sometime after. Most of these have been noticed in the chapter on 
the early settlers of the count}', or in the history of Young township The 
first land was cleared by Daniel Graffius, and the first improvements made by 
J. Bowersock. The first person born was Mercy Ann Tindell, and the first 
couple married was Daniel Graffius and Miss M. J. Rhodes 

The first saw-mill was built in 1S28, by John Hess and J. Bowersock, and 
the first grist-mill was erected in 1833, at what is now Bell's Mill Station, on 
the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh railroad. James H. Bell, in 1840, started 
the first store in the township, at Bell's Mills. 

The first lumber was taken out by Jesse Armstrong. The first grave-yard 
was located on the farm of F. Rinehart, and Jacob Rinehart was the first per- 
son buried there. 

The first school house was built in 1S30 and the first church at Grubes in 
1870. 

Among the prominent settlers of Bell township was Hon. James H. Bell, 
who came from Ireland about the }-ear 1812. and settled in Armstrong county, 
from whence he removed to Jefferson county in 183 i locating at the present site 
of Bell's Mills. He was like the majority of the early pioneers, almost devoid 
of means when he settled in the pine forest of Jefferson county, but by untir- 
ing perseverance he soon succeeded in pa\-ing for his land, and then built the 





&A.(ru'~\i 



Bell Township. 663 



grist and saw-mills on the Mahoning Creek, opposite his residence, which 
gave the place its name. He was largely engaged in lumbering for many years, 
and was an honest, upright man. A Democrat in politics, he was one of the 
leaders of the party in Jefferson county, and in 1853 was appointed one of the 
associate judges to fill a vacancy, and at the ensuing election was elected to 
that office. Judge Bell died in 1877. He left a family of two sons and seven 
daughters. Captain John T. Bell, the eldest of the family, resides in Pun.xsu- 
tawney, and William E. Bell at Bell's Mills. 

Henry Brown is another of the prominent business men of the township, 
whose biographical sketch appears in another portion of this work. He has 
been largely connected w-ith the lumbering and farming interests of the town- 
ship. 

Present Business. — There are three grist-mills in the township owned and 
operated by W. E. Bell, A. Dunmire and L. Elbel, and the saw-mills of Henry 
Brown and A. Kremkraw. The former cuts 20,000 feet per day and the latter 
10,000. L. Elbel has a store at Bell's Mills and I. Kremkraw one at Krem- 
kraw's Mills. There has never been a hotel in the tow^nship nor are there 
manufactories or shops of any kind. There are two post-offices in Bell town- 
ship. Bell's Mills and Canoe Ridge. The latter was moved from Indiana county 
in 1887. There are also five school houses and two churches, with a cemetery 
at Carey's. 

FarfHs. — Farming being the principal occupation of the citizens of Bell 
township the farms are generally in a state of good cultivation. Among the 
best tilled, and with the best improvements, are those of Jacob Hoeh, Adam 
Snyder, Henry Brown, Jacob, Joseph and John Grube. 

Elections. — The first election in Bell township was held in 1857, with the 
following result: Justice of the peace, John Couch, A. Rudolph; constable, 
Andrew Wilkins ; supervisors, John Milliron, I. C. Jordan; auditors, Henry 
Brown, William Johnson, John T. Bell; town clerk, Andrew Wilkins; judge 
of election, Joseph McPherson; inspectors, Samuel Graffiiis, Henry Grey; 
school directors, John T. Bell, James McCracken, Samuel Steffy, David Mc- 
Kee, Alexander Findley, Israel Grafifius; assessor, Israel Grafifius; overseers 
of the poor, Adam Kuntz, Abraham Graffius. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected: 
Justice of the peace, Samuel States; constable, Thomas J. Wilkins; supervisors, 
J. T. Ritenhouse, William Steffy; auditor, Samuel Grube; poor overseer, 
J. T. Ritenhouse; school directors, Jacob Hoeh and Israel McElwain; assessor, 
William J. Brown; collector, Jacob Hoeh; judge of election, J. J. Pifer; in- 
spectors, A. J. Beck and D. S. Griffith. 

The other justice of the peace in Bell township is G. S. Weaver, and the 
previously elected members of the school board are Samuel States, Samuel 
Couch, Adam Weaver and Henry Brown. 



664 History of Jefferson County. 

Population and Taxablcs. — The number of taxables in Bell township in 
1863 were 145 ; in 1870, 190; in 1880, 287; in 1886, 297. The population 
in i860 was 792 ; 1870, 7S5; 1880, 887. 

Taxation and Valnation. — The triennial assessment of Bell township for 
1886 gives the number of acres of seated land as 10,235 ! valuation, $40,049. 
average per acre, $3.90. Houses and lots 3; valuation, $110. Unseated 
land 513 acres; valuation, $1,598; average per acre, $3.12. Acres min- 
eral, 495 ; \'aluation, $3,465 ; average per acre, $7.50. Number of horses, 
168; valuation, $6,220; average value, $27.72. Number of cows, 249; val- 
uation, $2,490 ; average, $10. oxen, 10; valuation, $240. Number of occu- 
pations, 100; valuation, $2,473; average. $24.73. Total valuation subject to 
county tax $58,381. Money at interest, $8,370. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Bell township for the year 
ending June 7, 1886, were six; length of term, five months; number of male 
teachers, five; number of female teachers, one; average salary of male teachers, 
$30.40; of female teachers, $29.00 ; number of male scholars, 152; of female 
scholars, 109; average attendance, 222 ; per cent of attendance 90; cost per 
month 89 cents ; thirteen mills were levied for school purposes. Total amount 
of tax levied, $860.71. . 



CHAPTER LVL 
HISTORY OF McCALMOXT TOAVNSHIP. 

THIS township, the twenty-fifth in line, was organized in 1857, and was 
taken from Young. It was named for Hon. John S. McCalmont, the 
president judge of the district. McCalmont is bounded on the north by Wins- 
low and Knox, on the east by A\'inslow and Henderson, on the south by Bell 
and Young, and on the west by Knox and Oliver. 

Topography. — The surface is generally high, ranging at the highest part 
between 1,800 and 1,900 feet abo\'e the ocean level. The township lines, in- 
deed, include a central water-shed, upon which some of the principal streams 
in the county take their rise. Little Sandy heads here, so does Big Run and 
Elk Run, flowing southward into the Mahoning; in the northern part of the 
township the waters flow northward into Sandy Lick. Being thus near their 
starting place the streams are all small, but the valleys which the}' occupy are 
in many cases several hundred feet in depth, and present in this respect a 
striking contrast to the size of the streams. 

Geology. — As in Young, Winslow, and the other townships adjacent to it, 
the main coal bed is the Ereeport lower, which is found from five to seven feet 



McCalmont Township. 665 

in thickness, of excellent, bright, clean coal. The principal coal tracts in Mc- 
Calmont are owned by John Straithoof, Daniel North, Joseph North, J. K. 
North, Jacob Smith, John G. Ernst and H. G. Wingart. These coal fields 
have only recently began to attract attention, and some extensive sales have 
been made. 

The First Settlers. — The first settlers in what is now McCalmont township 
were Samuel McGhee, Ellis Evans, David and Thomas Carr, Abe Craff, Will- 
iam Best, John Deemer, Philip Bush, and John Smith. They came from 
Westmoreland and Centre counties about 1830. John Deemer, Carr and Best 
cleared the first land and made the first improvements. None of these early 
pioneers are now living, but their descendants are among the best citizens in 
the township. The next to make homes for themselves in the wilderness 
were Joseph and Daniel North, Frederick Ackerman, Robert M. Shirley, 
Godfrey Zimmerman, and Alexander Smith. Some of these are yet living 
and enjoying the fruits of those years of toil. Among these, Mr. Alexander 
Smith is now eighty-six years of age, and is the oldest citizen in the township. 

The first persons born in McCalmont were Alexander Deemer and Eli 
Best ; the fir.st married was Joseph North, or Jonas Pifer ; and the first deaths 
were Sprankle Smith and Mrs. Jacob Shatterly. 

J. P. North taught the first term of school in the township in 1840 or 
1 841 ; the first school-house was built on the Smith farm, and the first church 
in 1 87 1 at Panic ; the first saw-mill was built on Big Run, by William Best, in 
1830 ; the first store was started in 1882 at Panic, by George Morrison ; there 
has never been any hotels or grist-mills in the township ; the first lumber was 
taken out by John Smith and rafted on Sandy Lick, and the first coal was 
discovered on the farm of Lewis Elbel. 

Like all the pioneer settlers in the wilderness of Jefferson county, those of 
McCalmont had to exercise the utmost vigilance against the wild animals, 
which were so plentiful. On one occasion John Deemer went out to watch 
the bears off his wheat, and while hidden in a "shock" a large bear came and 
went to eating the wheat of which his hiding-place was composed. He was 
asked afterwards why he did not shoot the bear, to which he replied, " Dod ! 
it was too close." 

Mr. Daniel North, in the forties, was harrowing in one of his fields, and 
broke his harrow. He got his ax to repair it, and while at work, he heard his 
hogs squealing, and on going to see what was the matter, found a large bear 
trying to carry off one of his hogs. It would pick up the hog, walk a short 
distance on his hind feet, and then throw it as far as it could. Mr. North ran 
up and struck the bear with the axe, intending to fell him, but the weapon 
glanced, and bruin letting the hog go, turned on Mr. North, and chattered his 
teeth almost in his face. Mr. North took off his hat threw it in the bear's face, 
and then ensued an exciting foot-race, Mr. North kicking bruin at almost every 



666 History of Jefferson County. 

jump. He almost succeeded in treeing the animal, but in running through 
the brush the bear had the advantage and so escaped. Mr. North considered 
it almost miraculous that the bear did not hug him to death. 

Mr. Jenks, of Punxsutawney, early in the fifties, started with a crew of ten 
or twelve men from Punxsutawney, and made a road to New Knoxdale, and 
another road back to Punxsutawney, completing the work in one day. 

There are now two churches in McCalmont, the Cumberland and United 
Brethren, and a cemetery at Zion Church, started in 1871, also one at Mr. 
Tabor Rhoad's, and Bro\\n's. 

Lumber and Saiv-viills. — There is still some of the fine timber for which 
this region was so famed yet remaining in McCalmont, though it will soon 
succumb to the' axe of the lumberman. The saw-mills in the township are 
those of William Best, George Noer, H. K. North, Lattimer Brothers. Smith 
& Trusell, and I. C. Jordan. These mills cut from 20,000 to 25,000 feet per 
day. The principal lumbermen are J. G. Ernst, I. C. Jordan & Son, and 
Jacob Kuntz. 

Stores, ete. — There are two store in McCalmont, that of James B. North at 
Panic, and C. Ditchburn at Sprucedale ; and the shops of Gustave Hilbeg, 
blacksmith, and H. C. Snell, carpenter. 

Farms. — Some of the best farms in the county are found in McCalmont, 
among which the best cultivated and improved are those of Joseph North, 
Daniel North, John Straithoof, Jacob Straithoof, John Bell, James McGhee, 
George Knoerr, Jacob Kuntz, Godfrey Zimmerman, Jacob Zimmerman, H. G. 
Wingart and Charles Muth. 

Fine graded stock is found on the farms of Daniel North, Jacob Kuntz, 
W. E. Pifer, and George M. Noer. Excellent fruit is found on almost all the 
farms, such as apples, peaches, pears, mulberries, quinces, and all the small 
fruits. 

Eleetions. — The first election was held in McCalmont township in 1S57, 
with the following result: Justices of the peace, Joseph P. North, Daniel B. 
Straighthoof ; constable, Isaac W. Magee ; supervisors, James W. Bell, J. I-"- 
Pifer; auditors, Joseph P. North, Joseph A. Jordan, George Rhodes ; town 
clerk, John McBrier ; judge of election, j. P. North ; inspectors, Thomas Hop- 
kins, George Rhodes ; school directors, Daniel North, John Smith, Samuel 
Rhodes, John Rhodes, John McBrier, Samuel Swisher; assessor, James Mc- 
Gee ; overseers of the poor, Thomas Hopkins, John Uplinger. 

The election held February 15, 1887, resulted in the election of the follow- 
ing persons: Justice of the peace, G. A. Morrison ; constable, William Pifer; 
supervisors, G. Zimmerman and Jacob West; auditor, J. W. Bell; assessor, 
J. G. Ernst ; school directors, P. Smith and John Bell ; poor overseer, Thomas 
Brown ; clerk, Gust. Helbeck ; collector, William T. Pifer ; judge of election, 
Amos Kuntz ; inspectors, Lot North and Henry Loring. The members of 



Henderson Township. 667 



the school board previously elected are Barney Keegan, H. Zimmerman, P. C. 
Muth and James B. North. 

Taxahles, Population, Assessments, and Sehool Statistics. — The number of 
taxables in McCalmont township, in 1863, were 88; in 1870, 126; in 1880, 
160; in 1886, 216. The population, according to the census of i860, was 
454; 1870, 483 ; 1880, 549. 

The triennial assessment of McCalmont township for 1886 gives the num- 
ber of acres of seated land as 9,421 ; valuation, $34,606 ; average per acre, 
$3.67. One house and lot, $100 ; eight grist and saw-mills, valuation, $2,175. 
Unseated lands, 4,119; valuation, $21,216; average per acre, $5.00. Acres 
of surface, 1,640; valuation, $3,590 ; average per acre, $2. 16. Acres of min- 
eral, 2,958 ; valuation, $12,239 ; average per acre, $4. 17. Number of horses, 
154; valuation, $4,300 ; average value, $21.33. Number of cows, 191; val- 
uation, $1,538 ; average value, $8. 10. Number of occupations, 57 ; valuation, 
$1,525 ; average value, $26.70. Total valuation, subject to county tax, $81,- 
289. Money at interest, $51,446. 

The number of schools in McCalmont township for the year ending June 
7, 1886, were 5 ; length of term, 5 months; number of teachers, 5 ; average 
salary, $30 ; number of male scholars, 105 ; female scholars, 87 ; average at- 
tendance, 143 ; per cent, of attendance, 86 ; cost per month, 78 cents. Eleven 
mills were levied for school purposes. Total amount of tax levied, $699.77. 



CHAPTER LVH. 
HISTORY OF HENDERSON TOWNSHIP. 

HENDERSON, the twenty-sixth, and the last in the list of townships, was 
organized in 1857. It was taken from Gaskill and named for Hon. 
Joseph Henderson, then one of the associate judges of the county. This town- 
ship, south of Winslow and north of Gaskill township, adjoins Cleal-ficld 
county on the east, with McCalmont and. Bell on the west. The surface is 
mainly upland, smooth, fertile and well watered. The valleys, with the excep- 
tion of the Mahoning, extending along the southern border, are shallow and 
have gentle slopes. The drainage water flows south into Mahoning Creek. 
Stump Creek occupies the eastern, and Big Run the western portions of the 
township. The northern part is crossed by a narrow divide, which separates 
the waters of the Mahoning from those of Sandy Lick. 

Geology. — There is no coal of any consequence found in Henderson, the 
only rock of much economic value being limestone, which is found in several 



•668 HisTor<v of Jefferson County. 

localities and yields good stone. It is over three feet in thickness wherever 
it has been quarried. 

A few years ago a well was put down for oil on Stump Creek, near Kram- 
er's mill, and for a time was the leading sensation of the day. Some oil was 
undoubtedly found, but not enough to justify further investigation in that lo- 
cality, as after reaching a depth of almost 1,700 feet the tools were withdrawn 
and the well abandoned. 

Early Settlement. — The first settlers in Henderson township appear to have 
been two Englishmen named Potter and Saulsbury ; the latter cleared tlie first 
land and made the first improvements. 

In the year 1829 John Pifer and Frederick Kuhnly came from Westmore- 
land count)' and settled in what is now known as the Paradise Settlement. 
This name is said to have been given to this region by one of the Longs, 
Michael or William, who on his first hunting excursion into this wilderness 
was so impressed with the .scene that met his vision, the luxuriance and beauty 
of the flowers that carpeted the sward at his feet, or glowed from every thicket, 
the bright and varying green foliage of the trees, the cool, limpid springs that 
sprang from moss environed depths, the sweet songs of the myriads of bright 
plumaged and sweet throated birds that filled the woods with their melody, 
that in awe struck wonder and admiration at the loveliness he beheld he invol- 
untarily associated it with the land of the blest and called it " Paradise," a 
name that through all these years that have elapsed since his eyes first beheld 
it, it has retained 

Mr. Pifer and Mr. Kuhnly took up go\'ernment lands at from fift\' cents to 
one dollar per acre, and in Ma)' of tiiat year the former, with his two sons, 
John and Jonas, took possession of this purchase and erected a small log cabin 
and made other improvements preparatorv' to bringing the rest of his family, 
who came on the 6th of December, 1829 Mr. Kuhnly had brought his family 
with him in May, before any preparation was made for them. 

Bears, deer and wild turkey were plenty, and furnished them food, and 
bruin often came into their clearings and tried to procure his supper by carr}'- 
ing oft' a fat hog or two, while wolves howled about the cabins at night. The 
winter was a very severe one and Mr. Pifer liad to go fifteen miles to procure 
straw. He obtained his supplies at Punxsutawney, to which place he would 
go with an ox team and "jumper." The only improvements at Big Run at 
that time was a saw-mill, and there were no improvements in the neighbor- 
hood of where Reynoldsville now is except a little log cabin that stood near 
Sandy. All around appeared to be a swamp, and there was no indications 
that a thriving town would ever be located there. 

The presence of neighbois across the Clearfield county line, about a half a 
mile away, was made known to Mr. Pifer by his hearing their chickens herald- 
ing the approach of sunrise. He made his way to the place from which tlie 





/m 




Henderson Township. 669 



crowing proceeded, and there found a cabin, and a cordial welcome from its 
inmates, who had been equally ignorant of his presence in the neighborhood. 

A preacher named Althause resided in, or near Punxsutawney, who oc- 
casionally preached in Luthersburg, making the journey on foot, and always 
carrying his gun with him for protection from wild animals. When more set- 
tlers came into the neighborhood he was invited to call and preach for them, 
the log cabin being the meeting-house. We do not know whether this is 
the preacher of whom it is related that on one occasion when he was in the 
midst of his sermon in a pioneer cabin in the southern part of the county, from 
the open door of the cabin a large, fine deer was seen. The men all had their 
guns witli them, as was the custom in those days, and with one accord sprang 
to their feet, and grasping their guns, rushed after the deer. The astonished 
divine who was thus interrupted in the midst of his sermon, exclaimed, " Oh! 
it is too bad," when an old German, who, alone, with the women of the con- 
gregation, remained, thinking that the preacher feared that the deer would get 
away, replied, " Oh! by shure you need be not afraid dey'l git him, de boy's 
dey git him ! " 

The children of those first pioneer farmers \'et live in Henderson township, 
and are now able to live in comfort and lu.xury on their beautiful farms ; but to 
gain this end they had to undergo trials and make sacrifices that would appall 
the heart of the youth of the present day. 

The first church was built in the Paradise Settlement in 1840, and the first 
school-house in the same locality in 1845. The first saw-mill was built by 
Daniel Graffius, sr., on Big Mahoning Creek in 1835. The first lumber was 
taken out in 1838, and coal discovered in 1840. The first store was started in 
1840 by David Kerr, sr. The first hotel was kept by James U. Gillespie in 
1850. The first grist-mill was built by Philip Enterline in 1867, ^n^ the first 
manufactory (furniture) was started in 1867 by D. J. Smyers. The latter are 
all located in the present limits of Big Run. 

Present Business, etc. — The lumber trade has been the principal employ- 
ment and source of revenue of this region amounting yearly to about $300,000. 
The principal mills of D. J. and G. S. Smyers, Big Run Lumber Company, 
and Krider & Son, on Big Mahoning, aggregate a daily capacity of 100,000 
feet. Besides the mills above noted is the steam saw- mill of Jacob Zufall built 
about 1883, and the water-mills of James London and Adam Knarr, each cut- 
ting about 15,000 feet daily. There are three school-houses and si.x churches 
in Henderson and one postoffice, Clouser, located near George Kramer's. 

Fanning — Henderson is one of the best farming sections of the county and 
considerable attention is paid to raising graded improved stock, Holstein and 
Jersey cattle being the specialties. The fruit also is good, apples, pears, grapes, 
peaches, plums, being grown of the best varieties. Among the best cultivated 
farms and those with the best improvements are those of Charles Miller, George 

81 



670 History of Jefferson County. 

Sprague, George Kramer, Robert London, Peter Weaver, John J. Milliron, 
David, Jonas, Isaac and B. F. Pifer, Jacob Rudolph, Jacob, Isaiah, George and 
Abraham Zufall, Jesse and Henry Beams, Adam Knarr, George Tyson, K. A. 
M. McClure, who owns 25,000 acres of land in the township, has several good 
farms. 

Elections. — The first election was held in Henderson township in 1857, 
with the following result: Justice of the peace. James U. Gillispie ; constable, 
Thomas Pifer ; supervisors, Daniel Smyers, Henry Lott ; auditor, J. U. Gilles- 
pie ; judge of election, George Pifer; inspectors, Abraham Davis, Henry Mil- 
ler; assessor, Henry Clark; school directors, Samuel Smith, George Snell, 
John T. Clark, Jacob Smith, Christian Hoover; overseers, William Brooks, 
David Haney, Abraham Milliron. 

At the election held February 15, 1887, the following persons were elected: 
Constable, Joseph Hoftman ; collector, Joseph Hoffman ; assessor, A. Jordan ; 
supervisor?, Frederick Lott, Frederick Buchcite ; justice of the peace, Henry 
Henaman ; auditor, Frederick Hoffman ; school directors, Andrew Pifer and 
August Webber; judge of election, A. Miller; inspectors, Charles Miller and 
H. F. Freithhert; treasurer, R. B. London. 

The other justice of the peace is Frederick Lott, and the other members of 
the school board of Henderson township are William Null, P. W. Kuntz, M. 
A. Weaver, and J. G. Rudolph. 

Taxation aiid Population. — The number of taxables in Henderson town- 
ship in 1863 were 146; in 1870, 187; in 1880,218; in 1886,291. The pop- 
ulation in i860 was 627 ; 1870, 884; 1880, 872. 

Assessments and Valuation. — The triennial assessment gives the number of 
acres of seated land in Henderson township as 12,172; valuation, $50,003; 
average value per acre, $4.20. Grist and saw-mills, 6; valuation, $1,500. 
Number of acres unseated, 1,318; valuation, $4,436 ; average per acre, $3.36. 
Number of horses, 195 ; valuation, $4,900; average value, $25.12. Number 
of cows, 291 ; valuation, $2,694; average value, $9.25. Number of occupa- 
tions, 76; valuation, $2,405; average value, $31.64. Total valuation subject 
to county tax, $65,938. Money at interest, $26,641. 

School Statistics. — The number of schools in Henderson township for the 
year ending June 7, 1886, were 5 ; length of term, 5 months; number of male 
teachers, 3; female teachers, 2; average salary of teachers, $27.00; number 
of male scholars, 151 ; female scholars, 117; average attendance, 220; per 
cent, of attendance, 85 ; cost per month, 89 cents ; 9 mills were levied for 
school purposes. Total amount of tax levied, $700. 

Big Run. 

Big Run was where the first settlement was made in Henderson township 
in 1822, and was for a long time the only post-office in that region of countrj-. 



Hendersox TowxsHir. 671 



It derives its name from the stream called Big Run, which here empties into 
the Mahoning. It has always been the centre of the lumbering trade for all 
that section of countr}-, and since the building of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pitts- 
burgh railroad, upon w hich it is situated, it is becoming a town of importance. 
The first settlers and the first business enterprises of the town have been given 
in the foregoing history of Henderson township. Big Run was incorporated a 
borough in September, 1867. 

Stores. — George K. Tyson, general store, established about 1877 ; Dr. A. 
P. Cox, general store and drugs, started about same time ; A. M. McClure, 
general store, started in 1S67, burned down in 1 870, and rebuilt and opened in 
1880; Dr. C. A. Wilson, drug store, started about 1882 ; J. B. Ellis, general 
store; started in May, 1883; Pittsburgh Branch Store, V. Simons, manager, 
opened about 1884; W. E. & S. Enterline, Mrs. Buss, Miss Enterline, J. U. 
Gillespie. J. F. Oswald, hardware; opened in 1884. E. G. Gray, grocery; 
started in 1882. W. S. Carlton, grocery and eating house. 

Manufactories and S/iops. — David McKee, shoemaker; started about 1882. 
James A. Hamilton, tannery and harness shop ; started in 1883. P. Palmer, 
wagon maker and blacksmith; commenced in 1874. S. H. Gray, blacksmith; 
in 1882. Handle and ax factory, started by T. H. Simon in 1887. 

Mills. — The largest saw-mill in Big Run was erected by a man named 
F'arnsworth, in 1840. It was then owned by David Barclay, and then, in 
1865, by William M. Cochran; since 1866 by A. M. McClure. It has been 
operated by the Big Run Lumber Company since 1885. Saw-mill put up by 
Putney Brothers in 1882, now owned b_\- T. B. Krider. Planing mill of O. S. 
Reems, built by David Pifer in 1869. Planing-mill and furniture factory, 
owned by D. J. Smyers & Son. Grist-mill, built by Philip Enterline in 1870; 
since his death, in 1S85, owned by his sons, S. and VV. E. Enterline. 

Hotel McClure. — There is a large, well- fitted hotel at Big Run, built in 
1886 by A. M. McClure. It is under the management of G. W. Schwem. 

The office of the deputy-collector of internal revenue for the district, D. C. 
Gillespie, is located at Big Run. 

Elections. — The first election in Big Run after it was incorporated as a 
borough was held on September 30, 1867 at which the following persons were 
elected: Justices of the peace, George K. Tyson, John E. Gillespie, constable, 
Charles Sloppy ; auditors, David Kerr. D. L, Smyers, William M. Cochran ; 
judge of election, Samuel Yohe ; inspectors, A. B. Stoner, Thomas D. Kerr; 
assessors, George K. T\son; assistant assessors, Joseph McPherson, J. A. Ham- 
ilton ; school directors, D. C. Gillespie, George K. Tyson, John Miller, J. A. 
Hamilton, Joseph McPherson, Samuel Yohe ; overseers of the poor, J. A. Ham- 
ilton, George K. Tyson ; town council, D. C. Gillespie, Joseph Moorhead, 
Da\id W^ Kerr, William M. Hollowell, Samuel Sloppy. 

The election held February 15, 1887 resulted in the election of the follow- 



6/2 History of Jefferson County. 

ing persons: Burgess, Q. S. Reames ; council, Daniel Billmire, and W. B. 
McPherson and D. D. Neff tie vote; constable, W. P. Stumpf; high consta- 
ble, Frederick Simons; school directors, A. M. McCIure and D.J. Symers 
and Phillip Palmer tie vote ; assessor, George C. Gillespie ; auditor, Edward 
Seiphert ; collector, VV. H. Tyson; poor overseer, J. F. Oswald; treasurer, 
R. A. Hamilton ; judge of election, John Kuntz ; inspectors, John Neff and 
William Billmire. 

The justices of the peace for Big Run are J. A. Hamilton and G. K.Tyson, 
and the other members of the school board are G. K. T}son, J. A. Hamilton, 
C. A. Wilson and G. H. Simons. 

Taxables and Population. — The number of taxables in Big Run in 1870 
were 71 ; in 1880, 78; in 1886, 148. 

The population according to the census of 1870 was 206; 1880, 240. 

Assessment and Valuations. — The triennial assessment for 1886 gi\'es the 
number of acres of seated land in Big Run as 222. Valuation, $2,971 ; aver- 
age per acre, $13.38. Number of houses and lots, 177; valuation; $21,639. 
Grist and saw-mills, two; valuation $100. Number of horses, 24; valuation, 
$545 ; average value, $22.70. Number of cows, 53; valuation, $494; aver- 
age value, $9.32. Occupations, 104; valuation $3,545; average, $33.12. 
Total valuation subject to county ta.x, $31,094. Money at interest, $4,031. 

School Statistics. — The. number of schools in Big Run for the year ending 
June 7, 1S86 were two; length of term five months; number of male teachers, 
one, female teachers one. Salary of male teacher $40, female teacher $25. 
Number of male scholars 70, number of female scholars, 55. Average attend- 
ajice 96, per cent, of attendance, 91, cost per month, 60 cents. Thirteen mills 
each for school and building were levied. Total amount of ta.x levied for 
school and building purposes, $706.50. 



CHAPTER LVni. 
BIOGRAPHICAL. 

McGHEE, JAMES. The father of the subject of this sketch, John McGhee, was 
born in New York, and his father dying when he was quite young, his mother 
removed to Trenton, New Jersey. At the age of sixteen he left home to learn the trade 
of a millwright, and after that lost all trace of his mother and her family, and never 
again met any of his kindred, so that Mr. James McGhee has no relatives by the name 
of McGhee, e.\cept two nephews residing in California, of whom he has any knowledge. 
After learning his trade he went to the Clarion River and built a number of mills on 
that stream. In 1822 he was married to Nancy Smith and in 1825 removed to the 




James S. McGhek. 



James McGhee. 673 



Beech Woods to build a mill for Alexander Osborn, the first mill erected in that neigh- 
borhood. He was the first setder to locate east of the " beaver dam," or what is now 
Fall's Creek. His nearest neighbor was three miles distant, and a dense forest, 
infested with wild animals, surrounded his dwelling. Mr. McGhee was necessarily 
absent the greater part of the time, which left his wife alone with her litde family. One 
morning she heard their only pig squealing lustily, and ran out of the house to see 
what was the matter, and found to her astonishment that a large bear was carrying the 
pig off. She picked up an a.xe that was lying on the wood-pile near by, and struck a 
blow at the bear, which sank deep into its head, killing it instantly, and releasing the pig. 

Mrs. McGhee was obliged to work hard to help make the new home in the woods, 
and this, added to the care of the family, was too much for her strength, and at last her 
health gave way, and, in 1835, she died. At that time her husband was too fond of the 
glass which into.xicates, and though a kind husband and father when sober, at times he 
became crazed by the demon that lurks in the wine cup and takes all manhood away. 
^^'hen his wife felt death approaching she called him to her bedside and asked him to 
give up strong drink. He promised, and from that day never tasted strong drink. 

James McGhee was born in the Beech Woods, March 20, 1S35, his mother dying 
when he was nine months old. Mrs. Mcintosh, a neighbor, took charge of him for a 
short time, and then his aunt, Mrs. Osburn, took him to her home in Clarion county, 
and cared for him until he was four years old, when he was brought back to the Beech 
Woods to live with his father. Mr. McGhee says : " When my uncle brought me home 
he put a stone in one end of his saddle-bags and me in the other, and in this way car- 
ried me forty miles. I can remember, the night after I came home, that my father, who 
was lying on the floor alongside of my bed, would rise up quite often through the night 
and look at me. The ladies of the neighborhood were very kind to me, treating me as 
though I was one of their own children, calling me their ' little Jimmie,' and sending 
me cakes to school. In my childhood days I never went into one of their houses that 
I did not receive something to eat, and this practice has been kept up, for let me go 
where I will, I must eat with them before I leave. I shall always remember and respect 
these good people for the many kindnesses I have received at their hands." At the age 
of fourteen James McGhee began rafting and running lumber on the creek, being, as 
was said, " a good worker," and those who employed him were always careful to give 
him all he could do. In those days the raftmen were half the time on the raft and the 
balance in the water. They always walked home in the night or camped in the woods 
among the laurel. Mr. McGhee says of this first trip down the creek : " We had a 
gorge at Rocky Bend, and night coming on we started for the pike, but got lost on the 
way and had to stay in the woods all night. We had had no dinner or supper, and 1 
thought if that was the way rafting went I would stay at home. The next morning we 
came to the pike where Levi Schuckers now lives, where a man by the name of Houpt 
kept a hotel, and where we got a good breakfast, which we all enjoyed." 

Mr. McGhee remained in the Beech Woods, working on the farm, and running on 
the creek when there was rafting, until he was eighteen; but being of a roving disposi- 
tion, in 1853, he started to the west with three other young men of the neighborhood — 
Welsh, Groves and Lewis. At that time Jefferson county had no railroads, and as the 
Allegheny River was too low for steamboats, the travelers had to walk to Pittsburgh, 
where they took the cars. At that time the farthest west that trains ran was to within 
sixteen miles east of Galena, Illinois, where our tra\elers took the stage, arriving in 



6/4 History of Jefferson County. 

Galena October 24, 1853, and ihe next daj' started for the Wisconsin lumber camps. 
Janesville, through which they passed, had only one house, and a very poor one at that- 
On the 29th they reached the mouth of Yellowstone River, and at the hotel there were 
Informed that they could get work at Williams's mill, a distance of fourteen miles. 
They reached this place about dark, and were promised work by Mr. Williams, who 
directed them to a shanty, where there were about forty rough-looking men, with hair 
hanging over their shoulders, and having the appearance of not having been shaved for 
at least five years, and whose every word was an oath. When supper was ready each 
man took down from a wooden peg on the wall a wooden bowl and spoon, and the 
new-comers being furnished viith the same articles, followed the others into the next 
room, where on tables made of rough boards were placed large wooden bowls, such 
as are used for mixing bread, filled with pork and beans. This was all the food the men 
got, but all seemed strong and in good health. Mr. McGhee stayed here three days, 
but as the weather was very cold, and he had no blankets or bedding of any kind, and 
none could be had, he determined to return home, and dividing his money with his 
companions, he turned his steps homeward. After this journey he worked on the farm 
at home until he was twenty years of age, when, having accumulated about four hun- 
dred dollars, he again started westward. This time he was able to buy a ticket from 
Pittsburgh to Galena, from where he struck out for St. Paul. Near Portage, Wisconsin, 
he found Mr. Lewis, his companion of two years before. After spending the night with 
him, he proceeded on his journey, and just after crossing the Wisconsin River, found 
himself surrounded by a tribe of Indians, who seemed to be quarreling. He was con- 
siderably alarmed, and was greatly relieved when one of them, in English, inquired 
what day of the week it was. On being told that it was Sunday, he seemed much 
pleased, and informed Mr. McGhee that that was what they were disputing about, some 
of the rest asserting that it was not. Finding they could talk English, he inquired the 
way to Black River Falls. They told him there was an Indian trail through the woods, 
but that the white man went by Devil's Lake, which was nearer, but Indians dare not 
go that way. Not being afraid of the evil spirits of the Indians, Mr. McGhee chose 
this route, and that night encamped on the banks of the lake, whose beauty and grandeur 
repaid him for the trip. There is a railroad built to the place and a summer resort upon 
the spot where, on the eve of July 4, 1855, Mr. McGhee spent a lonely night. 

At Black River he fell in with a young man who was going to Chippewa Falls to 
work at the millwright trade. Having worked at this with his father, Mr. McGhee 
concluded to join him. On reaching the Eau Claire River the settler with whom they 
spent the night advised them to go no further, as the Indians were on the war-path. 
But, after exchanging some of their coffee and hard bread with him for dried venison 
and fish, they decided to push on. .-Xfter going some distance the\- met a party of whites, 
who informed them that the Winnebago and Chi])pewa Indians were figliting at the falls. 
They turned back with them, and that night, for the first time, he saw a picket guard 
thrown out. The next day the party, forty in number, went down the river to Eau 
Claire, where Mr. McGhee remained until the 16th of July, when he again set out for 
St. Paul, a distance of two hundred miles. There was no road save an Indian trail, and 
the traveler did not see a human face for three days, except a party of Indians, whom 
he was terribly frightened to meet, in war-paint; but the leader assured him that he need 
not be afraid, as they were on their way to "fight bad injun at Chippew-a Falls," and 
with a war-whoop they left him. He reached St. Paul without further adventure, and 



James McGhee. 675 



found but a small village, containing a few dwellings, a small frame hotel, the dock, 
warehouse, and three stores. While there a German wanted to sell him forty acres of 
land for forty dollars, which covered the ground now occupied by the union depot, and 
taking in a large portion of the city ; but after looking about for a week he concluded 
that the place would not amount to much, as there would never be a market for the 
grain raised in Minnesota. From there he went to Minneapolis, St. Anthony's, and 
visited the beautiful falls of Minnehaha. He then retraced his steps to Iowa, through 
which State he made a very pleasant pedestrian tour. Though there were roads to 
guide the traveler, there were no bridges, and he frequendy had to wade streams where 
the water was waist-deep. The country was beginning to be settled, and Mr. McGhee 
could generally find shelter for the night. One night he stopped for the night at a sod 
house, and soon after two men rode up who he thought acted rather suspiciously. Mr. 
McGhee at once decided they were robbers, who had obtained knowledge of several 
hundred dollars he carried on his person, and had followed him to rob him; but his 
fears were all allayed when one of them asked a blessing at the supper-table. 

After looking over Iowa, Mr. McGhee again turned his face homeward, thinking, as 
he says, " that there was too much good land in the west, and it would produce so much 
grain that there would be no market for it." 

He reached home August 26, and had not been there very long until there was a 
"flood in the creek," and in company with David McGeary and Samual Sloan started 
a raft from Brookville. The water was low when they started, but the rain soon fell in 
torrents, and when they reached Troy the water was rising rapidly. When they came 
in sight of Hess's dam they could see the breakers rising up some ten feet. Mr. McGhee 
says : " It made my hair stand up on my head at sight of the peril that was before us. 
I secured a good hold on one of the grubs and concluded I would go to the bottom 
with the raft. It was soon over, as the raft was in the current of the dam, and as soon 
as the front end had struck the breaker it went down. We were afraid we would strike 
the pier below the dam, but McGeary being a good pilot, we escaped. We soon found 
ourselves out of danger, but without coats or hats. Our oar was on the back of the 
raft ; we soon secured it, and after some hard work succeeded in landing at New Beth- 
lehem. I give this as one of the many adventures of a lumberman." In 1858 Mr. 
McGhee formed a co-partnership in the lumber business with David McGeary, to whom 
he sold his interest in i860, and purchased some timber land, in which he invested all 
the money he had, thinking to sell his timber in Pittsburgh in the spring. But when on 
his way "down the river" with his first rafts in the spring of 1861 he was met with the 
news that the rebels had fired upon Fort Sumter. On reaching Pittsburgh all was found 
to be excitement, and no sale could be made. Leaving his timber in charge of James 
Gathers, he returned home. He was out of money and discouraged, but he soon im- 
bibed the war fever that was rousing up the North, and as the ranks of the first three 
months' companies were full, he enlisted under the ne.\t call in Captain Evans R. Brady's 
company, and accompanied it to Pittsburgh, but having some business to attend to, he 
returned home, where he fell sick, and before he was able to rejoin his company Captain 
Brady wrote to him that his place was filled. He then enlisted in Captain A. H.Tracy's 
company, which became Company H of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment. He 
served almost three years in this brave old regiment, and participated in forty-two bat- 
tles and skirmishes, until he was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness. Mr. McGhee 
says of his army experience: ".\fter I was wounded I never saw the good old flag again 



6-]6 History of Jefferson County. 

until I saw it at the reunion of Jefferson county soldiers at Brookville, September 22, 
(S87. When I beheld its tattered rags, it brought many sad thoughts to my mind. I 
thought of what Colonel Craig said at the battle of Gettysburg, when the rebels were 
among us as thick as bees, and the color-bearers were being shot down : ' Boys, stand 
by the flag until the last man is killed, and then I will take it out.' When the Sixty- 
third was driven back to Randolph's battery, and we had rescued them, I heard one of 
the regiment say : ' God bless the old One Hundred and Fifth, she is always on hand.' 
At the battle of the Wilderness we were marching along a road, when the rebels poured 
into our ranks a deadly fire. The men fell in great numbers, and as soon as we could 
load we returned the fire. We could not hear the report of their guns for the noise of 
our own firing. The only way we knew they were firing at us was seeing our men fall. 
The enemy occupied higher ground than we did, and suffered more. Each man fired 
one hundred and twenty rounds before we were relieved. We then retired a short 
distance and lay down to rest. I was lying behind a small tree, upon which the rebels 
opened fire and shot away at it until it fell." 

In the fight of the next day Mr. McGhee was wounded severely in the arm. The 
rebel who shot him was not fifty rods distant. After receiving the wound Mr. McGhee 
was sent to Belle Plain, and it was four days before he reached there, and during that 
time his wound did not receive proper attention. At Belle Plain he was put on a boat, 
where his wound received proper care. He was taken to the hospital at Washington, 
and a few days after he arrived there an order was received to furlough the soldiers and 
send them home. The surgeon thought he was not able to go, but he had received 
intelligence of his father's serious illness, and his nurse interceded for him, and he was 
allowed to go home, reaching there the day before his father's death, which occurred 
May 23, 1864. He remained at home until July i, when he returned to the hospital 
and was transferred to Satterly hospital, where he remained until his term of service 
expired. 

When he came out of the army Mr. McGhee had about three hundred dollars. 
With this he bought five hundred acres of timber land in Forest county, at Orphan's 
court sale, at fifty cents per acre, and in a few days sold it for five dollars per acre 
This gave him money enough to carry on business, and he took out timber that winter 
and in the spring had fifteen rafts which he run to Pittsburgh and sold for twenty-five 
cents per foot. 

Having money enough to go into some business, he concluded to go to California, 
and was ready to start, when R. S. Gathers persuaded him to purchase a mill property. 
During the winter of 1865 he took out timber on Little Toby, which he run to Pittsburgh 
in the spring and sold for twenty- three cents per foot. In the spring of 1866 he sold, 
at a good profit, his interest in the lands on Little Toby, and purchased four thousand 
acres of timber land in Michigan, from Ira C. Fuller. After visiting and locating this land 
he returned home, and in the summer of 1866 bought one-fourth interest in the mill at 
Sandy Valley, in Winslow township. While taking out timber after the mill froze up, 
about March i, 1867, one of the scorers' axes came off the handle and struck Mr. 
McGhee on the wrist, severing an artery. He took cold in the sore after it was par- 
tially healed, and says : "Had it not been for Dr. Heichhold's watchful care, I would 
have lost my arm." 

Since then he has made several trips to Michigan, where he has extensive lumber 
interests. He owns an interest in the large steam mill at McGhee Station (Sandy Val- 



James McGhee. — Andrew Jackson Brady. 6-jj 

ley), which was built in 1869 and saws four million feet of boards per annum. Mr. 
McGhee resides in his large and commodious residence at this place. 

On the Sth of August, 1865, Mr. McGhee was married to Elizabeth S. Boner, daugh- 
ter of Charles Boner, of Rose township. Six children have blessed this union, four of 
whom — Anna M., Mattie, Charles P., and James W. — survive, and are all at home 
with their parents ; Carrie S. died November 25, 1875, and John W., December 13, 1875^ 

Very few of Jefferson county's citizens have lived a more eventful or busier life than 
Mr. McGhee. and his adventures in the far west and in the armv would fill a volume. 



BRADV, ANDREW JACKSON, was born in Mahoning township, Indiana county 
February 3, 1815. His father, James Y. Brady, was a prominent citizen of Indiana 
county, and held the office of justice of the peace for forty years. His mother was 
Sarah Ricketts, of ^'irginia, and a very estimable woman. They had quite a large fam- 
ily, two of whom, the subject of our sketch and his brother, Oliver, became citizens of 
Jefferson county. His father was a cousin of Captain Sam Brady, of Indian fame. 

In 1840 A. J. Brady, who was a carpenter and cabinet maker, came to Pine Creek 
township to build a house for Mr. John Long. He remained for a year or two and 
worked at his trade in the summer, and taught school during the winter. One of the 
schools taught by him was the Moore school, near Emerickville. On the 3d of March, 
1842, he was married to Miss Susannah Catherine Long, daughter of Mr. John Long, 
and returned to Indiana county and went to farming. 

In those days money was very scarce, and books of all kinds were luxuries often 
unobtainable, and Mrs. Brady found herself in her new home without a Bible. Having 
been brought up to read and abide by the Word of God, she felt this deprivation very 
much, and as soon as an opportunity presented, she purchased the volume from which 
the records for this sketch have been taken, and for w'hich she paid the last money in 
her possession, the only time when, as she says, she was ever obHged to part with her 
last cent ; but she felt that she must possess a Bible of her own at any sacrifice. 

The young couple worked hard, and being young, healthy, and energetic, they suc- 
ceeded. When the first little one came, the mother took it with her to the field, and 
placing its cradle in the shade of a tree, she followed after her husband's plow, setting 
up the corn or helping put up the hay. .\fter the first two years they were able to hire 
a hand, and from that time Mrs. Brady was relieved from out-door work ; but she looks 
back to those early days as among the happiest of her life. 

About 1848 A. J. Brady sold his farm in Indiana county and returned to Jefferson 
county, and in 1850 with Irvin Long, his brother-in-law, bought the Port Barnett prop- 
erty, and in addition to the mills he also kept the old Barnett Hotel. In 1849 Mr. 
Brady and Samuel Findley bought a fleet of boards and ran them to Cincinnati, where 
they sold them. In 1852 he sold the Port Barnett property to Jacob Kroh, sr., and 
moved to Brookville and purchased the house on the corner of Mill and Main streets, 
in which he resided until 1857, when he purchased the property on Mill street where 
his family still resides. 

In 1867 Mr. Brady made a trip to England in the interest of the heirs of William 
Robinson. He left New York September 23. and landed in Liverpool October 7. Al- 
though not successful in his search, Mr. Brady enjoyed his trip to the old country very 
much. He visited all places of interest in Liverpool, London, and Nottingham, among 
others the Crystal Palace. He returned home in the latter part of November. A. J. 



678 History of Jefferson County. 

Brady was one of the most prominent and successful business men in the county. He 
was the senior partner of the firm of Brady & Long in the hmibering business, and the 
Blaine mill and the lumber business connected with it is yet conducted under the same 
firm name. He was well identified with the lumber interests on Redbank Creek, and 
for many years he owned considerable valuable real estate, and was possessed of con- 
siderable of this world's goods. 

He was always prominendy identified with the Republican party, and for years held 
the office of justice of the peace in Brookville, and was elected and re-elected assessor 
again and again. He was always honest and straightforward in all his dealings with his 
fellows, and so strong was the faith of his neighbors and those who knew him in his 
integrity that he was guardian for scores of orphan children. 

On the i6th of November, 1865, after an illness of some duration, he calmly passed 
from earth. Mr. Brady was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but made 
no loud professions of religion. He was as unassuming in his church relations as in his 
daily life, but his faith in his heavenly Father was steadfast and sure. When about to 
embark on his trip to England, he w-rote to his wife : " I put my trust in God, and I 
believe that he will permit me to come back again. I have a good deal of faith in your 
religion, and I want you to pray for me when I am at sea, and I will jiray for myself 
and all the rest at home." 

He was a true and steadfast friend, and the troubles of his friends affected him almost 
as much as if they had been his own. 

Mr. and Mrs. Brady had eleven children. Of these Hezekiah E., Sarah Elisabeth, 
Margaret Alvira, Mary Alzaide, Nora Adelphia, Harry Grant, and Walter Zeigler died 
in infancy, e.xcept Maggie, who was taken from earth when a lovely girl of some twelve 
summers. 

Four children yet survive — Lewis Armstrong, now residing in Du Bois, Minerwi J., 
married to John Matson, jr.. and a resident of Brookville, and Milton Seymour, also 
married and residing in Brookville, and Gertrude, who, with her mother, resides in the 
homestead. 



JENKS, Hon. GEORGE A., is the youngest of ten children, and was born in Pun.x- 
sutawney, Jefferson county. Pa., March 26, 1S36. His father, a physician, was de- 
scended from a Welsh Quaker family, who w-ere among the early settlers of Philadelphia. 
His mother was a daughter of the Rev. D. Barclay, a Scotch Presbyterian minister. 
When Mr. Jenks was a child his eldest brother, D. B. Jenks, who was a lawyer, was 
teaching him to count a hundred, and casually asked him what business he would fol- 
low when he became a man. The reply was, " Wait till to-morrow morning and I will 
tell you." During the night the determination was formed, and the next morning com- 
municated by the subject of this sketch that he would be a lawyer. This purpose, so 
eariy formed, was unalterably fixed. Thenceforward his every labor and study was di- 
rected to the purpose of his life. To these early studies is largely to be attributed his 
capability to deal with orignial legal questions, such as he manifested on the impeach- 
ment of Secretary Belknap, the discussion of the Louisiana and Oregon cases before the 
Electoral Commission, and the debate on the distribution of the Geneva aw^ard. 

When attending the common school, one of the readers then in use was the Intro- 
duction to the English Reader. In this, one of the lessons was the story of the " Noble 
Basket-Maker." From this story the moral was derived: That every man, no differ- 





Qyvi 



l^ 



George A. Jexks. 679 



ence what his circumstances or purposes in Hfe might be, should learn a trade. This 
moral he determined to act upon. When fourteen years old his father died. At six- 
teen he entered upon an apprenticeship of two years to the carpenter and joiner trade. 
When his term expired he worked at his trade, taught school, and occasionally was em- 
ployed at civil engineering, till he entered college. While engaged in the latter voca- 
tion, in the spring of 1855, he assisted to lay out Omaha, in Nebraska. In the fall 
of that year he entered the junior class at JelTerson College, having, in the mornings 
and evenings, while teaching and working, steadily pursued his literary studies. He 
had been entered as a student of law before he entered college, and the Hon. W. P. 
Jenks, who was his guardian, had from early boyhood directed him in his legal and lit- 
erary reading. He graduated at Jefferson College in the class of 1858, and in February, 
1S59, was admitted to the bar in Jefferson county, having finished his legal studies under 
his elder brother, P. W. Jenks. 

At the September term, 1859, he led in conducting his first case in court, which was 
an all-important one to his clients, a widow and her minor children, whose all was their 
home, and that home was dependent upon the result of the case. He was opposed by 
the leading legal talent at the bar, including Hon. I. G. Gordon, Hon. W. P. Jenks. and 
Hon. G. W. Zeigler. He won the case, and thenceforward was employed in most of 
the important causes in his own county, and his name soon became familiar in many of 
the courts of Western and Central Pennsylvania, to which he was called for the trial of 
important cases. 

When not engaged in the courts, his life has been one of constant study and prepa- 
ration. He never sought public position, but was known as a Democrat. In the fall 
of 1874 he was tendered the Democratic nomination for Congress in the Twenty-fifth 
District of Pennsylvania, against General Harry White. The district was heavily Re- 
publican, but his personal popularity and the tidal wave elected him to the Forty-fourth 
Congress. Speaker Kerr appointed him chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions. 
A masterly report on the condition and working of the Pension Bureau, derived from ao 
investigation by order of the House, he soon made, and followed this by a bill which 
was calculated to prevent future abuses. Bounty land warrants, which, before this, had 
been personal property, had become the plunder of a dishonest ring, which, at one sin- 
gle time, had seized upon over one hundred thousand acres of land, were changed to 
realty through his efforts, and so guarded that only the rightful owners, their legal heirs 
or assigns, could obtain them. 

His forensic ability first became known to the House in a discussion concerning the 
character of an invahd pension. He had asserted that an invalid pension, for death, or 
disability of a soldier in the service, in the line of his duty, was a contract right. This 
was denied by some of the leading Republicans of the House, who alleged it was mere 
gift or gratuity, and a warm debate ensued, at the conclusion of which Mr. Jenks made 
a legal argument, tracing the legislation on the subject from and since the Revolutionary 
War, and establishing so conclusively the position he assumed that it has not since been 
denied. This was soon succeeded by a legal discussion concerning the refusal of Hal- 
lett Kilbourne to testify before a committee of the House. 

The legal prominence he had already attained led the House to elect him as one of 
seven managers on the part of the House to conduct the impeachment of Secretary 
Belknap, the others being Messrs. Lord, Knott, Lynde, McMahon, Hoar and Lapham. 
On that trial, before the Senate, the defendant was represented by three leading lawyers 



68o History of Jefferson County. 

of the nation — Hon. Jeremiah S. Black, Hon. Matt. H. Carpenter and Hon. Mont- 
gomery Blair. Mr. Jenks was selected by the managers as one of the committee to 
draw the pleadings. He was afterwards appointed to make one of the arguments on 
the question of the jurisdiction of the Senate to impeach after the officer had resigned, 
and subsequently, in consequence of the illness of Mr. Lapham, he was selected to dis- 
cuss the facts. His legal attainments were, on this trial, made conspicuous to the Sen- 
ate and the nation, and conceded to be unsurpassed by any in the cause. 

The subject of the distribution of the Geneva award came before the House on ma- 
jority and minority reports from tlie Judiciary Committee. Mr. Jenks offered an 
amendment to the majority report; in support of the amendment and report as 
amended, made an argument involving some of the most difficult questions of interna- 
tional law. The report, as amended by him, was passed by the House. 

Soon after the meeting of the second session, he was appointed by Speaker Randall 
one of the committee of fifteen to investigate the conduct of the elections in Louisiana, 
and on his return was appointed, by the chairman of the Democratic caucus, with Mr. 
Field, of New York, and Mr. Tucker, of Virginia, to represent the Democracy of the 
House in preparing, presenting and discussing the facts and the law before the Electoral 
Commission. It fell to Mr. Jenks to make opening arguments in the cases of Louisiana 
and Oregon. While he was engaged in the discussion of the first of these cases before 
the commission, Senators Thurman and Bayard sat side by side. Senator Bayard passed 
a note of admiration of the argument to Senator Thurman, and in response received the 
following reply : " The more I hear this man the more I admire him. He reasons like 
a Newton or La Place. He has spoken half an hour, and has not uttered a superfluous 
word." This complimentary opinion was generally concurred in by those who heard or 
read the proceedings before the Electoral Commission. 

In most of the legal discussions that arose in the House, Mr. Jenks participated, in 
addition to the full performance of his duties on the very laborious committee of which 
he was chairman. At the expiration of his congressional term he immediately resumed 
his professional pursuits, in which he has ever since been engaged. His extensive prac- 
tice has included almost every branch that arises in the State, and covers a very broad 
range of its area. 

Mr. Jenks was appointed assistant secretary of the interior July i. 1885, which office 
he resigned May 15, 1886, to accept the position of attorney for John E. Du Bois, the 
wealthy Clearfield county lumberman. He accepted this appointment, giving up his 
official position at Washington, in compliance with a promise made by him to John Du 
Bois, the uncle of his client, prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary of the In- 
terior, that he would take charge of all legal business for his nephew. 

On the 28th of July, 1886, he was nominated as solicitor-general of the United States, 
and on the next day was confirmed by the Senate without the nomination being referred 
to a commiitee — a rare compliment seldom paid to any one who had not been a mem- 
ber of that body. When this appointment was offered to Mr. Jenks he would not accept 
until he had sent for Mr. Du Bois and obtained his consent, as he had promised the elder 
Du Bois, before his death, that he would serve his nephew and heir for a jieriod of years, 
and felt that promise must take precedence over any other consideration. Mr. Du Bois 
cordially consented to the acceptance of the appointment, and Mr. Jenks employed 
Hon. W. P. Jenks to assist in discharging the duties under his contract with Mr. Du 
Bois. But this appointment and that of assistant secretary of the interior came to him 



George A. Jenks. — Alexander Colwell White. 68 i 

entirely unsolicited. He was appointed to the latter by Secretary Lamar, who had 
served with him in the Forty-fourth Congress, and who remembered his unusual legal 
ability, although he had not seen him since March, 1S77, and did not even know his 
address, getting it from Hon. W. H. Snowdon, or e,\-Governor Curtin. The first intima- 
tion he had of his appointment as solicitor-general was when the place was offered him 
by the president after he had summoned him to Washington by a telegram. This 
appointment was made by Mr. Cleveland, entirely on his own responsibility, basing his 
judgment largely on what he had seen of Mr. Jenks, while the latter was acting as 
assistant secretary of the interior, during which time he had come in contact with him 
frequently in the transaction of important business connected with the public lands> 
under the direction of the interior department. 

Mr. Jenks has always been an unswerving Democrat, and has been frequently hon- 
ored by his party with the most important offices in their gift. His legal attainments 
are admitted on all sides, and that he is one of the ablest and most prominent men con- 
nected with this administration is conceded by both Republicans and Democrats. 

Mr. Jenks was married, January 3, i86o, to Miss Mary Agnes, daughter of the 
late Thomas Mabon, one of the oldest and best-known citizens of Brookville. Of their 
two children only Emma survives to gladden their home. Thomas Mabon, a promis- 
ing, bright boy of thirteen years, around whom clustered many fond hopes, died March 
2, 1874. 



WHITE, ALEXANDER COLWELL, was born near Kittanning, Armstrong 
county. Pa., on the 12th day of December, 1833; was raised on a farm, attending 
the public schools in winter until the age of twenty years, when he commenced his first 
term as teacher in a public school. The following summer he attended the Jackson- 
ville Institute, and from that time attended school in summer and teaching during the 
winter, putting in the vacations harvesting, or as a hand rafting and running lumber, 
graduating at Dayton University in the fall of 1859. 

In the summer of i860 he came to Jefferson co\mty to take charge of the public 
schools at Pun,\sutawney, and the same fall commenced studying law under the Hon. 
Phineas W. Jenks. In the spring 1861 he enlisted with the first three months men, and 
served in Company I Eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Col. A. A. Mc Knight's 
company. He was admitted to practice at the December term, 1862, and in the spring 
of 1863 commenced the practice of law with Captain John Hastings, of Pun.xsutawney, 
Pa., under the firm name of Hastings & White. On the 25th of May, 1864, he mar- 
ried Ellen M. Murray, to whom two children have been born — John Murray White 
(the heir apparent), August 18, 1871, and Nellie March White, March 26, 1876, and who 
died July 26, 1879. ^^ 1S67 he was elected district attorney of Jefferson county, and in 
the spring of 1868 removed to Brookville, and in 1870 was re-elected to the same office. 
From i860 he has taken an active part in politics, at all times a staunch Republican, 
having no sympathy with third parties, or half way measure, respecting an opponent, 
but having little consideration for men without politics, religion or principle, commonly 
known as Mugwumps, or Half-Breeds. 

The Twenty-fifth Congressional District, composed of the counties of Armstrong, 
Indiana, Jefferson, Clarion and Forest, was formed in 1874. The district was carried 
by the Democrats in 1880 and 1882, and was considered hopeless for a Republican. 
In 1884 Alexander C. White received the nomination, and after a hotly contested cam- 



Q 



682 History of Jefferson County. 

paign he was elected by over eighteen hundred majority. He has been actively en- 
gaged in the practice of law since his admission to the bar. Whatever of wealth, 
reputation, etc., he has he has secured through his own exertions under the most ad- 
verse circumstances. 



R' 



EYNOLDS, THOMAS, Sr. Family nomenclature has lost its significance in cos- 
mopolitan and democratic America, and whether the descendants of patricial 
houses on the other side of the sea have degenerated in the unrolling of genealogical 
lines by intermarriage, is a question that does not much concern a person of worth. 
Only the weak and indolent rest upon the ostentatious support of ancestral prestige. 
Yet there is a conventional usage among the people, of retrospectively glancing toward 
Plymouth Rock, though here and there a plebeian acre depreciates the view. Then, in 
the year 1676, after a voyage of twenty-two weeks, one Henry Reynolds, a member of 
an old Chichester (England) family, landed on the shores of the New World. This 
was forty-seven years prior to the birth of Joshua Reynolds, the most noted painter of 
his day, and the "bright particular star" of the family connection. Henry located at 
Burlington, New Jersey, and finally in Chester, Pennsylvania, and he and his immediate 
descendants were e.xtensive freeholders in and about Philadelphia, many acres of the 
present city then having rested in their title. To him and his wife Prudence, ten chil- 
dren were born. Henry Reynolds died in 1724, and Prudence in 17 28. 

Franci.s Reynolds, the third in order of birth of the ten children above mentioned, 
was born August 15, 1684. Of him it is only recorded that his wife's name was Eliza- 
beth, and that he was the father of Samuel Reynolds. 
, ^^ This link of the lineal chain was forged [anuary 31, 1755, and perished February 
X .■^"- --' 26, 1786. The spouse's name was Jane Jones, and the nuptials were solemnized at 
I Salem, Delaware. Seven children were the issue of this union. The said Jane Jones, 

whose years extended from 1734 to 1779, "^^^^ ''"'S daughter of John and Mary (Good- 
win) Jones, but there is no further trace of the ancestral line on the maternal side. Then, 
as now, women did not seem to enjoy the equality and respect to which they were en- 
titled, and this prejudice was carried to a ridiculous excess in family records that ap- 
peared to show that women had very little, if any, part in the propagation of the race ! ^ 
Thomas Reynolds, the eldest son of Samuel and MfH^yTReynoldsY w'as Forn January C 
2, 1759, and died July 7, 1837. He consorted N^flcy Reynolds, of an independent 
Reynolds family, among whose immediate ancestors the name Bird occurs. This prob- 
ably points to a mesozoic origin. Her death occurred January 5, 1845. Seven seems 
to have been a lucky (or, according to the pessimist, an unlucky) number with the house 
of Reynolds in regard to its offspring. Each abstract family, it is a remarked coinci- 
dence, aggregates seven members. Seven were born to Thomas and Nancy Reynolds, 
and these were named, consecutively, Mary, Jane, Abraham, Samuel, Tilton, William 
and Thomas, of whom the last is the subject of this biography. Mary (Parke) li\ed till 
1868, and was the only consanguineous tie of the youngest brother at the time of her 
death. There remains of this generation only two beings within the knowledge of the 
writer. These are Margaret Jane (Reynolds) Myers and Ruth Reynolds, sisters, who 
reside in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and who were the daughters of Abram, a brother of 
Thomas, whose common father was Samuel. 

Thomas Reynolds, sr., was born on [the 19th day of September, 1807, on the pa- 
rental homestead, near Parkesburg, Chester county. In his youth only such educa- 



Thomas Reynolds, Sr. 683 

tional advantages were enjoyed as were to be had outside of a university ; but these, 
although not comparable to the excellent facilities of to-day, were not to be despised, 
as the lack of variation in studies was, in a great degree, compensated by the thorough 
manner in which the few were taught. Then, too, his call for solid learning found a 
responsive voice in his father, who was not only a competent teacher and profound phi- 
losopher, but a companion and friend as well. The education thus acquired by Thomas 
Reynolds qualified him as an instructor to others, and in this section of Pennsylvania 
he was one of the pioneer teachers under the present school system. His language in 
conversation and in his limited literary products gave evidence of pure philological 
training, consisting, as they did. in well-chosen words, pregnant of meaning and elegant 
in phraseology. 

Early in life he became apprenticed to the currying and shoemaking trades, in both 
of which he made himself master, as was his wont in whatever was undertaken. Frank- 
lin and Washington counties, in New York, were the scenes of his primitive operations, 
and his topography of those communities was very graphic, associated, as it was, with 
rich reminiscences of hunting life, colored by racy and startling anecdotes. In 1876 he 
revisited the hallowed grounds made sacred by youthful adventure, but civilization had 
crept in and obliterated nearly all the familiar landmarks, except the outline of moun- 
tain and vale, and the metamorphosis illy gratified the heart of one who once chased 
the deer through the far-reaching fastnesses. 

He visited New York city with the purpose of making it a place of permanent resi- 
dence, encouraged in the project by a millionaire uncle and other resident relatives of 
Manhattan Island. But "man made the town," and the roving spirit of Thomas Rey- 
nolds was antagonistic to a " pent-up Utica." " The streets were too narrow," he ex- 
plained to the writer; and so, in 1835, he came to Western Pennsylvania, when the 
country was rich in jirimeval forests and undisturbed minerals. 

Tilton and William Reynolds, his brothers, had preceded him hither, and were com- 
fortably domiciled on the lands now occupied by the mining village of Rathmel. Tilton 
was married, his wife having been Sarah Sprague, of a Vermont family. The first fall 
of their hermitage life they captured fourteen swarms of bees, and these, together with 
an extensive sugar industry, were exchanged for other necessary products, such as grain 
and salt, and with bear meat and venison, supplied by the brothers, the pioneer com- 
munity flourished. 

Tilton, in 1839, located on the summit of the mountain above Rathmel, and, asso- 
ciated with William, inaugurated a mercantile enterprise and established a post-office. 
The name of the village was suitably called Prospect, for from its lofty altitude the view 
was picturesque and widely extended. The title was in poetic contrast to the postal 
name given the place at a later period — that of Dolingville! Tilton Reynolds was the 
Columbus of the great coal vein of this region, which has since gained a world-wide 
celebrity, and has become one of the most extensive bituminous-industries of the conti- 
nent. The fuel of the widely separated inhabitants of the country was wood, but a little 
coal was added to increase the heat and longevity of the fire. For blacksmithing pur- 
poses John Fuller, who was here when the Reynoldses came, used coal procured out of 
the bottom of Sandy Creek. 

William Reynolds in 1839 'tarried Elizabeth Kyle, and in their offspring the magic 
number seven again turned u]). He was a man of polished erudition and affable ad- 
dress, and his death in 1854 was mourned by a host of genuine admirers and friends. 



684 History of Jefferson County. 

Samuel Reynolds, another brother, sojourned awhile in this community, and Abram, 
the eldest, made a pilgrimage to the remote settlement. The latter was seven feet in 
stature, and weighed four hundred and fifty pounds. 

Thomas, while not engaged in other communities at school teaching, shoemaking, 
or hunting, lived with his brother William, for whom he had the warmest fraternal feel- 
ing. At this period of his life he was yet under thirty years of age, over six feet in 
height, and as straight as an arrow. He was of gentlemanly and attractive manners, 
and of a superb and seemingly tireless physique. 

His first commercial adventure was the building of a tannery on the site now occu- 
pied by James A. Gathers, but this was soon abandoned for more pretentious enterprises. 

In 1842 he wedded Juliana Smith, and, by some conjugal conjuration, lo ! up bobs 
the importunate number seven again — five boys and two girls. These were : Tilton, 
born October 26, 1843 ; Arthur Parke, December 5, 1845 ; Clarinda Emeline, April 
II, 1848 ; Margaret Jane, June 19, 1850 ; William S., April 7, 1853 ; Thomas, Septem- 
ber 25, 1856; John Daugherty, September i, 1858. Of these, two are dead — the sec- 
ond, whose dissolution occurred on December 12, 1874, and the youngest, a man of 
fine mind and great promise, on March 19, 18S6. 

Thomas Reynolds located permanently on the present site of a portion of Reynolds- 
ville, and built a tannery and saw-mill near where the Reynolds residence now stands, 
which were the only manufacturing industries of the immediate community in the years 
between 1840 and i860. And, indeed, not until 1870 were there any other industries 
save the great sustaining one of shipping timber. The log house, recently demolished, 
was erected in 1843, and was a very Brogdingnag in its day. Hundreds of thousands 
of dollars have changed hands within its walls in lumber transactions, mercantile trade, 
and postal service. The post-office at Prospect was carried down to the old house one 
day in 1850, and the following is the authoritative document in the premises : 

"Post-Office Department, Appointment Office, | 

" February 23, 1850. ( 

"Sir: — I have the honor to inform you that the postmaster-general has this day 
changed the name of the post-office at Prospect Hill to Reynoldsville, in the county of 
Jefferson, and State of Pennsylvania, and continued Thomas Reynolds postmaster 
thereof. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

" Peter Henry Warner, 
" Second Assistant Postmaster-General. 
" James Thompson, House of Representatives." 

Previous to this Thomas Reynolds had surveyed and named Winslow township, the 
name having been given in honor of Judge Winslow, of whom he was a friend and ad- 
mirer. The project of a town, however, was long contemplated before 1850, the domi- 
nant reasons being first to induce a physician to locate in the community — for the in- 
habitants were frequently compelled to call medical advice from Indiana, a distance of 
forty miles — and, secondly, to secure postal facilities ; and Maida, the tutelary genius of 
Alba Longa, was not more zealous or tireless touching the welfare of the antique city 
than was our modern tutelar of Reynoldsville. He acted as postmaster almost unremit- 
tingly, and at a pecuniary disadvantage, from the establishment of the office till his death. 
Although ever greatly interested in public affairs, he was yet unwilling to act as the 
agent of the people. Possessed of an influence that could at any time have made itself 
felt, and which even appeared during the early days of the county as almost irresistible, 
personal aggrandizement never occurred to him ; or, if it did, he put it under his feet as 
a noisome thing. 



Thomas Reynolds, Sr. 685 

In its entirety the character of Thomas Reynolds was essentially a strong one, and 
in his lineal race he stands out as a type of what a Reynolds should be. He was not a 
" chip of the old block," but the very block itself. His strong personality and lively 
sense of independence isolated him from the estimate put upon every consanguineous 
person, whether of anterior or subsequent birth. To strangers, and sometimes even to 
those who were intimately acquainted with him, he appeared eccentric in his habits and 
modes of thought ; but these were owing to the mingled threa(is of sentiment and inde- 
pendence that ran through all the warp and woof alike of his character. Beneath these 
e-xterior (jualities, there was a deep and strong vein of wit and humor, that brightened 
each thought, which passed through his mind, making him a rarely pleasant companion. 

But the most conspicuous traits of his nature were a sense of honor incapable of a 
stain — a probity which was stubborn in its inflexibility — and an abiding, deeply rooted, 
uncompromising detestation, even horror, of all shams and hypocrisy, whether reli- 
gious, political, or of any other kind. It is easily seen that such a man, in this day and 
generation, however deep a reverence he might have for the Author of his being as the 
great and good God — the Father, Preserver and Protector of all the common brother- 
hood of man — would rather retire those sentiments and feelings, and keep them sacred 
within the innermost recesses of his own soul, than to make a parade of them before the 
world. As firm and unyielding as the eternal hills when his decision was once framed, 
his was the material of which martyrs were made; as gentle and tender as a woman, 
every helpless creature found in him a friend and protector when in distress. 

Death occurred to Thomas Reynolds, sr., on the i6th of May, t88i. 

This biography would by no means be complete should it not embrace a sketch of 
the wise and faithful wife who was so intimately identified with the life of him whose 
history is just recorded. " Praise no man \vhile he lives" is an ancient and judicious 
saying, to which Heloise added, in a letter to Abelard : " Give not commendation at a 
time when the very act of doing it may make him undeserving of it." But the good 
common sense of Juliana Reynolds is too lively and practicable to be very susceptible 
to the suavity of words. 

Of her ancestry we have it in genealogical record that one William Smith came to 
America from Gloucester, England, m 1635. Boston was settled by John \\'inthrop and 
others five years earlier, and Smith became a citizen of the embryo New England metro- 
polis. The town records begin about the time of his advent. He was there persecuted 
for his religious principles. What those principles were the account says not, but this 
was the period in which the church of Boston was much troubled about Roger Williams 
and his heresy, and the Anti-nomian controversy, and it is probable that the judicial ban 
that obtained over Williams also eflfected Smith, for ostracism drove him to Hempstead, 
Long Island, in 1639, where he joined forty sympathetic Boston families who had 
colonized under the flag of Holland. He met his fate at the hands of Indians. Of his 
offspring, there was one Abraham, who, in turn, had a son Isaac, whose days were 
between the years of 1657 and 1746. He died at Hempstead Plains. His son, Jacob, 
1690-1757, had a son Isaac born in 1722, who emigrated from Queens county to Dut- 
chess county in 1769. Jacob, son of Isaac, 1746-1810, who married a Peters, was the 
father of Uriah, born in 1771, and died in 1817. He married a woman named Lester, 
and his conjugal flock numbered nine, of whom was Valentine Hulet Peters Smith, born 
1796, and died on the Smith homestead, near Reynoldsville (now T. B. London's farm), 
in i860. He was the father of Juliana (Smith) Reynolds. 



686 History of Jefferson County. 

On the maternal side we have no access to any record save the tradition that Juliana's 
great- grandmother was an intemperate tea drinker, and gathered the leaves of the shrub 
in her apron from the waters of Boston harbor where the irascible subjects of the third 
George had their famous tea party in 1773. Granville, Bradford and Sprague are the 
ancestral names, all of English origin and of New England stock. The Spragues lived in 
Vermont, then emigrated to Chateaugay, New York, where Tilton Reynolds married 
the daughter of John Sprague, whose name was Sarah, and Valentine H. P. Smith wed- 
ded Rebecca, her sister, who became the mother of five children, of whom our present 
subject is the third. 

Valentine H. P. Smith, emigrated to this section of Pennsylvania in the same year 
with Thomas Reynolds, when Juliana was seven years of age. During the ensuing 
decade, the girl endured the hardships and meagre advantages of a severe pioneer life, 
and in early maidenhood took upon herself conjugal responsibilities, and the arduous 
duties of presiding over a large establishment. Through all the years up to his death, 
she was the faithful helpmeet of Thomas Reynolds, and a kind and wise maternal guar- 
dian. During the civil conflict of 1861-65 no one did better loyal service, not actually 
engaged at the theatre of war : a patriotic head and heart, to encourage in action, sym- 
pathize in distress, and laud in victory. The eldest son, Tilton, a mere boy when he 
enlisted, was cheerfully, though tearfully given to his country, and the mother enjoyed 
with pride and delight, his brave and unblemished military career, and his elevation in 
rank to a captaincy. 

After the demise of her husband the affairs of the estate were vested in Juliana Rey- 
nolds, and her management of the diversified business has been markedly economical 
and sagacious. Her life has been as useful as busy, and full of charity ana humanity. 

.\propos of the historical allusions in this sketch, this fragment of family facts is ap- 
pended : The old manse of the Smith's, built long before the Revolution, is yet standing, 
a few miles east of Poughkeepsie, New York, and was, down to 1872, occupied by the 
successive generations of the family. In provincial days it was regarded as an architec- 
tural achievement of considerable merit. It is a two-story structure, with a roof of steep 
incline, under whose eaves small slide windows afforded loop-holes through which the 
aggressive Indians were kept at bay. Wooden hooks for gun-rests depended from the 
rafters, and the house was at once a residence and fortress. The kitchen is the one 
grand room. The windows are small with massive frames, and the doors are of hard 
wood and very thick, opening in horizontal sections, and locked with great iron bars. 
Every feature is impressive of strength and defense, and suggestive of the perils that 
environed the colonial inhabitants. The broad, deep fire-place is formed of huge bould- 
ers, and is of itself a primeval poem. 

The family burying-ground is adjacent, and the numerous gray-stone slabs tell their 
sepulchral story. Here, with the generations of the Smiths, mingle the bones of those 
whose loves and lives were mingled in the flesh. There are Elys, Lesters, Peters, 
Blooms and a relic of early slavery, one old negro named " Deb ; " for Jacob Smith, the 
grandfather of Valentine H. P. Smith, was an extensive slave-owner, and when their free- 
dom was obtained, they were granted a living on the homestead as long as they desired 
to remain. Everything here shows decadence, save, perhaps, the prestige of honor 
marked upon the tombstones. Even the very wall, built high and strong as the ever- 
lasting adamant, totters and disintegrates, and when the stony epitaphs, telling of one 
being " a power in the land ; " another " Judge of the King's Bench," etc., crumble into 



Thomas Reynolds, Sr. — Reuben C. Winslow. 687 

dust, tradition itself will fade and pass away, and time will bury beneath her rubbish the 
very memory of things that were once majestic and mighty. 

The Smith Bible, " imprinted at London by Robert Barker, printer to the King's 
most excellent majestie, 1607," is in the possession of Juliana Smith Reynolds. The 
version of which it is a copy was prepared in Geneva, and first appeared in 1560. The 
translators of the version were exiled English Protestants, who had fled from " Bloody" 
Mary's cruelty, and had made Geneva their rendezvous. Of this party, William Whit- 
tingham, a brother-in-law of John Calvin, was chief This version was the first in which 
the text was broken up into verses, and was, from the rendering of Genesis iii, 7, some- 
times known as the " Breeches " Bible, that term being used instead of " aprons." Upon 
a fly leaf, a crude picture and a description of the Smith coat-of-arms are traced. 



WINSLOW, Hon. REUBEN C. The history of the Winslow family dates back to 
the pilgrim setders of Plymouth, Mass. The founder of the family, Kenelm Win- 
slow, son of Edward Winslow, of Droitwich, England, was born at that place on the 
29th of April, 1599. He was the younger brother of Governor Winslow, and arrived 
at Plymouth in the Mayfloiuer in 1629 — this was the Mayflower's second voyage. He 
settled at Marshfield, Mass., but subsequently removed to Salem, where he died on the 
13th of September, 1672, aged seventy-three years. Some of his descendants still re- 
side upon the property which he purchased from the Indians April 2, 1659. 

Carpenter Winslow was his great-great-grandson, and was born at Pittston, Mass., 
March 20, 1766. His father, James Winslow, was a millwright, and he very early be- 
came familiar with the use of mechanical implements, and was afterwards engaged in 
ship building — having a ship yard at Wiscasset, Me., for several years. He married 
Elizabeth Coulburn in 1787, and was the father of nine sons, four of whom became 
notetl seamen. 

In the year of 1818 this branch of the Winslow family came to Jefferson county, and 
Carpenter Winslow settled on what is now the old homestead, in Gaskill township. The 
county was then a dense wilderness, and like all new settlers they had to undergo un- 
told privations ; but they found themselves in a healthy climate, and where the soil, 
though hard to " clear," was productive, so that they were soon able to raise grain and 
feed in abundance, while the surrounding forests and streams afforded them game and 
fish. One of their difficulties was having to carry their grain twenty or more miles along 
bridle-paths through the forest to mill. 

In a few months the family of Dr. John W. Jenks came into the neighborhood, and 
with some others settled in what is now Punxsutawney, and the Bowers family located 
near the Winslows. These were followed by other settlers, and they soon found them- 
selves in the midst of a good neighborhood, which is to-day one of the best farming 
sections of the county. 

Carpenter Winslow died in November, 1827, his wife surviving him about eighteen 
years. Both are buried in the cemetery near Punxsutawne\-. Only two of his sons, 
James and Joseph W., father of R. C. Winslow, still survive. The rest have all passed 
away, leaving however, a large posterity, who are among the most prominent and best 
citizens of Jefferson and Elk counties. Joseph W. Winslow the youngest son of Car- 
penter Winslow, was born at Wiscasset, Me., December 10, 1804, and in 1832 married 
Christena Long, youngest daughter of Joseph Long, of Punxsutawney. Their family 
consisted of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, who were all born at the old 



688 History of Jefferson County. 

homestead, and who all survive, except a son and daughter who died in infancy. Mr. 
Winslow has resided on his farm for almost seventy years, and is now one of the patri- 
archs of the county. Two of his sons, Augustus G. and Joseph Clark Winslow, reside 
with their venerable parent at the homestead. 

Reuben C. Winslow, the eldest son, was born November 9, 1833, and worked on 
the farm at home, getting his schooling in the winter until he was in his twenty second 
year. He read law with Phineas W. Jenks, esq., of Punxsutawney, and was admitted 
to practice at the February terra, 1S58, and entered into partnership with his preceptor, 
the firm of Jenks & Winslow continuing until May, 1880, when it was dissolved, and the 
same month Mr. Winslow entered into partnership with John E. Calderwood, the firm 
of Winslow & Calderwood still continuing. 

Mr. Winslow was married to Miss Martha Drum, youngest daughter of the late 
John Drum, esq., of Pun.xsutawney, June 24, 1858. The result of this union was two 
sons, John Carlton, born June 13, 1859, and Willie W., born May 7, 1862. The eldest 
son, Carlton, died November 11, 1881. 

Mr. AVinslow is a Republican in politics, and was elected to the State Senate in 
1874. He still resides in Punxsutawney, where his home is one of the most beautiful 
in that thrivinc; town. 



FERMAN .-^LONZO, was born November 27, 1818 in Franklin county, N. V.; he 
came here and settled where he now lives in Snyder township, Jefferson county. Pa., 
in 1839, and engaged in the lumber business, which business he still follows. He was 
married August 9, 1848, to Miss Susannah Bundy. They have had eight children : 
James Albert, Eliza M., Samuel B., Clara S.. M. Josephine, Nellie, Allie(who died Au- 
gust 6, 1880, in her sixteenth year), and Zadie V., of whom five are married. 



HUNTER, SAMUEL ANDERSON, was born in Westmoreland county in 1826. 
Mr. Hunter came to Jefferson county in 1846. His father, Andrew Hunter, had 
removed to the county and purchased a farm in Knox township a year or two before 
Samuel came. He worked on this farm for a year or two and then bought it from his 
father, and has continued to reside upon it ever since. 

In 1853 Mr. Hunter was married to Miss Sarah H. Foster. This union has been 
blessed with seven children — Amanda Jane, Emma, Elmer, E. Perry, Mary Alice, 
Samuel A. and Everett. Of these .Amanda died in 1859, and Mary Alice and Everett 
in 1871, both dying in one day of that scourge of childhood, diphtheria. Emma and 
Elmer are married, and Perry and Samuel A., jr., are still at home with their parents. 
Mr. Hunter has filled almost all the offices of trust in Knox township, and was elected 
county commissioner in 1873, and re-elected in 1875. He made a careful and judicious 
official. He has devoted himself .since he came to Jefferson county to farming and 
lumbering, being a member of the firm of Orr, McKinley it Co. for several years. He 
is one of the most prominent and useful citizens of Knox township. 

Mr. Hunter has found in his wife a veritable helpmeet. She is one of the most 
earnest and effective workers in the temperance cause, being one of the superintendents 
of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in the county union, and president of 
Pleasant Hill Union. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hunter are consistent and earnest members 
of the Methodist Church. 



John Jamison Y. Thompson. 689 

THOMPSON, JOHN JAMISON Y. Of the early history of the Thompson family 
we have nothing very authentic. They came from Ireland at an early day and set- 
tled in Cumberiand or Franklin county, and were among the first emigrants to cross the 
Allegheny Mountains into Western Pennsylvania, as early as 1790, settling near Blairs- 
ville. in Indiana county. The family consisted of the father Robert Thompson, his wife, 
and their four sons. Alexander, Moses, Adam and William, with the father of Mrs. 
Thompson, Robert Gordon. About the year 1S16, Alexander removed to the State of 
Indiana, where he died; the rest of the family all lived and died in Indiana county. 
William, the father of the subject of this sketch, married Nancy Jamison, a daughter of 
Rev. John Jamison. He was born at EUershie, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and was a stu- 
dent of John Brown, of Haddington. Mr. Jamison was a lineal descendant of the Wal- 
lace family, that gave to Scotland its great patriot. Sir William Wallace. He emigrated 
to this country at the close of the Revolutionary War, landing in Philadelphia in 1783, 
when his daughter, afterwards the wife of William Thompson, was only six years old. 
He purchased a grist-mill and six hundred acres of land, in Cumberland county, includ- 
ing what is known as Big Springs. Mr. Jamison was for some years pastor of the Asso- 
ciate Reformed or Seceder Church at Shippensburg, one of the first churches established 
in Cumberland county. 

About the year 1794, he crossed the Allegheny Mountains, and located near Blairs- 
ville. Here he preached the gospel as a missionary and pioneer minister of the Seceder 
Church, in all the territory west of the Alleghenies. He was a Scotch divine of more 
than ordinary ability, of large build, being six feet, two inches in height, and possessing 
powerful physical energy and endurance, traveling as far south as Georgia, preaching 
and organizing churches. He was somewhat hvper-Calvinistic in his theological views, 
and disposed to defend them with true Cameronian zeal. 

John J. Y. Thompson, was born near Blairsville, in 1805 ; his father, William Thomp- 
son, died of small-pox, in 181 7, and his mother lived and died on the farm near Blairs- 
ville. 

Of his early boyhood days we have but little knowledge, except that he was unusu- 
ally apt at school, where he was beloved by his schoolmates, and esteemed by his teach- 
ers. He excelled in civil engineering and surveying, and was invariably selected as an 
assistant when there were lands to be laid out and surveyed, and in after years he did 
much of the surveying in Jefferson county. At an early age he left home and became a 
clerk in the store of Nathaniel Nesbitt, of Blairsville. He soon left this position and 
engaged in business for himself, but this venture not proving successful, he abandoned it, 
and in 1S31 removed to Brookville, and with Thomas Reed, published and edited the 
first newspaper in Jefferson county, the Brookville Democrat. Their office was located 
in the hotel of William Clark on Jefferson street, and William Kennedy, now of Union 
township, a brother of Mrs. Thompson, was an apprentice in this office. On the 
25th day of July, 1833, John J. Y. Thompson was married to Agnes S. Kennedy, and 
commenced housekeeping in Brookville, but in the fall of 1834, he removed to Dowl- 
ingville, where they remained until 1837, when they returned to Brookville again, and 
in 1838 Mr. Thompson built the saw-mill on Sandy Lick at what is now known as 
Belle's Mills. About 1840 he sold the property to Alpheus Shaw, and returned to 
Brookville, where he remained three months, and then removed to Heathville, return- 
ing again November, 1841, to Brookville. He then removed to the farm, now owned 
by William L. Morrison, in Union township, where he resided one vear. In 1843 Mr. 



690 History of Jefferson County. 

Thompson purchased a tract of land from Daniel Stanard, of Indiana, at the crossing of 
the Waterford and Susquehanna, and Olean. turnpike, where he erected a hotel, and 
engaged in the hotel business, and in merchandising, and secured a post-office at the 
place which he called Corsica, and to which he was appointed postmaster, November 
29, 1843. In 1847 Mr. Thompson and Daniel Stanard laid out and surveyed the town 
of Corsica, calling it after the post-office already established. In 1852 Mr. Thompson 
again returned to Brookville, and purchased from Judge Heath, the American Hotel 
and Arcade building, then the finest building in the town. He engaged in the hotel 
business, until May, 1856, when in the disastrous fire, which then visited the town, the 
hotel was destroyed with nearly all its contents. This fire left Mr. Thompson, almost 
penniless : but nothing daunted, he commenced the morning after the fire to clear 
away the debris from the ruins, and began preparations for rebuilding. Owing to his 
well-known business integrity, and his indomitable energy, he surmounted every obstacle, 
and in the winter of 1857, he had the American Hotel again ready for the reception of 
guests. He continued the owner and proprietor of this popular and well-known hotel, 
until the spring of 1865, when he sold the property to Captain R. R. Means, and removes 
to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he engaged extensively in the lumbering business, until he 
was suddenly removed by death, caused by apople.xy, on the 19th of August, 1865, in 
the sixty-first year of his age. 

Few men were more closely identified with the early history of Jefterson county than 
was Judge Thompson. He held many offices of public trust, being elected county 
surveyor, prothonotary, clerk of courts, etc., in 1845, and associate judge in 1861. For 
many years his services as surveyor were in requisition in all this region of country, 
and his name and face were well known in every cabin in the then backwoods. He was 
foremost in aiding and advancing every public enterprise of his day. He was of a 
genial, social disposition, inspiring all with the spirit of sociability, with whom he came 
in contact. Kind and sympathetic by nature, he was ever ready to aid the poor and 
distressed, who were never turned away from his door. A strong Rei)ublican, he was 
an uncompromising Union man during the war, and took the deepest interest in all that 
pertained to those times that tried men's souls. Outspoken and bold in his utterances, 
he was nearly always found engaged in defending the principles for which his own boys 
were fighting. He was, during the war, the devoted friend of the soldier, and the fami- 
lies of those who were absent fighting the battles for freedom. He kept " open house " 
for the "boys," on their way to and from the front; and one of Jefferson county's vete- 
rans said of him not long since : " One of the most vivid recollections of my departure 
for the army, is the close hand-shake, and the fervent ' God bless you,' of Judge 
Thompson, as bare-headed, and with tears running down his cheeks, he bade us good 
bye." Judge Thompson ever adhered to the faith of his fathers, and lived and died a 
member of the United Presbyterian Church. 

Mrs. Agnes S. Thompson was the daughter of Rev. William and Mary Kennedy,, 
and w-as born near Lewistown, Mifflin county, in the year 1813; her father being 
the first Presbyterian minister to locate in Jefterson county. Her mother was Mary, 
daughter of Benjamin and Agnes, tiee Wallace, McClure, of Uwchlan, Chester county, 
so that Mrs. Thompson was descended from one of the oldest and most noted families 
in eastern Pennsylvania. The family still holds lands in Uwchlan township, that were 
granted to their ancestor, John McClure, by William Penn, in 174S. This John Mc- 
Clure, who was Mrs. Thompson's great-grandfather, emigrated to the United States 



John Jamison Y. Thompson. — Albert Ackley Carrier. 691 

in 1730 from the north of Ireland, where he had gone from Scotland, and settled in 
North Carolina, afterwards removing to Chester county, where he died. The McClure 
family were staunch Presbyterians, and they left Ireland in order that they might wor- 
ship God according to their own forms of worship. From conviction they were 
" Federalists," Mrs. Thompson's grandfather, Benjamin McClure, serving in the Revo- 
utionary War, and with one or two e.xceptions they have held to the political faith of 
their fathers, and are to-day staunch Republicans. 

Mr. Thompson was worthy of the good old ScotchTrish ancestry from which she 
sprang, being a woman of sterling worth, possessing all those qualities of mind that 
caused her to be beloved and respected by all who knew her. She spent the greater 
part of her life in Jefferson county, with the exception of five years residence in Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, from whence she returned to Brookville in 1870, and where she resided 
until June 27, 1877, when she exchanged her home here for that •• better one " to which 
her husband and some of her children had preceded her. 

The children of John J. Y. and Agnes Thompson numbered ten, of whom two died 
in infancy, James, aged about one year, and Blanche, aged about three years. Laura 
Edith Thompson married George T. Rodgers, and died at the age of twenty-three 
years. Clarence Russell Thompson was but a boy in his teens when the war cloud 
burst upon the land ; but he promptly enlisted " for the war " as a private in Company 
I Sixty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was soon promoted to sergeant. 
He was in all engagements in which his gallant command took part, up to the battle of 
Gaines's Mills, Virginia, where he was last seen in a hand to hand encounter with the 
rebel foe. His superior officers being all hors de combat. Sergeant Thompson was in 
command of his company at the time. Clarence was an intelligent, brave and noble 
youth, and his uncertain fate was a great grief to his family and friends. 

Those of the family now living are William Kennedy, who resides in Portsmouth, 
Ohio; John Jamison, of Brookville; Annie M., wife of John N. Garrison, also residing in 
Brookville ; Albert Clifton, of Portsmouth, Ohio; Robert Means, of New York city, and 
Ella Aa;nes, wife of [ohn L. McNeil, of Denver, Colorado. 



CARRIER, ALBERT ACKLEY, son of Euphrastus and Harriet R. Carrier, nee 
Buell, was born in Colchester, New London county, Conn., April 23, 1829, and the 
same fall came with his parents to Jefferson county. His father had resided in Pennsyl- 
vania some years prior to his marriage. 

Mr. Carrier's early life was spent in Clover township, and September 12, 1850, he 
was married to Miss Almira McCann, who died October g, 1879. The result of this 
marriage was twelve children : Almy F. married to G. A. McAninch ; Harriet I. mar- 
ried to N. J. Hall; Susan M.; Malinda J. married to U H. Eshelman ; Noah L. died 
May 18, 1861 ; Lucinda H. died in 1861 ; Antinett died in 1864; Pett R. married to 
C. M. Miller; Agnes A.; Alice A. married to G. M. Burns; Mary B.; Albert A. died 
November 2, 1874. March 11, 1880, Mr. Carrier was united in marriage to Miss Syd- 
ney Tong, of Cecil county, Maryland. The fruit of this second marriage is three chil- 
dren : An infant, who died November 8, 1880; George C, and Kate L. Mr. Carrier 
has devoted himself closely to farming and lumbering, taking but little interest in politics. 
He still continues to reside in Clover township, where his first home in Jefferson county 
was made. He has grown up with the county, and having shared all its early privations 
and toils, is now reaping the reward of his labors, and sharing the prosperity of the 



692 History of Jefferson County. 

county. Mr. Carrier has resided on his present farm for about thirty years, and has in 
that time made it one of the model farms in the county. He has introduced the very 
best labor saving farm machinery, and among other enterprises has engaged in the 
creamery business, having a creamery with Cooley creamers, for twenty cows, the churn- 
ing being done by steam power. He has the reputation of furnishing some of the best 
butter in the county, which always commands the highest market prices. 

Mr. Carrier is one of those public spirited men who aid in every good work in their 
neighborhoods, and it is greatly owing to his generous assistance that the Webster Liter- 
ary Society was able to erect their pleasant and commodious lyceum building in 1881. 
He also done much towards the organization of the " Twin Sister " brass band, called 
for his twin daughters, Agnes and Alice, girls of fifteen, who for some time were the 
leaders of this, one of the best bands in the county, they both being accomplished cor- 
net players. 

The pleasant home of Mr. Carrier at Mount Pleasant is noted for its hospitality, and 
the jovial host is always ready to entertain his friends there. 

LONG, JAMES ELLIOTT. The name of Long is one that is conspicuous in the 
early days of our county's history. Louis Long, the grandfather of the subject of 
this biography, settled in Pine Creek township in 1S03. But little is known of his early 
history e.\cept that his father was an officer in one of the companies of Hessian troops 
who came over to the Americans from the British, and fought for them during the 
Revolution. He was a noted hunter, and this love for the chase descended to his chil- 
dren. Mr. Long, after residing in Jefferson county for several years, removed to Ohio, 
after which all trace of him is lost. His son, John, the father of James E. Long, was 
born near Reading, in Berks county, in 1797, and was only si.x years of age when his 
parents removed to this county. His brothers, Michael and William, were two of the 
most noted hunters that Pennsylvania ever produced. Their hunting exploits and deeds 
of prowess would fill a volume. John Long, though not so devoted to the chase as his 
brothers, yet had some thrilling adventures with the wild animals that infested all this 
county, some of which have already been given in the sketch of Pine Creek townshi[). 

Mr. John Long was married in 1821 to Miss Jane Robinson, a daughter of Irwin 
Robinson, who resided in Indiana county, just opposite Bolivar, in Westmoreland county. 
Mrs. Long's father had served seven years in the War of the Revolution, and the family 
yet have a Bible that has a bullet hole through it which it received while Mr. Robinson 
carried it when he was in the service. Mrs. Long's mother was an Elliott, and her 
uncle, Jesse D. Elliott, was commander of the " Niagara," and second to Perry in com- 
mand at the battle of Lake Erie, where he rendered efficient service. The government 
granted gold medals to both Perry and Elliott for this glorious naval victory. Com- 
mander Elliott succeeded Commander Perry as commandant of the naval station at 
Erie. 

Mrs. Long was a very estimable lady, and well educated for those days, having in 
her youth attended the old academy at Indiana. Her brother, Hance Robinson, had 
settled on the old Long farm now owned by Mr. David McConnell, and started a store 
in Pine Creek township, and brought his sister from her home in Indiana county to 
keep house for him, the journey being made on horseback through the unbroken forest. 
Soon after her arrival they made the acquaintance of the young pioneer, John Long, 
and their marriage followed the following spring. Eight children, si.x of whom are now 
living, were the result of this marriage. 





^r Zc>^ 



James Elliott Long. 693 



Mr. James E. Long, the youngest of these children, was born on the 13th day of 
February, 1837, in an old log house that stood on the farm in Pine Creek township. 
Mr. Long says of his birth-place : "The house had a kitchen, dining-room and bed- 
rooms, but withno partition between them. It was all in one, and had a big chimney 
of stone and mud, with a large fireplace, opening at one side, into which could be put 
huge logs that made a roaring fire which kept the whole house warm. Though only 
three years old, I remember this house well. We then moved up on to the hill into a 
larger house, with a brick chimney and fireplace that I always enjoyed. Many a night 
when a boy I lay on the hearth listening to the hum of my mother's old spinning-wheel, 
for in those days she spun the wool and wove the cloth that clothed the whole familv. 
I recollect how proud I was when I got my first blouse tied at the corners in front." 

Mr. John Long followed farming and lumbering, and trapped and hunted in the 
winter as long as his age would permit him to engage in such avocations. His family 
were noted for their great strength and powers of endurance. His mother, though a 
small woman, could stand in a half bushel and shoulder three bushels of wheat. Game 
was so plenty that in the first years of their married life Mr. Long would frequently go 
out and shoot a deer while his wife got breakfast. The Indians were frequent visitors 
but were always peaceable. James E. Long never had but two years schooling, for his 
services on the farm were too valuable in clearing off the timber, burning brush, etc., to 
be wasted en Iwoks ; but he read persistently all the books that came in his way, and 
thus laid the foundation of a jjractical education. At the age of twelve years he had 
almost the entire charge of the farm, and at that age made his first trip " down the 
creek," and from that time until he left the farm, had the general charge of his father's 
business. In the summer he worked on the farm and lumbered in the winter. When 
only fourteen he broke a yoke of oxen that he had raised himself, and that winter put 
in the first two rat'ts he ever owned, doing all the work himself, and hauling the timber 
to the creek with his own ox team. He ran these rafts to Pittsburgh and sold them for 
three cents per cubic foot, and if his father had not given him "expense money," would 
have " come out behind " in this operation. But the young lumberman persevered, and 
at the age of fifteen was able to pilot a raft from above Brookville to Pittsburgh. The 
next year his father sent him with a fleet of boards to Wheeling, Va., where he had to 
stay six weeks before he made a sale. The importance of this transaction made him 
think he was a man indeed. From that time he lumbered on his own account until 
1861, when he enlisted in defence of his country, and was elected second lieutenant of 
company K, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserves. He remained with his regiment until 
February 21, 1862, when his brother, Irvin R. Long, a member of Company H, One 
Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, died at his home in Pine Creek township 
of camp fever contracted at Camp Jamieson, Va., he yielded to the wishes of his a^ed 
parents and resigned from the army and came home. He sub.sequently, however, en- 
listed during the emergency campaign of 1863, when he served as first lieutenant of 
Company H, Fifty-seventh regiment. On his return from the army his first work was 
to raft in the timber he had left lying on the banks of the stream when he enlisted the 
year previous. The next year he cleared about ten thousand dollars on the lumber he 
put in and purchased. In 1863 Mr. Long removed to Brookville, and from that time 
has resided there. His father and mother came with him, and made his home theirs 
until they were gathered into the home above. His father died May 2, 1876, and his 
mother September 15, 1879. They had led busy lives, and had seen the wilderness give 



694 History of Jefferson County. 

way to the brisk, thriving town. They were strictly honest, hospitable and worthy 
people, and were prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having been 
identified with that church fi-om its first organization in Brookville. They had. during 
a long life-time, accumulated considerable of this world's wealth, and so straightforward 
had been Mr. John Long's dealings with his fellows, that his son says of him : " In ' 
settling up his estate I was never called upon to pay a single debt, and I do not think 
that he owed a single cent in the world." 

In the spring of 1863 J. E. Long engaged in the mercantile business in Brookville, 
in which he continued for three years, when he sold out to David A. Paine, and in com- 
pany with G. A. Pearsall, went into the general hardware business. This firm was a 
prosperous and lucrative one. In the fire of 1S73 they were burned out, and the fol- 
lowing year built the large brick building in which Pearsall & Son now conduct the 
same business. In 1875 Mr. Long sold his interest in the store to Mr. Pearsall, and in. 
1879 sold his half of the building to him. While they were partners, Mr. Long and Mr. 
■ Pearsall both built handsome residences on Western avenue. South Side. After selling 
out to Mr. Pearsall, Mr. Long went into the same business in Du Bois, in company with 
his nephew, Lewis A. Brady. In 1863 he became a stockholder in the First National 
Bank of Brookville, and was a director and subsequently president of that bank. In 
1877 he again engaged in the lumbering business in Brookville, in company with the 
late A. J. Brady, under the firm name of Brady & Long, and leased the old Philip Tay- 
lor mill, and ran it for about four years. They then bought the R. D. Taylor mill, on 
Five Mile Run, and in 1883 put up a new mill at the mouth of the run. This, the cel- 
ebrated " Blaine Mill," has a capacity of 6,000,000 feet, and 500,000 lath per annum. 
It cost $15,000, and they are still operating it, with stock to run it for ten years. 
In the spring of 1885 Mr. Long bought half of the Philip Taylor homestead and farm, 
laid it out in lots, and quite a flourishing town has already sprung up. He also built an 
addition to the Taylor mansion, and made it into one of the finest hotel buildings in 
the State. 

Mr. Long has taken an active part in the politics of the county, and has always been 
an unsvyerving Republican. In 1S80 he was a delegate to the National Convention at 
Chicago, to which he went instructed for James G. Blaine. He was on the ground two 
days before the convention assembled, and in company with four other delegates got up 
papers to oppose General Grant in the convention. He was the first to sign this paper, 
and with one other delegate worked two days and nights to accomiilish the measure, 
securing twenty- three names to the paper, which, with another signed by nineteen dele- 
gates from New York, setting forth the fact that Grant could not carry that State, is 
supposed to have been the cause of Grant's defeat in the convention. The convention 
lasted seven days, and was one of the most important ever held in this country. Mr. 
Long voted thirty-five times for James G. Blaine, and once for James A. Garfield, the 
nominee of the convention. In 1880 Mr. Long was nominated for the Legislature in 
Jefferson county, and at the election defeated the late R. J. Nicholson, one of the most 
popular democrats of the county. While a member of the Legislature, he was one of 
those who were instrumental in passing the " store order bill," voted for the pipe bill, for 
the measure requiring railroad companies to erect fences along their tracks, and for alj 
temperance measures that came before that body. Mr. Long has represented Jefferson 
■county three times in State convention, and has the credit of making some of the State 
nominations. In 1884 he ran for the nomination in Jefterson county for State Senator 



James Elliott Long. — Upthegrapii James Gillespie. 695 

in the district that was composed of the cotinties of Jefterson and Indiana, but was 
defeated by Senator W. J. McKnight. He had, however, the satisfaction of carrying his 
own town, where he always received a majority when a candidate for any office. Mr. 
Long was the first lumberman to adopt the monthly pay system in the county. In ad- 
dition to his business interests in Jefterson county, he is largely interested in Du Bois. 
In the year 1875 he purchased the large farm of Henry Shaffer, laid it out in town lots 
which he sold at liberal rates and on exceptionally good terms to purchasers, often ex- 
tending the time of payment over a period of five years, thus giving rare opportunities to 
laboring men and others of limited means to secure homes of their own on the most 
easy terms. This Hberality showed that Mr. Long possessed business talent of the first 
order, as in the end it redounded to his own advantage, and to the town itself, as the 
rapid increase of population created a still greater demand for real estate, at advancing 
figures. The farm, when first laid out, was known as " Long's addition to Du Bois," 
and is now covered by what is known as Central Du Bois, the heart of the business part 
of the town, and is, in fact, the Second Ward of the place. In the spring of 1876 Mr- 
Long opened a large hardware store, in which he subsequently associated with himself 
his nephew, L. A. Brady, constituting the firm of Long & Brady, which has built up an 
immense trade. This venture, like all the enterprises in which he has been engaged, 
proving a success from the first, and continues in the lead to-day. His last but crown- 
ing eftbrt in Du Bois was his untiring efforts which resulted in the establishment of the 
First National Bank of Du Bois city. Early in the spring of 1883, in company with 
Mr. F. K. Arnold, of Reynoldsville. aided by other citizens of Du Bois and Reynolds- 
ville, the plan was matured, and sufficient stock, amounting to $50,000 secured, to war- 
rant the purchase of a lot, and the erection of a brick bank building, commodious and 
modern in all its appointments. This building is located on Long street, the identical 
street which his own name suggested in 1875. On the ist of August, 1883, the new 
bank opened its doors for business, with F. K. Arnold, president, and James E. Long, 
cashier. The venture proved successful bevond expectation, and stands to-day an honor 
to its projectors. Since January i, 1887, Mr. Long has been president of the bank, 
and M. W. Wise, cashier. Thus w^e see in this brief biography how pluck, push, and 
energy, combined with honor and integrity, have made James E. Long successful in all 
his business enterprises. 

In his domestic relations he has been equally favored. On the 28th of May, 1861, 
he was married to Miss Carrie A. Brown, daughter of the late Orlando Brown, of Brook- 
ville. Three children have blessed this union. Little Maggie was early transplanted 
into the heavenly home, leaving one daughter and one son. Meribah (or, as she was 
familiarly called, Maimie), was married December 18, 1884, to Malcolm W. Wise, cashier 
of the First National Bank of Du Bois, while Lewis Benton still remains with his parents. 
Mr. Long still resides in his beautiful home on Western avenue, where he has gathered 
about him many valuable works of art and literature, and where the utmost hospitality 
is dispensed. 



GILLESPIE, UPTHEGRAPH JAMES. .Mr. Gillespie is of Irish parentage, and was 
born in Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland coimty, June 26, 1820. In 1826 his father 
removed to Washington township, Indiana county, where Mr. Gillespie was raised and 
educated. In 1842 he came to Punxsutawney, where he read medicine for two years, 
and in 1845 went west, and practiced for one year in the State of Michigan. In 1846 



696 History of Jefferson County. 

he returned to Punxsutawney and became engaged in lumbering, in which business he 
was actively engaged until 1874. In 185S he removed to Clayville, where he has since 
permanently resided. Mr. Gillespie is now engaged in farming, milling and merchan- 
dising. March 25, 184S, he was married to Miss Lydia Smith Winslow, third daughter 
of Honorable James Winslow. They have five children — Amanda J., married William 
B. Sutter ; William M., Kate L., wife of John W. Parsons ; James L. and .\nna. Mr. 
Gillespie has always been prominently identified with the political affairs of the county, 
being one of its leading Democrats. He represented Jefferson county in the State 
Legislature during the sessions of 1877 and 1878. He was a delegate to the Demo- 
cratic National Convention held at Cincinnati in 1880, and at different times he has 
been honored with all the official positions in the gift of the citizens of the borough in 
which he resides. 

Mr. Gillespie is a man of decided opinions ; but the practical worth of his business 
skill and ability is well appreciated by the people of the county, and he has added 
largely by his example and liberality in advancing the interests of the town where he has 
so long resided. In religion he is a Catholic, and as the representative man of that 
church in the south side has contributed largely to the upbuilding of that denomination, 
and has now the satisfaction of seeing a beautiful and commodious house of worship 
erected in Clayville. 



LITCH, THOMAS K. The Litches are of Scotch-Irish descent. Thomas, the father, 
died in 1818, at Fitchburg, Mass., at the age of fifty years. His wife was Hannah 
Kimball, of English parentage, who died at Fitchburg, Mass.. in 1870, aged about 
eighty years. Thomas K. Litch was born at Fitchburg on the 2 2d of December, 1808. 
His tastes were for mechanics, and at the age of fourteen he commenced to learn a 
trade with Martin Newton, at Fitchburg. While learning the business he attended 
school part of the time, as well as some of his youth previous to his apprenticeship. He 
served six years and then worked for a Mr. Harvey, in Worcester, Mass. He moved to 
Pittsburgh in the month of February, 1829, and engaged with a Mr. Bemis, a founder 
and machinist, with whom he remained five years. He then became the senior mem- 
ber of the firm of T. K. Litch & Co., founders and machinists who were located on the 
".point," Water street, Pittsburgh. Their business was very extensive, and included the 
manufacture of steam engines (stationary and portable), sugar mills, etc. At that time 
there were only ten foundries and machine shops in the city. Some of the older citizens 
of Pittsburgh will remember the then celebrated " Clipper engines," invented by Mr. 
Litch, and' used on steamboats of importance plying between Pittsburgh and New Or- 
leans. Engines of this pattern are being used on go\ernment vessels of to-day. It was 
Mr. Litch, who built the first steamboat launched on the waters of Lake Chautauqua, 
and then doing business between Mayville and Jamestown. He also built the first 
hand fire engine used in Allegheny city. In 1837 he was elected a member of the city 
council and served three terms, and was counted an able and invaluable guardian of 
the city's interest. He was also a charter member of the old Reliable Western Insur- 
ance Company of Pittsburgh, and was one of its board as long as he remained in the 
city. In 1850 he removed to Brook ville, having, previous to his location, purchased 
the timber lands and the saw and flouring-mills of Robert P. Barr. .\ short time after 
his arrival he erected a new saw-mill, and made the necessary arrangements for manag- 
ing the business on a more extensive scale. 



Thomas K. Litch. 697 



In 1854 he organized the Redbank Navigation Company, obtaining through Judge 
Isaac G. Gordon (now of the Supreme Court), a charter from the Legislature, and be- 
came the president. This position he occupied until his death. The charter was a 
very liberal one on the [lart of the incorporators, as all they asked was to have their 
capital returned, and the tolls were so fixed that they barely kept the river in good raft- 
ing condition. This movement was of incalculable value to the lumbermen and was of 
more account to Jefferson county than the railroad or any previous or subsequent event. 
Before its inauguration the lumber business was on a very small scale, and the timber 
arrived in market, if it reached there at all, in a condition which prevented its sale as 
first or even second class lumber. 

In 1856 the new and old saw-mills were burned, Dut were immediately replaced by 
another steam saw-mill with a capacity of three million feet of boards per annum. He 
rebuilt the grist-mill in 1869-70 and made it one of the largest in the county. 

Mr. Litch knew just how work should be done, and when he secured a good 
workman he would keep him in his employ. He was kind and just to his employees, 
always paying them promptly good wages for their labor, which he expected done in 
the best possible manner, and his employees honored and respected him, and were 
never desirous of a change. Among those longest in his employ were Silas Miller, who 
came with him from Pittsburgh in 1850, and is still engineer in the mills of T. K. Litch 
& Sons ; Charles Sitz, William Goss and John D. Smith also were in his employ from 
ten to twenty years. ' 

Mr. Litch took an active interest in all matters relating to the good of the town, and 
his purse was ever open to aid any enterprise that promised to be of public benefit. 

In 1878 he was one of those instrumental in organizing the Jefferson County National 
Bank of Brookville, of which institution he was made president, an office he held until 
his death. He was also one of those who were foremost in organizing the cemetery 
company, and purchasing and improving the same. 

In 1876, owing to the declining health of the father, the whole lumbering and flour- 
ing interests were turned over to his two youngest sons, Harry and Edward, under the 
firm name of Litch Bros., and by them successfully carried on until the death of their 
father, since which time the firm has been a family one, viz., Mrs. Thomas K., Thomas 
W., Harry C. and Edward A., under the firm name of Thomas K. Litch & Sons. The 
mills built in 1856 being about worn out by long and continued service, and the flood of 
June, 1884, doing it much damage, as well as tearing out and washing away bracket 
dam-cribs, booms and bridges, was replaced by the present owners in 1S84, with a 
magnificent steam-feed mill at a cost of $25,000, with a daily capacity of fifty thousand 
feet of lumber, 

Thomas K. Litch was married in 1834 to Margaret Black, of Pittsburgh, a daughter 
of \Vidow Martha Black. She died in 1842. He was again married on February 17, 
1S48, to Rebecca M. Eaton, a daughter of Joseph Eaton, of Massachusetts, to whom 
four children, three sons and one daughter, were born — Thomas W., Harry C, Ed- 
ward A. and Annie, now married to S. S. Henderson, all of whom reside in Brookville. 

Mr. Litch died Monday evening, August 14, 1882, after an illness of several month's 
■duration. The preceding evening he had taken a carriage drive with a portion of his 
family, which he enjoyed very much, but about 3 o'clock a. m. the next day, he fell 
from his chair with an attack of heart disease, from which he suffered for some time, 
and though conscious to the end was unable to speak again. He was a kind husband 



698 History of Jefferson County. 

and father, an obliging neiglibor, a man of candor, and whose honesty and HberaHty 
was unimpeachable. 



KELSO, CAPTAIN JOSEPH C, was born on the 19th of July, 1835, on his father's 
farm (then only a clearing of twenty-five acres), on one of the Redbank hills, three 
miles southwest of Brookville, Pa. Thus the first fifteen years of his life were spent in a 
small, rude log cabin, and by force of circumstances he was early made acquainted with 
the labor of clearing and fencing land, and erecting better buildings. He also worked 
at lumbering in the winter seasons in order to pay taxes, make improvements, and other 
necessary expenses. He worked on his father's farm (with the exceptions of a few short 
terms at a common school) until there was about one hundred acres cleared, and he 
then moved to another farm which he partly cleared and fenced, replacing the little log 
cabins with good farm buildings. 

By close application he had obtained a fair common school education, and taught 
school a few terms, but has always said that for the same wages he would prefer to cut 
saw-logs. At the breaking out of the war of 1861-5, he was a member of Captain E. R. 
Brady's company of uniformed militia, the " Brookville Guards," but owing to party 
predjudice, he did not at first see the necessity of going to war. and therefore did not 
turn out with the first three months volunteers. But the development of events soon 
convinced him that duty called him to the line which separated the government and its 
destroyers. Accordingly, he was one of the first to enlist in Captain Bowling's com- 
pany, which afterwards became " B, One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Veteran 
Volunteers." The fact that he made his will before going to the front, is suflicient evi- 
dence that he fully realized the gravity of the situation. At the first organization of the 
company. Captain Bowling gave him the appointment of fifth sergeant. He afterwards 
was promoted through every rank to captain. He is one of those to whom were awarded 
the bronze medal known in the First Bivision, Third Corps, Army of the Potomac as 
the " Kearney cross." 

Having no wealthy or influential friends to secure for him unmerited promotion, his 
advancement was slow but sure, and never envied by others. The " Captain," as he is 
called, is a man of strong convictions, and pure and honest motives, intentions, and de- 
sires. It is admitted on all hands that he " has done the State some service," and is not 
unworthy of the respect shown him by his tellow-citizens. He was in the army four 
years, and carries four scars on his person whicii are the remains of wounds received in 
battle, yet he thinks that the glorious Union is worth all it has cost, and on this subject 
says : " I thank God that I am a sovereign citizen of tlie best government in the world, 
and that as a citizen soldier I have had the honor of helping to sustain it. It has done 
much for me, and I would not hesitate a moment to defend it against foes without or 
within, if it were again in danger." He resides on his farm on Redbank Creek, six 
miles below Brookville, and although having some reputation as a warrior, he is now 
striving to be at peace with his Maker, and to be a promoter of peace and good will 
amongst men. 



D.ARLING, PAUL, was born in Smethport, McKean county. Pa., November 5, 
1823. and was the second son of Br. George Barling and Barling, m'e 

(ranan. His mother died when he was quite young, leaving two other children, Br. 
Jedediah Barling and Charlotta, married to Br. J. Y. McCoy, of Smethport. His 



Paul Darling. 699 



brother has been dead U>r a number of years, but Mrs. McCoy, now well advanced in 
years, yet resides at Smethport. 

In 1834 Dr. Darling came to Brookville and engaged in the practice of medicine, 
where he soon afterwards married Miss Julia Clark, daughter of Elijah Clark, of Knox 
township, and about the year 1837 his son Paul joined him. Though but a boy in 
years when he came to Brookville, he was obliged to make his ow-n living, and sup- 
ported himself by teaching school. His first "teacher's certificate," which he had pre- 
served among his papers, read as follows : 

" We. the undersigned School Directors of Pine Creek Township, do hereby certify 
that we have examined Paul Darling, and have found him qualified to teach Reading, 
Writing & Arithmetick and the principal rules of Grammar & Geography. 

" Signed, James Moore, 

"Archr McMurray, 

" John Long, 

" George S. Mathews." 

He afterwards entered the store of the late Thomas K. Litch as a clerk, and by his 
aptness at learning the business and careful attention to his duties, he soon won the 
commendation of his employer, and after a few years was made general manager of his 
extensive lumber business, and Mr. Litch was ever one of his warmest personal friends. 
He was extremely frugal and saving in his habits, and as soon as he had accumulated 
a little money he embarked it in the lumber trade and soon gained quite a competency, 
which, by judicious investments in western timber lands, he augmented to a large for- 
tune, being worth $500,000 at the time of his death. Mr. Darling was one of the 
founders of the Jefferson County National Bank, of which institution he was vice-presi- 
dent at the time of his death. 

He took care of his father and step-mother in their later years, both of whom pre- 
ceded him to the grave, and after the marriage of his half-sister, Mary, to W. H. Gray, 
of Brookville, he made her house his home, where he died, after a painful illness of 
several weeks' duration, November 4, 1881, passing quietly from earth just one day 
before his fifty-eighth birthdav dawned. 

Paul Darling was a man whose word was as good as his bond, and his strict regard 
to truth in all matters, whether large or small, was one of his characteristics. He was 
a shrewd, careful business man, and a sociable, companionable friend. He was well 
read, and his well-balanced mind retained what he culled here and there from the best 
authors. While busy in accumulating his large fortune Paul Darling was not accounted 
among the benevolent ones of the earth, but when brought face to face with death he 
dwelt much u])on that portion of the Lord's Prayer which says, " Forgive us our debts 
as we forgive our debtors," and in his will, one of the most remarkable on record, which 
is given below, he released his debtors from the payment of judgments and securities he 
held against them. 

Paul Darling made the most of his fortune in Jefferson county, and to the people of 
the town and county that for so long was his home he left the bulk of it, and the mon- 
ument he erected when he made these bequests will never be obliterated as long as one 
of those from whom he lifted the burden of debt survives, or as long as the beautiful 
Methodist Church, or the elegant Presbyterian parsonage, both largely erected by his 
"bounty, or the soldiers' monument, remain. The children of the public schools of 
Brookville, too, as they are surrounded and refined by the beauties his thoughtfulness 
has lavished about them, will revere and bless his memory. 



700 History of Jefferson County. 

Paul Darling's Will. 
The following bequests were made by Paul Darling, as found in his will, which was 
admitted to probate November i, 1881 : "To W. H. Gray and Mary Gray, his wife, my 
bank stock and interest in the Jefferson County National Bank, about $30,000 ; to Paul 
Darling Robinson, Paul Darling Wright, Paul Darling Hamlin, and Paul Darling Sco- 
field, my namesakes, each $200 ; to Edward Scofield $3,000; to R. G. Wright, Henry 
Hamlim, Byron D. Hamlin, Thomas K. Litch, Dr. W. Y. McCoy, Mrs. Charlotta Mc- 
Coy, Delano C. Hamlin and Geneva, wife of Delano C Hamlin, Mollie Forrest, each 
$100; to Dr. Henry L. McCoy $200, and to his wife $100; to Ellen, daughter of 
Charlotta McCoy, Ed. McCoy and Frank, his wife, Mrs. Lotta Hamlin and to her chil- 
dren, Willie, Orlo, Aline and Mary, each $100; to Emma Hamlin and Mrs. Lena 
Rose, each $100 ; to Harry C. Litch $100 ; to Mrs. Blanch Litch $25 ; to E. A. Litch 
$100, and Allie, his wife, $25; to Mrs. Thomas K. Litch, Anna Henderson, daughter 
of Thomas K. Litch, C. B. Clark, Amelia Clark, Maggie Clark, Mattie Gephart, Mr. 
and Mrs. E. H. Darrah and Mary A. Corbett, each $100; to Dr. J. E. Hall and C. R. 
Hall, each $50; to Mr and Mrs. Joseph Henderson, each $25; to Joseph B. Hender- 
son $100; to Mrs. Joseph B. Henderson $25, and to each of her children $5 ; to 
Charles Corbett $50 ; to Thomas E. Espy and Thomas M. Carroll, each $100; to W. 
D. J. Marlin $50 ; to Dr. Henry L. McCoy, in trust for Geneva Bard, $500 ; to Mrs. 
John T. Reed $1,200; to Mrs. Emma Kimble $1,300; to Mrs. Skillen, sister of Mrs. 
Kimball, $1,300; to J. B. Henderson, in trust for Mrs. Martha Hall, judgment against 
Enoch Hall; to John Guyther and D. A. Henderson, two-thirds of about $2,000; to 
N. G. Edelblute $3,280; to H. F. Burris one-third of balance of article of agreement; 
to Robert and Mary H. Stewart, life interest in property in which they now live; to S. 
M. Tinthofl", judgment against him ; to Benewell Kroh, judgment against him; to L J. 
Yaney, judgment against him ; to Thomas Stewart, judgment against him; to George 
M. and Theodore Irvin, judgment against them; to S. H. Croyl and William Kennedy, 
judgment against them; to William Walters, what he owes me; to T. B. McLain and 
Coleman, judgment against them ; to Con Fink, judgment against him ; to A. J. Davis, 
judgment against him ; to M. R. Reynolds and E. A. McClelland, judgment against 
them ; to J-oseph Darr, judgment against him ; to Dennis, Silas and Alma Bevier, one- 
half of judgment against them ; to Samuel Yount, judgment against him ; to A. J. Brady, 
interest on judgment and note for $125 ; to Silas Miller, what he owes me; to Sheridan 
McCuUough, what he owes me; to Mrs. Mary McLain, privilege to purchase lot for 
$700; to James Chambers and Martha Chambers, farm in Rose township, Jefferson 
county ; to Samuel Chambers and sister, farm in Redbank township. Clarion county ; 
to P. Ford and wife, $50 each ; to Hon. G. A. Jenks, the sum of $25, because I am 
proud of him as a Jefferson county production, and like him as a man; to Hon. L G. 
Gordon, $25 on account of long friendship ; to Hon. W. P. Jenks, whom I have known 
so long — when we were not worth $200 — but we have both since dug along — $25 ; to 
(ieorge Zetler, senior and junior, judgment they owe me; for a soldiers' monument in 
Brookville Cemetery $2,000 ; for a monument to myself $2,000 ; to the school district 
of Smethport, McKean county. Pa., $15,000 to aid in the erection of a school building, 
if erected within two years ; to help them in business, to J. N. Garrison, John J. Thomp- 
son and Joseph Darr, each $5,000; to E. and B. Reitz $2,000; to lift him out, I 
cive to James A. Gathers $5,000; to James M. Canning $2,000; to Carroll and 
Espy $2,000, in addition to amount mentioned above; to D. F. Hibbard $1,000; to 



Paul Darling. — Alexander M. McClure. 701 

S. S. Jackson $2,000 ; to David Eason $2,000 ; to H. Brady Craig $1,000 ; for beauti- 
fying and improving the grounds of tlie public schools of the borough of Brookville, 
$3,000 a year for twelve years; to the erection of a Methodist Church in the borough 
of Brookville, when erected $3,000 ; for the benefit of the poor in the borough of 
Brookville and Rose township, $2,000 a year for nine years, to be divided each year 
in proportion of paupers in each district ; to A. J. Brady, judgment against him ; to E. 
H. and W. R. Darrah and the Moore boys, judgment against them ; to W. J. McKnight 
and T. L. Templeton, judgment against them for $2,000 and note for $3,000 ; to '1'. 
P. McCrea, note for $325; to Brookville Cemetery Company, the interest on $1,000 
annually and ]jerpetually, to be expended in keeping my lot and tomb in order ; to E. 
Clark Hall $50 ; to F. X. Kreitler $50; to A. L. Gordon $25 ; to William Dickey $25 ; 
to Uriah Matson, Robert Matson and Harry Matson, each $io; to John C. Hamlin 
$5,000 ; to Willie Orlo Hamlin, in addition to foregoing, $5,000 ; to the Presbyterian 
Church of Brookville $2,000 ; to the U. P. Methodist, Baptist and Lutheran Churches, 
each $1,000. After the above bequests are provided for, if there should be anything 
remaining, I direct the following to be paid : To Edward Scofield, $3,000 a year for 
nine years ; to H. C. Litch, Ed. A. Litch, J. B. Henderson and W. H. Gray, each 
$1,000 a year for ten years ; and as residuary legatees, to the Presbyterian and Metho- 
dist Churches of Brookville, in the proportion of two-thirds to the Presbyterian and one- 
third to the Methodist Church." A. L. Gordon, esq., and J. B! Henderson are named 
as executors of the will. 



McCLURE, ALEXANDER M., was born in Mifflin township, Allegheny county, 
near the present site of McKeesport, on the 10th day of October, 1824. He is 
the grandson of Andrew McClure, one of the first judges of Allegheny county, who came 
to America from Ireland, when he was about eighteen years old, and settled east of the 
Allegheny Mountains, but afterwards removed to .\llegheny county, where he resided 
until his death, which occurred in 1845, at the advanced age of one hundred and three 
years. His father's name was also Andrew, and his mother, m'c Margaret Abraham, 
was born at Steubenville, Ohio, and resided there until her marriage with Andrew Mc- 
Clure, when they moved to Elizabeth township, Allegheny county, but only lived there 
a short time, when they moved to Mifflin township, where they both resided until their 
death. Mr. McClure died at the age of sixty-five years, and Mrs. Margaret McClure 
died March 29, 1875, at the age of eighty-four years. The old homestead is still held 
in possession by their son, Alexander M. McClure. They had six children, Francis, 
Sarah, Alexander M., Margaret, Andrew and Susan, and they are all yet living. 

A. M. McClure was married July 3, 1849, to Sarah H. Cox, eldest daughter of William 
and Hannah Cox. She was born in Leicestershire, England, about seventy-two miles from 
London, December 13, 1827, and came with her parents to America in 1830. They set- 
tled at Saltsburg, Indiana county, but removed to a farm near the present site of the 
homestead, in Allegheny county, where she resided until her marriage. Mrs. McClure 
died April 27, 1880. They had twelve children, nine daughters and three sons, of whom 
seven daughters and two sons are yet living. Two daughters died in infancy, but the 
eldest son, William Alexander McClure, who was born January 13, 1857, and was en- 
gaged in the lumber business with his father, in McKeesport, died May 3, 1880. He 
was married January i, 1880, to Carrie Rath, of Mifflin township, Allegheny county. 
Hannah Jane, the eldest daughter, married James E. Patterson, March 25, 1879, and 



702 History of Jefferson County. 

resides at McKeesport; Josephine, married Edward Seifert, February 22, 1876, and lives 
in Big Run ; Susan M., living in Mifflin township, Allegheny county ; Catherine L., 
married James H. Barrelle, September 29th, living in Punxsutawney ; Andrew Francis, 
married Susan Charles, December 19, 1882, and resides on the old homestead in 
Allegheny county, Emma L., married W. H. Tyson, August 25, 1885, and lives in Big 
Run ; John McC, Nora D. and Sarah Belle, are unmarried, and reside with their father 
at Big Run. 

Not being satisfied with his avocation of a farmer, Mr. McCIure at an early age em- 
barked in the lumber traffic, and for many years carried on an extensive trade along the 
Monongahela River. In 1861 he made his first business trip to the wilds of Jefferson 
county, and ever since has been carrying on a large business in this county, but has only 
made his home here since 1884, when he removed to his present residence in Big Run. 
Mr. McClure, besides his large lumber interests in Jefferson and Clearfield county, owns 
some of the best farms in Henderson township, and built the large hotel in Big Run, 
the Hotel McClure, besides being engaged in the mercantile business. He is one of the 
foremost citizens in furthering every enterprise that enhances the prosperity of the place. 



DINSMORE, MARION J., son of Robert and Mary Dinsmore, was born in Peters- 
burg, Huntingdon county, May 12, 1837. His mother was a daughter of Thomas 
Johnson, Centre county, to whom his father was married on the 22d day of January, 
1835. Robert Dinsmore was born in Boallsburg, Centre county, March 22, 1805, his 
father having emigrated from Ireland about the close of the Revolution, and settled in 
Centre county. He afterwards served in the War of 181 2, and was honorably dis- 
charged at its close. He died in Boallsburg. 

Mr. Robert Dinsmore removed to Huntingdon county in 1833. Before he left Cen- 
tre county he was engaged in cattle droving, and visited the western countries of the 
State, purchasing stock for the eastern markets. He engaged in farming in Hunting- 
don, for a few years, and removed to Armstrong county, where he purchased a farm 
about four miles from Kittanning, where he resided until his death, which occurred De- 
cember 23, 1853. His wife survived him a number of years, residing during the later 
years of her life with her son, Marion, at Punxsutawney, where she died, aged about 
sixty-five years. The family consisted of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, 
of whom four sons and one daughter are living. 

Marion was the eldest cliild, and at his father's death the care of the family devolved 
upon him. The estate was found to be in a bad condition, encumbered with debts that 
threatened to involve the entire property ; but though a boy in years, young Marion 
Dinsmore put his shoulders to the wheel, cleared off all the indebtedness, stocked the 
farm, put it in a good state of cultivation, making it one of the best in the neighborhood. 

When the war-cloud burst upon the country, young Dinsmore promptly enlisted, in 
Company K, Seventy-eighth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. While on picket he 
was prostrated by typhoid pneutnonia, which came near ending his life, and his recovery 
left him so debilitated, that his discharge from the service was necessary. In June, 
1863, he returned home, and finally recovered. 

He then determined to seek some other calling besides farming, and entered the 
Iron City College, at Pittsburgh, the winter of 1863 and 1864, and graduated therefrom 
May, 1864. This was the turning point in Mr. Dinsmore's career, to which he attributes 
all his future business success. To Rev. Mr. Harvey, Professor Smith, of the Iron City 



Marion J. Dinsmore. — A. M. Clarke, M. D. 703 

College, and other kind Friends, he will ever feel the warmest feelings of gratitude for 
the great interest they took in the broken down soldier boy. 

After finishing his course at the college Mr. Dinsmore engaged in cattle droving, in 
order to build up his strength by out-door exercise, and afterwards was employed as a 
clerk in Ross & Nechling's general store in Kittanning. 

In April, 1865, he removed to Punxsutawny, where he became a salesman in Dr. 
Joseph Shields' store, and afterwards a partner in this establishment. June 20, 1870, he 
was elected cashier of the Mahoning Bank of Punxsutawney, and became its principal 
manager and financier until October, 188-, when he purchased all the stock of the con- 
cern, and became its sole owner, until December, 18, 1886, when he sold the bank to 
the present owners, since which time, he has not been engaged in any business. 

Mr. Dinsmore was married November 15, 1865, to Miss Sarah E. Beney, daughter 
of James R. Beney, of Armstrong county, near Kittanning. They have had seven chil- 
dren of whom one boy and five girls are living; the youngest boy, Freddie Earl, the 
baby of the household, dying August, 1887. 



CLARKE, A. M., M.D. Asaph Milton Clarke was born in the town of Granby, Hart- 
ford county, Connecticut, on the 2 2d day of March, 1808. His ancestors were 
among the early settlers of New England, having crossed the ocean from old England, 
in what year is not certainly known. Philetus Clarke, his father, was a son of Joel and 
Chloe Clark 7iee Reed, and was born October 9, 1782. His mother was Penelope God- 
ard, daughter of Tilley Godard and Adah Holcomb, his wife. She was born December 
6, 1787. The progenitors of Dr. Clarke seem to have been remarkable for their lon- 
gevity. John Godard, father of Tilley, died at the age of ninety-six years ; his wife, 
Molly Hillyar, at ninety-seven ; Ephraim Holcomb, father of Adah, died at the age of 
eighty- four years, and his wife, Dorcas Hays, at the age of sixty-five, while Adah, the 
grandmother of Dr. Clarke, lived to the great age of one hundred and two years. Phi- 
letus Clark married Penelope Godard on the 20th of February, 1806. He died Janu- 
ary 12, A. D. 1852. When A. M. Clarke was about six months old his parents removed 
to Russell, St. Lawrence county. New York, where they remained until 18 19, when 
they removed to Little Toby, now in Elk county. 

He was born amid the scenes of frontier dangers, and his home was within hearing 
distance of the roar of the cannon during the war of 1812. One incident of his infancy 
is given in his own words : " Perhaps it might have been a joke of the old Canadian 
Indian who came to our house when mother was alone. I was sleeping in the cradle. 
The savage, taking out his knife and moving towards the cradle, said : ' LTgh ! me kill 
dam Yankee!' My mother cried: 'No, Socksusup, you will not!' And, perhaps 
fortunately for my childish scalp, I vifas left unmolested. My mother, who related the 
story to me, said she was not afraid ; but a quivering, ghost-like thrill of horror creeps 
over me yet to think of it." 

His parents were among the first to penetrate into the Little Toby wilderness, and, 
with those who were associated with them in reclaiming those untrodden wilds, have 
been noticed in the earlier pages of this work. The educational advantages in those 
days were limited in the extreme, but young Clarke was possessed of an inquiring mind, 
and the older he grew the more insatiate became his thirst after knowledge. As he 
says, his first lessons were received at his mother's knee; that mother whom ^ he loved 



704 History of Jefferson County. 

and revered so tenderly, and who made her home near him untif called from earth, only 
a few short years before him. 

He was quite quick at repartee, and while in Huntington county in 1S28, he fell in 
with a burly wood-chopper who had conceived an antipathy for him just because he was 
a " Yankee." One day young Clarke happened to step into the bar-room of the Glenn 
Hotel, in Half Moon Valley, where he was boarding, and found himself among a crowd 
of wood-choppers. The burly fellow aforesaid, who had noticed him frequently with a 
book, suddenly confronting him, said: "Ha! have you got your dictionary ? " "No, 
sir," said his victim, " but I will bring it if you wish." He replied, " All you are fit 
for is to dance at a dog's funeral." " I am aware of it, and I expect a job when you 
die," was the unexpected rejouider. And the giant said no more, while the landlord 
and bystanders enjoyed his discomfiture. 

. At an early age he evinced a love for the medical profession, and studied under Dr. 
Jonathan Nichols, the pioneer physician of that part of the State, and to whom, he says: 
"I am more indebted than to any other person for my success in after years." 

Dr. Clarke was married on the 6th of March, 1831, to Rebecca Mason Nichols, the 
daughter of his friend and preceptor. Dr. Nichols, and on the fiftieth anniversary of this 
event they celebrated their golden wedding at their home in Brockwayville, in the 
presence of their children, grand-children and friends. 

Of Mrs. Clarke's ancestry, the record is not so complete. Her father. Dr. Jonathan 
Nichols, who has already been noticed in this work, was the first settled minister of the 
gospel in Jefferson county. He was born March 4, 1775, and was the son of Jonathan 
and Rhoba Nichols, nee Martin. Dr. Nichols married Hannah, daughter of Hezekiah 
and Sarah Mason, wcV Wood, January 17, 1796, and died May 16, 1846. His wife 
died June 1859, aged eighty-two years. 

The aged wife of Dr. Clarke, who was in very truth a helpmeet to him, still lives and 
resides at the old homestead in Brockwayville. 

Dr. Clarke practiced his profession almost constantly to the day of his death, and 
was one of the best known physicians^in the county. He was of the Eclectic school of 
medicine and was a graduate of the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute. 

He was identified 'with the northern part of Jefferson county for over sixty years. 
In 1S36 he removed to Brockwayville, where he laid out the town and done much to 
give it its " first start in life," and where for almost fifty years he made liis home, and 
whose every upward stride he watched with a zealous eye. Much of his historv has 
been given in the history of the medical profession, of which he was an honored mem- 
ber, and his patient, faithful and gentl^ ministrations at the bedside of the sick and dy- 
ing will not soon be forgotten. His studies were not confined to medicine, but he was 
well versed in general literature, and had a loving acquaintance with the poets. Books 
were his delight and the solace of many a weary hour. 

On Thursday evening, May 22, 1884, Dr. Clarke died very suddenly, at his residence 
in Brockwayville, of neuralgia of the heart. On the Monday evening previous he 
attended a meeting of the Borough Council, of which he was a member, walking home 
afterwards. This efibrt proved too much for him, and he was ill all night and continued 
indisposed until Thursday, when he seemed better and moved about the house singing, 
as was his wont, and laying plans for the morrow. As evening drew near he com- 
plained^of pains in his limbs, back, and loins, and his loving, faithful wife rubbed the 
aflfected parts with mustard water, which gave him almost instant relief. Shortly after. 



lets. Books 
-idence 

'it and continued 

.. ..^ ,j;n- 

wife rubbed the 
Kcivi;* iiiiii aliiiosi iiiSiaat xi^iief. Short 






i^Z-n^ttCi 




A. M. Clarke, M. D. — James Humphrey. 705 

while l\'ing on his bed talking to her, he suddenly put his hand over his heart, and said: 
" Oh, this terrible jiain, it will kill me ! " closed his eyes and quietly exinred. 

His death brought sorrow not only to his own immediate household and friends, but 
to the community at large, for all felt that a " good man had fallen " — one whose place 
could not be filled. The funeral took place on Sunday, and was one of the largest ever 
held in Brockwayville, over one hundred carriages following the remains to the ceme- 
tery, where Rev. E. R. Knapp, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, conducted 
the burial services. 

The family of Dr. Clarke consisted of ten children, six daughters and four sons: 
Hilpa A., married to William A. Schram, of Ridgway ; Adaline, drowned October 9, 
1843 ; Penelope G., married to Dr. W. J. McKnight, of Brookville; Julia died January 
23, 1839; Myrtondied March 31, 1842; Sarah, married to Thomas M. Myers, of Brock- 
wayville; Asaph M., residing in York county; an infant son died April 16, 1847 ; Fran- 
ces Ada, married to John A. Green, of Brockwayville, and William D., residing in Brock- 
wayville. 

The following fitting tribute to Dr. Clarke was written at the time of his death by 
one who loved him for his many good qualities of head and heart : 

" Deceased was intellectually a remarkable man. Denied the advantages of wealth 
and education, he became not only a learned and skillful physician, but a literary man 
of high order. Books were the mine in which he delved, and, from their pages he 
brought forth jewels of information and thought most rare. He loved poetry with an 
ardor words cannot e.xpress, and was not only familiar with the leading poets ot the past 
and present, but was himself the author of a number of fragments which show him to 
have been possessed of a poetic fire, that, in the hands of one less modest and unassum- 
ing than he ever proved himself to be, would have made him an enduring name. His 
qualities of heart were no less choice than were those of his head. He was generous to 
a fault, and as meek and gende as a child. Nothing seemingly gave him more pleasure 
than to do good to his fellow-men, and many there are who have partaken bountifully 
of his store. In the sick-room his presence was always a sweet solace, and his delicate 
touch almost as soothing as a narcotic. In the social circle he was ever popular, the 
diversity of his knowledge and the easy flow of his language rendering him a delightful 
companion. As a man and citizen he was highly respected, as was proven by the spon- 
taneity with which his neighbors gathered about his grave and dropped a tear to his 
precious memory. His death, like his life, was peaceful, and the name he leaves behind 
^s as pure as the lily and as fragrant as the rose." 



HUMPHREY, J.\MES, was born October 8, 1819, near Huntingdon, Pa. His 
father, Richard Humphrey, was born in Ireland in 1762, and came to America 
when a young man, during the French war. The vessel in which he made the voyage, 
was chased by a French privateer. After living in different localities he located in 
Huntingdon county, where he married Margaret Wright, who was also a native of Ire- 
land, having come to this country with her parents while but a child. She died near 
Huntingdon, in 1841. Mr. Humphrey removed to Jefferson county in 1840, and died 
at the residence of his son, William, near Richardsville, in 1846, in the eighty-fourth 
year of his age. Richard and Margaret Humphrey were the parents of eight children: 
William, Thomas, Margaret, Richard, Jane, Mathew, James and John. Of these, the 
three eldest and the youngest born are dead. Margaret married William Darrah and 



7o6 History of Jefferson County. 

died in Illinois ; William died at his home near Richardsville ; Thomas died at Strat- 
tonville, and John ac Richardsville. Of those living Mathevv resides near Richardsville, 
Richard near Curwensville, Clearfield county, Jane, who married Samuel C. Espy, re- 
moved to Yankton county, Dakota, where she still resides. 

James, the remaining member of the family and the subject of this sketch, in his 
youthful days learned the milling trade, and later engaged in boating on the Pennsylva- 
nia Canal, being engaged at the business in 1838 between Hollidaysburg, Columbia and 
Philadelphia. In the winter of that year he came to Jefferson county and worked at 
his trade of miller, with his brother, Thomas, who had charge of the grist-mill of Rob- 
ert P. Barr, in Brookville. The next spring he returned to his home in Huntingdon 
county, and resumed the life of a boatman until winter again set in, when he went to 
Greenville, Clarion county, where he worked for his brother, Thomas, and then came 
back to Brookville in 1840, and worked in the mill of R. P. Barr again until 1844, when 
he rented the grist-mill at Port Barnett, where he remained one year, then in 1845 re- 
turned to the Barr Mill again, where he remained as miller until 1848. In 1842, he and 
his brother, Thomas, purchased the mill property back of Corsica, where they built the 
grist-mill now owned by J. B. Jones. 

On the 26th day of February, 1849, Mr. Humphrey was married to Miss Mary J. 
Lamb, of the vicinity of Corsica. Five children have blessed this union — Wilbert 
Newton, Mary Araminta, Annetta, Eva Alma, and James Malcolm. Of these, Annetta, 
a. babe of eight months, died at Brookville, March i, 1856, and Mary Araminta, died 
-at Port Barnett, March i, 1859, aged six years; Wilbert is married to Miss Kate Bul- 
lers, and Eva to Frank A. Barber, while James Malcolm, the youngest of the family, 
remains with his parents. 

In 1856 Mr. Humphrey purchased the Port Barnett property of A. P. Heichhold, 
assignee for Jones & Johnston. In 1876 he associated with him in his business his son, 
Wilbert N., and the firm is now James Humphrey & Sons. Since 1876 they have had 
a general store in connection with their other business. 

In 1882 they built a new saw-mill with a capacity of from thirty to forty thousand 
feet per day. They have also a shingle, lath and planing-mill in connection with it. 
They have also greatly improved and remodeled their large grist-mill. Mr. Humphrey, 
a few years ago, purchased the property of Jacob Kroh, jr., just west of Port Barnett, 
on the Brookville road, where he has a beautiful home and can enjoy the fruits of his 
early toil. He is one of the solid business men of the county, and bids fair to be able 
to superintend his large business interests for manv years to come. 



GIBSON, W. M. B., M.D. The subject of this biographical sketch scarcely requires 
any mention of ancestral connections, for he stood out alone, an isolated being, from 
any other Gibson alive or dead — an unique and eccentric character. As far as consan- 
guineous inheritance goes, his sum of qualities — which distinguish one person from an- 
other — might as well have been of spontaneous growth. Yet to follow the conventional 
paths of biographical writers, some trace of his ancestry should be given. 

His great-grandfather, on the paternal side, was one Hugh Gibson, who lived in 
Franklin county, Pennsylvania, previous to the Revolutionary War, and whose two sons. 
John and Levi, pioneers of Indiana county, were captured by the Indians and delivered 
into the hands of the British. Their release came only with the termination of the strug- 
_gle, and thereat John Gibson resumed his residence in the county last mentioned. Will- 



W. M. B. Gibson, M. D. 707 

iam Gibson, the son of John, located in Clarion county (then Armstrong) in 1803, the 
year in which Louisiana was purchased of France. James, the son of William, was the 
father of the person of whom w^e write. 

The great-grandfather on the maternal r.ide w^as of Hibernian stock, who bore the 
characteristic appellation of McFadden, while his spouse was of German extraction, 
whose name was Jack. Owen Meredith, the grandfather, was a native of Chester 
county, from whence he emigrated to Centre, and thence to Clarion. The Merediths 
were of English and Welsh lineage. 

William Meredith Bruce Gibson was born on the loth day of January, 1843, five 
miles from Clarion town, in Monroe township. The exact spot of his nativity was half 
way between two iron furnaces, three-fourths of a mile on either side ; and in this fact 
there is an illustration of the " eternal fitness of things," inasmuch as our Gibson was 
" between two fires " all his days. And this fiery circumstance wielded another in- 
fluence, and a more potent one, over the life which was then in the matrix that shaped 
the years of manhood. A continuous warfare was rife between the youths of the fur- 
naces, in which the boys of the country adjacent took sides; and, too, the forces of the 
furnaces often coalesced and did battle against their heterogeneous enemy, the rural 
stripHngs. Many a trouncing, in these sanguinary affrays, did our hero both give and 
receive ; and as his young ideas were here first taught to shoot at educational targets, 
so were the seeds of pugnacity sown, which grew into a bountiful crop, especially in 
hostilities of an intellectual character. When Right and Justice were on his side, he 
was as aggressive as the flux of the invincible ocean, and as immovable as the eternal 
hills. 

At the age of fourteen the precocious lad entered upon the career of school teaching, 
alternating his time between that avocation and attending the Dayton Union Academy 
of Armstrong county. Between his fourteenth and nineteenth years he taught nine 
terms, and in his fifteenth the study of medicine was commenced. At the age of seven- 
teen he was accorded, by an unanimous voice of the County Institute of Armstrong, 
over which Superintendent Calhoun presided, a professional certificate ; and with this 
credential of educational efficiency, he went forth into other States to disseminate knowl- 
edge. In i860 he was the principal of the academy of Bullitt county, Kentucky, a few 
miles south of Louisville ; but in consequence of an attack of ague he returned to Penn- 
sylvania, and taught a couple of terms of school at Goheenville, in Armstrong county, 
and in the winter succeeding presided over the graded school of East Brady. 

In the years of 1862 and 1863 a course of medical lectures were taken at Ann Arbor, 
which famous institution was his professional abtia mater : but the most profound, pen- 
etrating, and practical information was gleaned from Dr. James Stewart, at Greenville, 
Clarion county, whose mind was both analytical and synthetical, and whose erudition 
encompassed about all the learning and experience of medicine in his day. 

Dr. Gibson first became a practitioner in Troy, Jefterson county, where he was asso- 
ciated with Dr. R. B. Brown; but in 1864 he entered upon the duties of his profession 
in an independent career by locating at Reynoldsville, a vilUage at that time of the most 
unpretentious character. His impressive personality challenged the attention of the 
community, and his successes as a healer were the confirming truths of the book of 
which his physiognomy and conversation were the title page. And not only as a doctor 
did he achieve popularity in these initial years of a long, permanent residence, but his 
social qualities gained for him a status that was liken unto a star around which the 



7o8 History of Jefferson County. 

satellites of society revolved ; and this position gave him a force in directing and shap- 
ing the minds of his associates, and of the youths whose ambition was yet in an em- 
bryonic state, that redounded to the greatest good. This is a fact which the writer 
appreciates, inasmuch as he, himself, was one of those youths. 

On Independence Day, 1867, Dr. Gibson enacted that beautiful drama of the heart, 
Love and Marriage, the woman of his choice — the object of his perpetual friendship — 
the faithful helpmate and companion of twenty years, having been Miss Anna, daughter 
of Joseph McCreight. 

In his professional career he acted as one of the surgeons of the Low Grade Rail- 
road, a position given him when the surgeons were first appointed, and in which his 
thorough competency gained for him the utmost confidence of the management. In 
the years of 1875 and 1876 Dr. M. A. Masson was associated with him in the practice 
of medicine. Masson was a man of brilliant ideas, and a thorough and bold practi- 
tioner. He was a brother-in-law of the famous Dr. R. O. Cowling, late of Louisville, 
Ketucky. Both of these talented men have been called hence. 

Dr. Gibson belonged to the allopathic school of medicine, and he kept abreast of 
progress in medicinal discovery. With a keen perception of causes as he saw effects) 
and with his great knowledge of curatives, backed by the best of reasoning faculties, he 
rarely erred in prognosis, although his diagnosis was always encouraging to the patient 
and friends, even if, in his latent breast, he knew there was no hope. For this pecu- 
liarity he has often been censured, but, believing in the potency of ivill power — of the 
superiority and influence of mind over matter — he held on by even this frail thread 
until the last breath of the patient was gone, and this tenacity was a part of the char- 
acter of the man. Wherever he took a hold, he maintained until One greater than he 
wrested the object from his grasp. 

Dr. Gibson's distinguished mental superiority did not qualify him for any one special 
pursuit, but rather for many. His power of invention, as shown in his literary work — 
the formation of nice and new combinations of ideas, and imagery — stamped him as a 
genius of a very high order. This is particularly true of his poetic efforts, many of 
which are lofty in thought, and beautiful and strange, and always unique, in phraseology. 
In romance his invention was marvelous, and one of his novels, published under a uom 
de plume, attained a world-wide popularity, and in true worth almost approached the 
classic, for although the work appeared almost a quarter of a century ago, it is yet read 
on both sides of the Atlantic. Had he devoted his time to literature, there can be no 
doubt but that his name would to-day be emblazoned in ardentia verba wherever the 
shrine of letters stands ; but with his death ended all the grand possibilities his mind was 
capable of 

His physiological make-up was a most happy one, nicely balancing the various func- 
tions and sensibilities. His Teutonic blood gave him solidity and logic ;Vhis Scotch and 
Welsh, sternness and tenacity ; the Irish, affability and loquacity ; and these were well 
blended and tempered, the effect of which was an almost perfect man. If there was a 
preponderance of any one part, it was a tender sensibility for all who suffered ; and this 
was of a degree that often impoverished his own worldly welfare. Yet, laboring be- 
tween the fires of ambition on one side, and mendicancy on the other, he yet accumu- 
lated a comfortable living, and his conscience was not goaded by the remembrance of 
dishonest acts. 

His tenacity of purpose was of a degree that would seem to make the stronger term 



W. M. B. Gibson, M. D. 709 

stiibboniiicss a more fitting definition of that trait of his character — especially when his 
convictions were fixed upon the solid foundation of truth, as understood by a mind 
whose logic was clear and far-reaching. This peculiarity was manifested early in life, at 
the age^of seventeen, w-hen principal of the academy before spoken of. Young Gibson 
was sojourning in the town, and his social disposition soon tbund him many friends, and 
his educational bent, intellectual ones. The school was without a head, and its direct- 
ors discovered in our hero both the mental and physical qualifications requisite to the 
man who could successfully preside over an institution whose patrons were as refractory 
in manners as they were advanced in learning. If they carried a cyclopedia in their 
heads they also carried a dagger in their belts, and former principals had invariably 
proven inadequate to the maintenance of such discipline as a respectable educational 
establishment should possess. Young Gibson had not known of the contumacious char- 
acter of the school until after his acceptance of the position ; but, nothing daunted, he 
immediately purchased a stiletto of much longer blade than those he had seen in the 
community, and, retiring to the academy, made himself as proficient as a boomerang 
thrower in hurling the knife at a pillar. When the students assembled on the opening 
day, the spirit of anarchy was rampant, and as an initial intimation of the iron rule with 
which this new absolute monarch was going to control his subjects, he took a position 
from which he was accustomed to throw the stiletto, and, with a herculean effort, plunged 
the glistening blade deep into the the pillar, where it momentarily whizzed and quiv- 
ered. The effect was magical, and each perverse being saw in his tutor a " foeman 
worthy of his steel," and the steel was ever after kept within its scabbard. Not alone, 
however, by this acrobatic feat did the new principal subdue the unruly element of his 
school, for by a little oratorical diplomacy, in which he showed the pleasure and advan- 
tage of a cognate feeling in teacher and pupil for the genius and welfare of the institu- 
tion, he won to him the hearts of every fiery breast. This adventure reads more like the 
product of a romancer's brain than that of an honest biographer's, and for boldness and 
impudence is only equaled by Caesar's experience with the pirates near the island of 
Pharmacusa. 

As to the religious convictions of Dr. Gibson, we may quote what he, himself, said 
of his life-long friend, Thomas Reynolds, sr. The sentiment seems as much a confession 
of his own, as an observation on another. Here it is : 

" But the most conspicuous traits of his nature were a sense of honor, incapable of a 
stain — a probity which was stubborn in its inflexibility — and an abiding, deeply rooted^ 
uncompromising detestation, even horror, ot all shams and hypocrisy, whether religious, 
political, or of any other kind. It is easily seen how such a i-nan, in this day and gen- 
eration, however deep a reverence he might have for the Author of his being as the 
great and good God — the Father, Preserver, and Protector of all the common brother- 
hood of man — would rather retire those sentiments and feelings, and keep them sacred 
within the innermost recesses of his soul, than to make a parade of them before the 
world." 

Friendship with Dr. Gibson was not a plant of hasty growth, but, set in the soil of 
his esteem, and nourished by kind and intellectual intercourse, it attained a perfection 
not often seen in social life. He had resources within himself so that he could have 
lived alone, but those very resources made him eminently companionable and apprecia- 
tive. Out of such material, the most pleasing and lasting friendships are wrought. In 
8ij 



7IO History of Jefferson County. 

conversation he spoke well, easily, justly and seasonably; humor was more than wit. and 
easiness than knowledge. 

On the 2oth day of August, 1887, this great soul took its flight — the familiar form 
of Dr. Gibson, the magnanimous, was wrapped in the vestments of eternity. 



LONDON, TRUMAN BEAMAN. The progenitors of T. B. London were English, 
and his grandparents on both the paternal and maternal side lived and died in Lu- 
zerne county, Pa. These were Edward London, a native of New Jersey, and Samuel 
Callender, born in Virginia. They won an honorable right to the soil of the Republic, 
for themselves and their posterity, by patriotic devotion to the spirit of 1776, during the 
long and trying carnage of the Revolution. 

His father, whose name was Isaac, was born in New Jersey, and his mother, whose 
maiden name was Sarah Callender, was a native of Connecticut. The former died in 
Luzerne county in 1843, ^"'^ 'he latter in Jefferson county in 1846. 

Truman Beaman London was born in Luzerne county (now Lackawanna) on the 
nth day of October. 1S08, and was the second child of a family of nine. By self-en- 
deavors and in the public schools he received a very thorough education in the place ot 
his nativity, where he grew up to manhood, and where he was engaged in the lumber 
trade until 1837. He manufactured lumber and marketed it at Harrisburg, Columbia, 
Marietta, Port Deposit, and other points on the Susquehanna River. 

On September 13, 1831, he was united in wedlock to Sally Mariah Slawson, which 
union was blessed with offspring, numbering six, divided equally as to sex. Their 
names, in consecutive order of birth, are Martha Jane, born July 28, 1832 ; Eliza Ma- 
riah, March 9, 1834; Truman Beaman, March 10, 1836; Isaac, September 3, 1838; 
Moses Slawson, January 31, 1841 ; Mary Ann, May 29, 1S42. The first and the last 
two are deceased. Their mother died June 23, 1842. Of those living, Isaac is a wide- 
awake and successful merchant of Reynoldsville, and a man greatly esteemed by all 
who know him ; Truman B. is a successful farmer of Winslow township; and Eliza M., 
who married Andrew Johnston, is a resident of Du Bois, Clearfield county, and the wise 
mother of an interesting family. 

The subject of this biography emigrated from Luzerne county to Jefferson, locating 
in Brookville in 1837. Upon his advent there he found such representative citizens as 
Judge Heath, John Heath, the Dunhams, Dr. Jenks, Barclay Jenks, Drs. Bishop and 
Darling, who were the physicians of the town, Samuel Truby, Jared Evans, Levi G. 
Clover, Thomas Hastings, John Dougherty, etc. Barclay Jenks was the most brilliant 
member of the bar, and Mr. London, in his enthusiastic reminiscences of him, says : ■' It 
•took somebody better than a Philadelphia lawyer to equal our backwoods Blackstone." 
Dr. Jenks, his father, and also father of the present Solicitor-General of the United 
States, George A., was then one of the associate judges. Judge Evans was in the bank- 
an" business, known at that time as a "shin-plaster office." He issued notes in various 
denominations up to a dollar, which were made current in the community, and when 
anyone had accumulated these to the amount of five dollars or over, they were redeem- 
able at the counter of the Judge, who gave large bills in exchange. Mr. London, who 
was in the mercantile business in a limited way. enjoyed the benefits of Evans's banking 
system. 

In 1840 Mr. London removed from Brookville, where he had been engaged in lum- 
lierino^, to Perry township, and there cleared a farm purchased of C. C. Gaskill; and in 



Truman Beamax London. — W. J. McKnigiit, M. D. 711 

1S43 he settled in Bell township in the midst of his lumber operations. Six years later 
he located permanently in Winslow township, near the site of his present residence, on 
the farm now occupied by Fulton Henry. He contracted matrimony again in 1846, 
by leading to the altar of Hymen Mrs. Sarah (\Vilkins) Rea, who succumbed to the 
inevitable in 1878. 

The record of T. B. London's life is that of an active and useful man — useful to him- 
self, his family, his community, and his county. Aside from clearing and working many 
farms, his lumber operations, in which he was a pioneer on Sandy Lick Creek, gave 
employment to hundreds of men at a time when the less venturesome and poorer classes 
needed just such an enterprising spirit to lead them. He opened up roads, often at his 
own expense, leading into remote districts, thus creating settlements and adding to the 
population and welfare of the county. In his later years his capital has erected a score 
of houses in Reynoldsville and Winslow township, and was invested in a mercantile en- 
terprise in the town mentioned for about eight years. His life has ever been identified 
with the best interests of the local public, vigilant at all times, and always ready to do 
good. He served one term as auditor of the county. To the church, too, he has been 
kind, giving generously to every creed that knocked on his heart, asking for help. His 
character and career may be summed up in this sentence : Honest, liberal, true, enter- 
prising, companionable, intelligent, sagacious — and what more can be expected of a 
noble man ! 



MCKNIGHT, Hon. VV. J., M. D. Alexander and Isabella McKnight ?iee McBride 
were natives of County Down, Ireland. They emigrated in 1790 to Franklin 
County, Pa. About 1795 they moved to and settled on a farm on Crooked Creek, In- 
diana county. Pa. They had five daughters and two sons. James, grandfather of W. 
J. McKnight, settled in Indiana town ; held several offices and was married twice, first 
to Jane McNutt, by whom he had two sons — Alexander, the father of Dr. Mc- 
Knight, and William, who died A. D. 1830, aged twenty-three years — and second to 
Jane McConib, by whom he had one son and one daughter, both of whom removed to 
Texas, where James attained distinction, and Jane is now living as Mrs. Jane Walbridge. 
Alexander, jr., brother of the grandfather of this sketch, married Susannah Cummins, 
and had two sons, viz., Hon. William C, who resides in Chambersburgh, Pa., and 
Jaines A., who resides on the old Crooked Creek homestead in Indiana county. Pa. 

Alexander, son of James and Jane McKnight nee McNutt, married Miss Mary 
Thompson on the loth of May, A. D. 1831. Miss Thompson was a daughter of Will- 
iam Thompson, of Indiana county, a sister of Hon. John J. Y. Thompson, and was a 
granddaughter of Rev. John Jameson, who was born at EUerslie, Scotland, and whose 
mother was a Wallace, of Sir William's clan. Alexander and Mary McKnight, tide 
Thompson, commenced married life in Blairsville, Indiana county. Pa., and on the 19th 
of May, A. D. 1832, Amor A. McKnight was born. In November of 1832 they moved 
to Brookville, JetTerson county, Pa., Mr. McKnight during this winter teaching the 
second term of school for the new town. In 1833 he was appointed justice of the 
peace. In 1834 he was appointed county treasurer. He was major of the milita, 
and fond of military drill. He was a man of fine presence and of much intellectual 
vigor. He died on the 15th of June, A. D., 1S37 aged 27 years, leaving a widow and 
three children, viz : Amor A. (late Colonel McKnight), Nancy Jane, who died in child- 
hood, and W. J., the subject of this sketch. Mary McKnight, nee Thompson, married 



712 History of Jefferson County. 

John Templeton, esq., December 28, 1842, and had three sons — Thomas L., a citizen 
of Brook ville, Jesse J., who died at Fortress Monroe in the service of his country, and 
Oscar J., who died in childhood. John Templeton died December 8, 1850. Mary 
Templeton, tiee McKnight, died February 22, A. D. i860, aged forty-eight years. 

Senator McKnight was born in Brookville May 6, A. D., 1836 ; received a limited 
education in the common schools. At the age of eleven poverty threw him upon his 
own resources. He lived and worked on a farm for four years. When sixteen he was 
employed by Samuel McElhose, of the 'Jefferson Star. At seventeen he commenced 
the double task of type setting with Jerome Powell, esq., of Ridgway, Pa., and of read- 
ing medicine under Dr. A. M. Clarke, of Brockwayville, Pa. 

In this way, during a period of three years, by a species of economy known best to 
himself, he saved enough money to enable him during the winter of 1856-7 to attend a 
single course of medical lectures in Cincinnati, O. In March, 1857. he opened a med- 
ical office in Brookville, and for two years had considerable success. In 1859 he joined 
Dr. Niver, of Brockwayville, and as the junior member, had a large and active practice 
during the four years of partnership. In 1863 he returned to Brookville and started a 
drug store in connection with his practice. His brother, Thomas L. Templeton, joined 
him in this enterprise. The Dr. gave personal attention to the drug store for six years, 
after which time the large and extensive business of the firm has been, and is to-day, 
successfully superintended by Thomas L. Templeton, esq. 

In 1864 Governor Curtin appointed Dr. McKnight examining surgeon for Jefferson 
county. He was also appointed and served as United States pension surgeon for seven 
years. To faithfully perform other duties he was compelled to resign this position. He 
served in the militia as private, and orderly sergeant in Company G Fifty-seventh Reg- 
iment ; was promoted to quartermaster-sergeant, and took part in the campaign against 
Morgan. 

In i86g he attended lectures in Philadelphia, and received the degree of M. D. 
He supplemented this course by attending two full courses in succession at Jefferson 
Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., and graduated there in March, A. D. 1884. In 
the same year he received a degree from the school of anatomy and surgery. He took 
a postgraduate course at Jefferson in 1885. January 9, i860, he married Miss Penel- 
ope G. Clarke, a most estimable young lady, and who has proved to be a model wife 
and mother. The result of this union has been seven children, four living and three 
dead. 

In 1876 Jefferson county presented Dr. McKnight for senator, and Indiana county 
presented Dr. St. Clair. Conventions were held at Marion, Indiana and Brookville. 
Finally to secure harmony and to save the congressman — Indiana's nominee — Dr. Mc- 
Knight handed to the conference the following letter of declination, viz.: 

Gentlemen. — When I received the nomination for senator by the convention of 
Jefferson county Republicans, by a large and flattering vote, I believed then as I still 
believe to-day, that I, as the choice of Jefferson county, was then and am to-day en- 
titled to the nomination by the Republican party for senator of this district. But I fully 
realize the fact that we are in an important political campaign, where the utmost har- 
mony and union are required in all our ranks, and that I, as a faithful Republican, 
should not ask personal preference antagonistic to the general welfare of the party, but 
should act honestly for the people, consistent with my Republican principles and just to 
myself. I have no personal contest. I am nothing, the success of the party is every- 



W. J. Mcknight, M. D. 713 

thing. I therefore withdraw from the contest, and hope my friends and the party may 
act wisely in the interest of the public good. Thanking my friends from the bottom of 
my heart for their warm support, and their assurance to continue it in the event of my 
remaining a candidate, I say here in all candor, that I hope I may never be so ungrate- 
ful as to forget their kind assurances. I am as ever, Yours truly, 

\V. J. McKnight. 
Brookville, Sept. 29, 1876. 

In 1880 Jefiterson county again presented Dr. McKnight as her choice, and Indiana 
county presented George W. Hood, esq., and a conferee meeting was held at Trade 
City on the loth, nth and 12th of August without result; it was expected by the Re- 
publicans of Jefierson, that, inasmuch as Indiana county had the senator m 1865 ; in 
1868 ; in 187 1 ; and a candidate of their own, at the general election in 1874 ; and the 
senator in 1876 — sixteen years out of twenty, and the nominee for Congress in 1872 ; in 
1874; in 1876; in 1878, and the nominee again in 1880 — that surely it would neither 
be just nor right for Indiana county again to claim the '-turn" or right to the candidate. 

But the conferees of Jefferson county were perfectly astounded now, to find at this 
conference, that Indiana as usual, laid claim to the senatorship ; " it was their turn." 
And now, with a sense of deep injury, on the third day of this conference. Dr. Hunt, one 
of the conferees of Jefferson, offered the following resolution, viz: 

Rcsohed, "That if a nomination for senator is not made by this conference at the 
time of 12 oclock M.,this conference adjourn sine die." 

This was agreed to, five of the six conferees voting aye. 

The dispute was now taken notice of by the State Central Committee, and a request 
was expressed by this committee that another conference be called and held by Hood 
and McKnight, and in case. of failure then to agree, General James S. Negley, of Pitts- 
burgh, be appointed by the chairman of the State Committee as umpire to meet with 
the conferees and adjust the difficulty. 

Accordingly another conference was agreed upon by Hood and iMcKnight, and 
called to meet at Punxsutawney, September 29, 1880. 

In this conference, as upon the occasion of all former ones, Indiana county again 
persisted that it was her " tum " for senator, whereupon Dr. Hunt, a Jefferson conferee, 
offered the following resolution : 

Resolved, That we now ask General Negley to take his seat in this conference as 
umpire, in accordance with the recommendation of the State Central Committee, which 
was agreed to. 

But before calling on General Negley the following paper was prepared and signed 
by McKnight and Hood, viz : 

" We, the undersigned candidates for the nomination of State Senator in the 37th 
district, do pledge ourselves to abide by the decision of the Umpire, and that his de- 
cision shall be final and the nomination shall be made unanimous. 

(S'd) George W. Hood, 

W. J. McKnight." 

This was the afternoon of the 29th, and the conference adjourned until the morning 
of the 30th, in the hope that Mr. Hood might withdraw, or Indiana county yield, but 
neither Mr. Hood or his conferees would entertain for a moment a suggestion to yield, 
or withdraw, whereupon the conference was forced to meet on the morning of the 30th 
with General Negley in his seat as umpire. A ballot was then taken, which resulted 



714 History of Jefferson County. 

as follows: Henderson, Hunt, Thompson and Negley voted for Dr. McKnight, and 
Porter, Crawford and Gordon voted for George W. Hood. 

Having secured the nomination through the State Central Committee Dr. Mc- 
Knight was elected to and served in the Senate from 1881 to 1885. 

In writing up the Senate of 1883, an able writer said of Senator McKnigiit : " He 
lucidly tells the story of his party's extravagance in printing in the past, and makes a 
needed reform in party lines without kicking in the traces. Sharp, incisive and intelli- 
gent, he watches the chances for reform in his own household, and is not afraid to call to 
account any agent of the State." The doctor took an active part in all debates, and 
he assisted in moulding and perfecting the general legislation. He originated and 
carried through several important measures, viz., his reform in printing of public docu- 
ments, saving the State forty thousand dollars per year ; his securing an additional ap- 
propriation to the common schools of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars per 
year ; his reform in the regulation of the commencement of borough and township 
offices; his active and watchful interest in the wards of the State, and his hearty support 
to the soldier's orphan's schools, and agriculture, gave him a State celebrity, as well as 
reflected credit upon his industry, ability and statesmanship. In the regular and extra 
session of 1883 there was a determined and combined eftort on the part of the Demo- 
crats and independent Republicans to sacrifice Jefferson county, by placing her in a 
Democratic district. The following clipping will but feebly explain the situation and 
struggle at that time, from the Philadelphia Press, May 26, 1883: " But probably the 
most perplexing element in the puzzle is how to accommodate Senator McKnight, of 
Jefferson. He wants his county put into a Republican Congressional district. Stew- 
art's bill doesn't do this and McCracken's does. But it makes trouble in the detailed 
arrangement of counties to make Jefferson part of a Republican district." This strug- 
gle on the apportionment continued for eleven months, and Senator McKnight over- 
came the trouble. 

The doctor compelled the enforcement of the law auditing the accounts of prothon- 
otaries, registers, etc., which brought in an increased revenue to the State of one hundred 
and fifty thousand dollars. He was the author of numerous measures that fell for want 
of time, notably one to classify the insane and insane criminals. The object of this bill 
was to separate the criminal from the ordinary insane. All insane managers throughout 
the State praised and endorsed this bill. He introduced several amendments to the 
Constitution, one of which was to extend the term, fix the salary, and lessen the num- 
ber of legislators. He introduced and came within two votes of carrying through the 
Senate the resolution to prohibit the manufacture and sale of liquors as a beverage 
in this commonwealth. He had Jefferson county made into a separate judicial dis- 
trict, but the governor vetoed the general bill. One of his favorite measures which 
failed for want of time was to enlarge the jurisdiction of justices of the peace, which 
would have saved Jefferson county every year thousands of dollars. He assisted and 
hurried through the Senate the bill authorizing counties and municipalities to refund 
their bonds at a lower rate of interest, which has saved Brookville borough and Jeffer- 
son county many dollars. 

In 1884 Dr. McKnight was presented by Jefferson county to the district for a second 
term. G. W. Hood, esq., carried Indiana county. It was hoped and expected by Mc- 
Knight and his friends, that Mr. Hood would at this time cheerfully acknowledge to 
Dr. McKnight the established usage by the party of a second term. Mr. Hood had no 



W. J. Mcknight, M. D. 715 

elements in him to equal such an occasion. It was " Indiana's turn." Conferences 
were held without results, and a final disagreement and adjournment was made in 
Indiana October i. On October 3, a caucus of Hood's friends was held in his law 
office, and a pledge written by them referring the dispute to the State Central Commit- 
tee, and requesting speedy action of the committee. Dr. McKnight was sent for and 
asked to sign this pledge, which he did. After he signed Mr. Hood signed also, and 
this pledge Mr. Hood, or his friends, mailed to the State Central Committee. The 
" pledge," as signed, will be found in Hon. Jno. E. Reyburn's report as umpire. The 
umpire appointed by the committee and the umpire accepted by Mr. Hood and his 
friends, and who agreed to abide by any decision he would make. The following is his 
report : 

Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 10, 1884. 
Hiiri. Thomas V. Cooper, Chainnati State Committee : 

Dear Sir: — In accordance with your letter of appointment (bearing date, Oct. 4th, 
1884), with full power to adjust or settle a controversy in the 37th Senatorial district, 
composed of the counties of Indiana and Jefferson, I proceeded to the borough of In- 
diana, arriving there on the 6th inst., and immediately entered upon the performance of 
the duty imposed. 

Upon my arrival I was met by Mr. G. \\'. Hood, the contestant from the county of 
Indiana, who with great courtesy and entire absence of any bias in the matter, placed 
me in communication with large numbers of the Republican citizens of Indiana, with 
whom, during the afternoon and evening of the 6th, I had full opportunity to acquaint 
myself with not only the claims of the friends of Mr. Hood, but with the needs of the 
district generally. On the morning of the 7th, the Hon. W. J. McKnight, contestant 
from the county of Jefferson, arrived with the three conferees from that county and pre- 
sented the claims of that gentleman and of their county with vigor and earnestness. 
The first (juestion that arose was in what way the matter in dispute could be acted upon 
in a formal and satisfactory manner. The suggestion was made that a meeting of the 
conferees beheld, and I as the presiding officer, and after a full and complete discussion, 
a ballot taken, whereupon if a tie should again appear, I should cast the deciding vote. 
I stated to both the contestants that I held other views as to the manner of i)rocedure, 
but if this was thought to be the better and more satisfactory, I would yield and 
take part in the conference. After consultation they agreed, and i p. m. of that day, 
Tuesday, 7th inst.. was fixed, and promptly at that hour the conference convened, the 
proceedings of which are best told by the minutes which are hereby inserted: 

Indiana, Pa., Oct. 7, 1884. 

The Senatorial conferees in the 37th Senatorial district meet and there is present on 
behalf of Jefferson county Messrs. W. H. Gray, James A. Gathers and S. W. Temple, 
and on behalf of Indiana county, Hon. A. W. Kinimel, J. W. Books, esq., and E. H. 
Moorhead, esq., and upon the coming of the conference to order the Hon. John E. 
Reyburn, of Philadelphia president /r^; tem. of the Senate of Pennsylvania, laid upon 
the table a letter submitting the controversy to the decision of the State Committee, and 
signed by W. J. McKnight and G. W. Hood, and in the words and figures following : 

Indiana, Pa., Oct. 3, 1884. 
To the Republican State Committee : 

Gentlemen: — The undersigned candidates for State Senate in the 37th Senatorial 
district beg leave to inform you, that after repeated meetings our conferees have 



7i6 History of Jefferson County. 

adjourned sine die, without a nomination. If we both continue to be candidates, the 
probabilities are that a Democrat will represent this district in the State Senate during 
the next four years. This we do not desire, and as our conferees failed to settle the 
matter between us, we hereby submit the whole case to the consideration of your body, 
and agree to abide by any decision of the matter the committee may make. 

We ask for speedy consideration of the subject. W. J. McKnight. 

Geo. W. Hood. 

The Hon. Mr. Reyburn also laid upon the table a letter from Hon.Thos. V.Cooper, 
the chairman of the State Committee, to him, empowering him to act as the representa- 
tive of the State Committee which letter was in these words : 

HE.'iDQUARTERS StaTE CoM., ( 

Phila., Oct. 4th, 1884. ] 
Hon. y^ohn E. Reyburn, Member of the Rcpublicati State Committee, t^th Senatorial 
District : 

Dear Sir : — The candidates of Indiana and Jefferson counties, for the Republican 
nomination for State Senator, whose respective conferees failed to agree and adjourned 
sine die, have in writing submitted the whole case to consideration of the State Commit- 
tee, agreeing over their own signatures to abide by any decision of the matter which 
the committee may make. You are hereby appointed as the representative of the State 
Committee with full power to adjust or settle the controversy, and your decision in the 
matter shall be final. The Republicans of both counties ask for immediate action, and 
you are requested to enter at once upon this commission. 

Very truly yours, 

Thos. V. Cooper, Chairman. 

And thereupon, upon the reading of the said letter of submission, and letter of 
authorization, the said Hon. John E. Reyburn, of Philadelphia, took his seat as a mem- 
ber of the Senatorial Conference of the 37th Senatorial District. ' Upon motion of John 
\V. Books, esq., the said Hon. J. E. Reyburn was unanimously chosen as chairman of 
the conference, and upon motion E. H. Moorhead, esq , of Indiana, was chosen secre- 
tary. Upon motion the conference proceeded to the nomination of a senator, and 
thereupon Indiana county presented the name of George W. Hood, esq., and Jefferson 
county presented the name of Hon. W. J. McKnight. Remarks were made on behalf 
of Mr. Hood by Hon. A. W. Kimmel, John W. Books, esq., and E. H. Moorhead, esq., 
and on behalf of Dr. McKnight by Messrs. Gathers, Gray and Temple. E. H. Moor- 
head moved that the conference adjourn to 7:30 p. m., but at the suggestion of Mr. 
Books the motion was withdrawn. 

Mr. Moorehead suggested that the conference adjourn until 8 o'clock p. m., but the 
suggestion being opposed by the conferees from Jefferson county, no motion to that 
effect was made. 

Upon motion, it was agreed to, that the conference proceed to a ballot for senator, 
and upon the roll being called, W. H. Gray voted Senator McKnight, J. A. Gathers 
voted Senator McKnight and Samuel W. Temple voted Senator McKnight. Hon. A. 
W. Kimmel voted George W. Hood, John W. Books voted George W. Hood, and E.H. 
Moorehead voted George W. Hood, and Hon. J. E. Reyburn voted Senator McKnight, 
and upon the announcement of the vote by the secretary, the chairman announced that 
Senator McKnight was the nominee of the conference. E. H. Moorhead thereupon 
moved that the nomination be made unanimous, and after the motion was put, the 
chairman declared that the nomination was made unanimously. 



W. J. McKnight, M. D. 717 

The chairman then proceeded to state at length the reasons that impelled him to 
cast his vote in favor of Senator McKnight. On motion of E. H. Moorhead a vote of 
thanks was tendered to the Hon. J. E. Reyburn for his labor in settling and compos- 
ing the conference in the 37th Senatorial District. 
On motion, the conference adjourned sine die. 

John E. Reyburn, President. 
E. H. Moorhead, Secretary. 

It only remains for me to refer to a few of the reasons urged in behalf of the two 
counties comprising the district, and which influenced my conclusion. On behalf of 
Indiana it was urged 

First, That when Mr. Hood yielded four years ago, she should have the next term 
without opposition on the part of Jefferson county; 

Second, That she, by reason of her strong Republican majority, was entitled to it by 
right ; 

Third, That the nomination for Congress had been given to Jefferson, therefore In- 
diana should have the senator. 

These reasons were given in many forms and in great variety, but there was a con- 
stant reiteration of the same. To this Jefferson denied that such a promise was made 
either by Hon. W. J. McKnight, or any one authorized to speak for her; to the second 
and third propositions, that the political history of the two counties showed that she 
had always given way to Indiana county, and that that county had been represented 
both in the councils of the Nation and State far more than was just or demanded by 
reason of her greater number of Rei)ublican votes. 

Thus I found the obstacles to peace and harmony were those of locality, confined 
entirely within certain imaginary lines, and likely to occur every time there was a con- 
test, leaving ill feeling and resentment to be carried into the most trivial affairs. 

This has been the case for a number of years, and knowing the anxiety of the com- 
mittee to arrive at some result which would look towards the prevention of these con- 
tentions, I therefore sought for a solution of this and at the same time an action which 
would give the district an assurance of a representation in some degree commensurate 
with the high character and intelligence of its people. 

At one of the meetings of the conferees, Jefferson had offered a resolution to settle 
the controversy upon the basis of two terms for her and three for Indiana, or Jefferson 
eight years and then Indiana twelve in succession, thus acknowledging the claims of 
Indiana because of her superior numbers. 

As to the fitness of the two contestants I found Mr. Hood a man of high character 
and attainments, fully qualified to do honor both to the district and to himself 

I also found the Hon. W. J. McKnight to be of like high character, and I listened 
attentively for any expression of dislike or objection to his past course in the Senate, 
and failed to hear even an intimation of that kind. 

Finding the men in their personal characters so nearly equal, and the question one 
of locality, determined to set both the men and claims of locality to one side and 
endeavor to decide the question for w^hat seemed to be the best interests of our party 
and the good of the district. The interests of the party were, to my mind, to be better 
served by deciding in favor of Jefferson, upon the basis proposed by her conferees, and 
I think all fair minded men will agree, that where a district is represented by a man of 
good character, whose course upon all the questions coming before the highest repre- 



7i8 History of Jefferson County. 

sentative body of a great State like ours, and whose action upon these questions fails to 
bring forth a fault-finder, that district is best served by at least two terms, and I might 
be warranted in going beyond even the fixing of any limit, and so after weighing all the 
facts, considering all the interests with a deep sense of the grave responsibility of my 
position, I thought best for these reasons, to cast my vote in favor of the Hon. W. J. 
McKnight, the present senator, and the contestant from Jefferson. 

Yours respectfully, 

John E. Reyburn. 

After the nomination was regularly and unanimously made on the yth day of Octo- 
ber, A. D. 1884, Dr. McKnight received the following communication : 

" Indiana, Pa., October 15, 1884. 
Dr. \V. J. McKnight. Dear Sir. — Inasmuch as the day of election is almost here, 
and in view of the action of the Republican county committee of this county to-day, 
and with an earnest desire for the success and harmony of the party in this Senatorial 
Di.strict, I desire to make you a proposition, which, I think, if adopted will solve the 
vexed problem. It is this: withdraw our letter to" the State committee: let the Senato- 
rial conference be reconvened, and permit that body to select a seventh man from an 
adjoining county, and to this tribunal we submit which of us shall be the candidate of 
the Republicans of the district. In this manner we will gain time, which is now a mat- 
ter of grave necessity. If this proposition meets your approbation, I feel sure that it will 
be for the best interests of the party. As this letter will be handed you to-morrow, may 
I hope for an answer not later than Friday, October 17. Awaiting a reply, and express- 
ing the wish for the success of our party in this district, I am 

Very respectfully, 

(iEORGE W. Hood. 
Reply of Dr. McKnight: 

Indiana, Pa., October 16, 1884. 
G. W. Hood, Esq. My Dear Sir. — Your letter of October 15 received, and con- 
tents noted. As I am now the regular nominee of the Republican party of this district 
for State senator, I am not at liberty to participate in any future conferences on that 
subject. My duty is now to work for the success of the whole ticket. For your infor- 
mation as to the regularity of my nomination, I enclose you a paper marked " A," which 
fully explains your and my final action on that subject. 

Very respectfully, 

\V. J. McKnight. 

Dr. McKnight, after the report of Senator Reyburn had been received, addressed 
himself to the work of the campaign. Mr. Hood, on the other hand, unwilling to have 
his senatorial aspirations checked in any way, determined to run as an independent can- 
didate, relying on the large vote of Indiana to carry him through. In this he was suc- 
cessful. W. P. Hastings, the Democratic candidate, believing that his election was 
certain with two Republican candidates in the field, made but little eftbrt, and Mr. Hood 
was elected by a plurality of twenty-three votes. The large Republican vote for Mr. 
Hood in Jefferson county was cast by the rank and file of the party to prevent the elec- 
tion of a Democratic senator — a result especially undesirable in view of the fact that 
two United States Senators would be voted for by a senator chosen at this election. 

Time has thus far laid his hand lightly on Dr. McKnight. As a physician he has 
been eminently successful, and as a business man energetic and useful. 



Henry Brown. 719 



BROWN, HENRY, was the sixth of a family of nine children born to James and 
Sarah Brown. His earliest recollections are of Westmoreland county, where he was 
born on the 21st of May, 1821. His father was born in Eastern Pennsylvania, and 
died in 1864, at the age of seventy-seven years. His mother died, aged fifty-five years, 
when Henry was a little child. As for schooling Henry had but litde, as he only at- 
tended school when there was no work to be performed. The family removed to the 
present site of Apollo, Armstrong county, in 1831, and he remained with them until 
1848, when he came to Bell township, Jefferson county, to haul timber, and since that 
time his connection with the lumber interest has never ceased. 

He was married in 1852 to Miss Catharine Fisher, a daughter of Frederick Fisher, 
of Pittsburg. 

In 1854 he purchased an old water mill on the Big Mahoning Creek in Bell town- 
ship, and leveled it to the ground, and on the site erected a large gang mill, with a ca- 
pacity for 60,000 feet per day. This mill was too large for the transportation facilities 
offered, and he was obliged to abandon it, and near it he constructed a circular saw- 
mill whose products were much less,' but more proportionate to the shipping facilities. 
Besides these mills he has a large square timber business on the Red Bank as well as on 
the Mahoning. In the latter he has often driven 200,000 feet, and in boards the amount 
has averaged from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 feet per annum. In his busiest times he has 
employed two hundred men and sixty teams. He has also been engaged in farming 
since he was able to wield a hoe, and now manages seven farms containing 1,500 acres, 
besides 2,500 acres of timber land. November 15, 1884, his saw-mill, machinery and a 
large amount of lumber was destroyed by fire, and he suffered a loss of about $11,000, 
having no insurance. In 1885 he built a large mill with a capacity for 40,000 feet per 
day, and at an expense 6f $10,500, and is one of the best in the county. He owns 
2,300 acres of land which is underlaid with two or three veins of coal, and for which 
he has refused $90 per acre. He also owns 650 acres of timber and mineral land in 
Tennessee, which is underlaid with coal and iron ores and limestone as follows : one 
vein coal, twenty-two feet thick ; one eight feet thick, and one vein of limestone fifty 
feet thick, and one vein iron ore about eight feet thick is covered over with valuable 
timber land. 



BRIEF PERSONALS 



Aljo, William G., Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., was born in Porter township. Clarion 
county, on September 14, 1836. He is a farmer and owns 100 acres. He enlisted in Co. 
K I ith Pa. R. C. Vols., in May, 1861, and served until January, 1863. When he enlisted 
he weighed 202 pounds, but while in the service had a sun stroke which affected his spine, 
and he is now seven inches shorter and only weighs 135 pounds. He now draws a 
pension of $30 per month. His parents were George and Rebecca (Dayres) Aljo. He 
was married on July 23, 1864, to Rachel A. Steward. They have had three children — 
Almira M., George M.. and James S. Rachel was a daughter of Matthew and Nancy 
(Dennison) Steward, of Clarion county. 

Allen, J. G., Warsaw, Allen's Mills p. o., of Warsaw was born in Washington town- 
ship, Jefferson county, on November 30, 1840. He is a farmer and proprietor of the 
grist and saw-mill, and owner of 300 acres of land. He has been postmaster for six 
years. He enlisted in Co. B, 71st Pa. Battalion in 1862, and was discharged at the 
e.xpiration of his term of service in 1863. He re-enlisted in 1864 in Co. K, iggth Pa. 
Vols., and served to the close of the war, being commissary sergeant of the iggth. He 
was a son of Dillas and Jane A. (Brown) Allen. Mr. Allen was born in Vermont and 
came here about 1830. J. G. Allen was married on June 24, 1869, to Margaret J. 
Morrison. They have had one child, Dillis S. Margaret J. was a daughter of John 
and Fannie (McConnell) Morrison. 

Atwell, Jesse N., ^Snyder, Sugar Hill p. o., was born in Jefferson county on January 29, 
1839; is now engaged in farming and manufacturing lumber by steam, and now owns 
315 acres. He served in the State militia, and was serving at the time Lee invaded 
Pennsylvania, and also at the capture of General John Morgan in Ohio. He enlisted 
in Co. H, losth Pa. Vols, in March, 1864, and served to the close of the war. He is 
now a justice of the peace. His parents were John and Mary (Dunlap) Atwell. He 
was married on July 31, 1862, to Mary A. Pentield, a daughter of James and Elizabeth 
(Johnson) Penfield, natives of Manchester, England. They have had nine children — 
Mary J. (died in 1865), James W., John T., Artie E. (died in 1884), William E. (died 
in 1886), Joseph A., Bertie T., Jesse N., Jr., and Laura R. 

Atwell, sr., John, Snyder, Sugar Hill p. 0., was born in Westmoreland county on 
Blacklick Creek, February 12, 1798, and was married May 3, 1821, to Mary Jane Dun- 
lap. They settled in Butler county where they resided until the fall of 1835, when he 
came to Jefferson county and bought 200 acres of land near Rockdale, Washington 
township. In the winter of 1S36 he moved his family on sleighs and crossed the Alle- 
gheny River on the ice, and lived there until 1854 at which time he moved to where 
John Atwell, Jr., now resides in Snyder township. Eight children were born in Butler 
county and two after his removal to Jefferson county. All are now dead with the excep- 
tion of John and Jesse Nelson, who live in Snyder township. John, sr., died on Sep- 
tember 22, 1856, and his wife in 1880 in the eighty-first year of her age. John Atwell, 
jr., was born in Butler count)- December 30, 1833, and was married on July 4, 1867, to 
Susan W. Whitby, of Indiana county, and a daughter of Robert and Sarah (Lucas) 



Brief Personals. 721 



Whitby. Mr. Whitby is still living and now resides in Cass county, Missouri, at the age 
of eighty-two years. To John and Susan were born three children — Jesse W., May E., 
and Hattie J. John Atwell is a farmer and stock raiser and owns 429 acres of land and 
has a fine residence three miles west of Brockwayville at the headwaters of Mill Creek, 
one of the tributaries of the Red Bank. Brookville, the county seat at the time Father 
Atwell settled in Jefferson county had but one store and one hotel. Most of the site of 
the town was then covered with pine trees. The only store then in the town was kept 
by John Dougherty and the hotel by a Mr. Pierce. 

Bell, Squire John T., Pun.xsutawney, a representati\e citizen of Punxsutawney, was 
born in Armstrong county on July 2, 1827, and was a son of James H. and Anna(Mc- 
Conaghie) Bell. James H. was born in New York State in 1800, and was of Irish par- 
entage, and his wife Ann was born in Mifflin county and was ot Scotch parentage. 
They were married in 1826 and had a family of thirteen children, four of whom died at 
an early age, and nine of whom are now living — Captain John T., William E., Margaret, 
Nancy J., Annie, Sarah, Hattie, Evaline, and Elizabeth R. James H. died on Sep- 
tember 15, 1877. His wife Anna died on March 12, 1865. Three sisters now reside 
on the old homestead at Bell's Mills. John T. enlisted in Co. I, 62d Regiment, in 1861,- 
and served for three years, and by the special act re-enlisted on June 23, 1863, and re- 
ceiving extra bounty he served to the close of the war, but was wounded at Gaines 
Mills, was taken prisoner and confined in Libby prison with six hundred sick and 
wounded prisoners, was taken north to Bellevue hospital with three hundred of the suf- 
ferers. He was promoted to captain and now receives a pension. He married Mary 
E. Miller. They had a family of nine children, seven of whom are now living — Will- 
iam O., Myrtle, Nettie A., Charles, Annie, Walter, and Paul. Evaline died in 1881. 
Margaret, Sarah, and Hattie now reside on the old homestead farm of 150 acres. 

Bell, William E., Bell's Mills, was born in Apollo, Armstrong county, Pa., on Jan- 
uary 27, 1829, and was moved to Jefferson county when between two and three years 
old, to the place where he now resides. He was married on the 19th of January, 1858, 
to Hannah M. Barclay, to whom ten children were born, six are living — Kate, A. M., 
Nancy J.. John R., James I., and Fannie C. Kate and Anna M., have taught school 
for several terms. Kate married D. F. A. Hall, and resides in Kansas. Mr. Bell in early 
life was raised to lumbering and farming, manufacturing lumber, and has also been en- 
gaged in milling business. He held the office of justice of the peace for ten years, also 
held the office of postmaster at Bell's Mills, Jetterson county, for a number of years. He 
was the second son of the Hon. Jas. H. and Anna (McConeghey) Bell. 

Best, Frank P., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Winslow 
township on November 21, 1852. He was a son of William and Francis (Moore) Best. 
His father was a native of Westmoreland county, and settled in Winslow township about 
1837, and cleared and improved the farm now owned by Frank P., where they lived 
and died. They had five children — Frank P., Margaret N., Eliza, Florence, and Alex- 
ander. His paternal grandfather was William Best, pioneer of McCalmont township. 
Frank P. Best now occupies the old homestead. Here he was born and reared. He 
married Jennie McConnell, and has had two children — William R. and Hattie D. His 
wife, Jennie, was a daughter of Joseph and Ellen (Smith) McConnell, of Washington 
township, this county. 

Billmeyer, Allen E., Big Run, was born in Montour county, Pennsylvania, in 1863, 
and was a son of Martin and Mary (Kramn) Billmeyer, who were residents of Lehigh 
county. Martin died in :868, leaving a widow and eight children. Allen E. was a 
graduate from the Eastman College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. After his graduation he 
became a bookkeeper for the Big Run Lumber Manufacturing Company. He was mar- 
ried in 1883 to Estell Martin, of Milton, Pa. They have had one son — Llewelyn. 

Brockway, N. M., Forestville, Oyster p. o., was born in Clearfield county, on Janu- 
ary 25, 1S29, and is one of the owners of the saw-mill known as the Forest Lumber 
Company, and is a nephew of Alonzo and James Brockway, who settled in Brockwav- 
ville in 1823. He was captain in Company G., Fifty-seventh State militia, called out for 



722 History of Jefferson County. 

three months, when General Lee was about to invade the State, and was at the capture 
of General John Morgan, in Ohio. His parents were Chauncey and Rhoda (Nichols) 
Brockway. He has been married twice. His first wife was Catherine Taylor, to whom 
he was married on October 14, 1848. She was a daughter of David and Betsey (Briger) 
Taylor. They had five children — William H. (deceased), Esther, Lemyra, Wakefield 
P., and Winfield M. 

Bollinger, Alexander, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in 
Allegheny county, on July 26, 1S09. He was a son of Michael and Catherine Bollin- 
ger, and settled on the farm where he now resides in 1842, all of which he has cleared 
and improved. His wife was Mary, a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Long, of \Vest- 
moreland county. Ale.xander and Mary have had ten children — Catherine, Elizabeth, 
Sarah, Maria, David, Samuel, Joseph, Margaret, Martha L, and Leah S. 

Boner, William J., Winslow, Sandy Valley p. o., po.straaster, was born in Rose town- 
ship on March 23, 1835, ^^^ ^^^ ^ s°n of Charles and Martha (McGarey) Boner, who 
settled in Rose township in 1833. His father was a blacksmith by trade. His maternal 
graudfather, Clemens McGarey, was a pioneer of Rose township, where he lived and 
died. William J. Boner was reared in Rose township, and came to Winslow in 1861. 
He was married on October 23, 1861, to Elizabeth J. Burrows. They have had four 
children — Orpha, Charles, Frank, and Edgar. Elizabeth J. was a daughter of Gilbert 
B. and Lucina (Barlow) Burrows, pioneers of Warsaw township, and among the pioneers 
•of Jefferson county. He brought his family from the east in the year 1841, and was the 
first man to make a start in Sandy Valley, where he and his aged partner died in the 
year 1883, at the advanced ages of eighiy-one and eighty-four years. 

Britton, John, Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in County Derry, Ireland, on 
August 6, 1853, and came to the United States in 1858. He is now engaged in farm- 
ing ; owns a farm of one hundred and seven acres. His parents were John and Mary 
(Orr) Britton, natives of Ireland, who came here in 1858. John Britton was married on 
August 5, 1873, to Lizzie Divler, a daughter of Michael and Lizzie (Haugh) Divler, of 
Rose township. They have had eight children — Loella, Mary L., Nellie JVI., George, 
Coral E., Maud V., Emma M., and Harry E. 

Brown, Henry, Punxsutawney, Bell's Mills p. o., was the sixth of a family of nine 
children, born to James and Mary Ann Brown. His earliest recollections are of ^\■est- 
moreland county, where he was born, on May 21, 1821. His father died in 1864, aged 
seventy-seven years, and his mother died at the age of fifty-five, when Henry was but 'a 
little child. He received but little schooling, only going when there was no work. His 
family removed to the present site of Apollo, Armstrong county, in 1831, and he re- 
mained with them until 1848, in which year he came to Bell township, Jefferson county, 
to haul timber, and since that time his connection with the lumber business has never 
ceased. He was married in 1852 to Catharine Fisher, a daughter of Frederick Fisher, 
of Pittsburgh. In 1854, he purchased the old vi^ater-mill in Bell township, on the Big 
Mahony Creek. He leveled this to the ground, and on the site erected a large gang- 
mill, whose capacity was 60,000 feet per day. This mill was too large for the transpor- 
tation facilities offered, and he was forced to abandon it ; near this, he constructed a 
circular saw-mill, whose products were much less, but more proportionate to the ship- 
ping business. Besides milling, he has done a large business in timber. His mill was 
burnt in November, 1884, with a large lot of lumber, loss about eleven thousand dol- 
lars. He then built a large circular saw-mill in 1885, with eighty-five horse-power, and 
■capacity for thirty-five thousand feet per day. It is now one of the best mills in the 
county. He also owns seven or eight farms, in all about twenty-three hundred acres of 
farm and timber lands, all of which is underlaid with large veins of coal. 

Brownlee, Thomas, Warsaw, Richardsville p. o. was born in Brookville, Pa., in 
1845 ; is a farmer and owns one hundred and thirty acres. His parents were John and 
Mary A. (Anderson), Brownlee. He was married on November 4. 1873, to Emma J. 
Carrier, a daughter of E. Isaac and Laura E. (Werstler) Carrier, formerly residents of 
Connecticut, who came to Jefferson county in 18C1. Thoma sand Emma J., have had 
six children — Neal Dow, Olive E. Peter B., Burtley E., William W. and John S. 



Brief Personals. 723 



Biillers. Charles G., Warsaw, Brookville p. o., was born in Warsaw township, on May 
9, 1S61. He is engaged in farming and in the manufacture of square timber, and owns 
one hundred acres. His parents are John and Adaline (Harrington) Bullers, natives of 
Nottingham, England, who came to this county about 1842. He was married on May 
24, 18S3, to Alice Barber, a daughter of Jefferson and Rachel (Matthews) Barber, of 
Knox township. Charles G. and Alice have had one child, Arthur B. 

Bullers, Edwin D., Warsaw, Brookville p. c, was born in Nottingham, England, on 
February 13, 1830, and was a son of John and Elizabeth (Shaw) Bullers. He came to 
this town with his father in 1843. He is engaged in farming and the manufacture of 
lumber, and owns 250 acres. He has been supervisor of the town. He was married 
in April, 1851, to Mary A. Harrington, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Steel) Harring- 
ton, natives of Nottingham, England. Edwin E. and Mary have had nine children : 
Ellen, wife of George Evans ; Annie wife of Nason Hays ; Isaac, Samuel, Alice, wife of 
John J. Stahlman; George, Calvin, Parker and Harvey. 

Bullers, Elmer E.. Warsaw, Brookville p. o., was born in this township on January 
28, 1864. He is engaged in farming, and owns one hundred acres, and is also engaged 
in the manufacture of square timber. His parents are John and Adaline (Harrington) 
Bullers, natives of Nottingham, England, who came to this county about 1842. He 
was married on June 10, 1885, to Maggie Cochran, a daughter of Levi and Harriet 
(Manners), Cochran, of Jefferson county. 

Bullers, Joseph, Warsaw, Brookville p. o., was born in Warsaw township, on No- 
vember 14, 1846. He is engaged in farming, live stock dealing, and the manufacture 
of square timber, and owns sixty acres. His parents were John and Adaline (Harring- 
ton) Bullers, who were natives of Nottingham, England, and who came to this country 
about 1842. He was married on May i, i86g, to Hannah Suffolk, a daughter of James 
and Susan (Keyes) Suflblk. He was a native of Nottingham, England, and came to this 
country about 1847. They have two children — John Ames and Vernie. 

Burge, William M., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a grocer and vi^as born in Pot- 
ter count}', on July 19, 1832. He was a son of William and Eliza (Montgomery) Burge. 
He was reared in Lockhaven, Clinton county, and settled in Winslow township, in 1872, 
where he worked at machine work until 1873, after which he entered the employ of the 
.■\. V. R. R. as a bridge builder, until 1874. He then became engaged in the mercan- 
tile business for three years, and in 1881 was engaged in that same busine.ss for nine 
months in Reynoldsville. On April 15, 1884, he embarked in the grocery business at 
Ohiotown, where by strict attention to business he has built up a fine trade, second to 
none in the vicinity. 

Burket, George, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Clarion 
county. He was a son of John and Elizabeth (Farger) Burket, who settled in Winslow 
township in 1858, on the farm now occupied by Peter Burket, and resided there until 
the time of their deaths. They had five children, three of whom are now- living : Peter, 
Mary and George. George married Sarah Snyder. They have had six children : Liz- 
zie, Homer, Anna, Benjamin, James and Sissie. Sarah was a daughter of Benewile and 
Lydia (Zimmerman) Snyder, of Winslow township. 

Burtop, John, Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born in York- 
shire, f^ngland, April i. 1825. He was a son of John and Mary Burtop. His father 
settled in Washington township in 1844, and cleared and improved the farm which is 
now occupied by John, and where he resided until the time of his death. His children 
were John, Joseph (deceased), and Allen. John succeeded to the homestead where he 
has resided since 1866. His wife was Nancy Castle, of Yorkshire, England. They have 
had one child, George. Nancy was a daughter of John and Mary (Morehouse) CasLle. 

Butierfield. Oran, Barnett, Clarington p. o., an enterprising and well known farmer; 
was a son of Zacharias and Rebecca (Mather) Butterfield, and was born in Jefferson 
county, N. Y., .\ugust 23, 1806, and settled in Jefferson county. Pa., in 1837. He was 
married on March 23, 1838, to Nancy Reed, who died on July 15, 1855. They had a 
family of five children : Louisa M., Charles E., Rebecca A., Albert (died October 9, 



724 History of Jefferson County. 

1852), and Malinda (died February ig, 1872). He was married the second time on 
September 27, 1857, to Elizabeth Spencer. They have had three children, — Jeanette, 
Mary, and Oran D. Mr. Butterfield is now engaged in lumbering and farming, owning 
six hundred acres. He has held the office of school director, supervisor and justice of 
the peace, for three terms. 

Campbell, John, Barnett, Clarington p. o., a son of Elijah and Mary Ann (Brown) 
Campbell, was born in Jefferson county, in 1847, and was married in 1873 to Olive M. 
Painter, who was born in 1852, and was a daughter of Robert M. Painter. They have 
had a family of four children : Lola May, Harry F., Anna R., and Elijah C. Mr. Camp- 
bell is engaged in lumbering and farming, and owns a farm of seventy-five acres. [He 
has also held several of the town offices. 

Calhoun, James, Brockwayville, is the oldest son of Thomas and Sarah Ann (Hemp- 
hill) Calhoun. He was born on June 25, 1835, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and emi- 
grated with his parents to the United States, in 1848, and in 1849 settled in Jefferson 
county. He is now engaged in farming, and owns three hundred acres of land. He 
was married on July 9, 1868, to Martha Dennison. a daughter of David and Martha 
(Cunningham) Dennison, of Jefferson county, formerly of County Tyrone, Ireland, who 
came to the United States in 1817. James and Martha have a family of six children : 
John H., Sarah A., Martha E., Thomas H., David C.,and Eliza J. 

Calthers, William T., Winslow, Reynoldsville, p. o., is a farmer and lumberman, and 
was born in Armstrong, now Clarion county, November 18, 1825. He was a son of 
Robert and Nancy (Thompson) Calthers. He settled in Winslow township in 1S50, 
and has cleared and improved several farms, and has resided on his present farm since 
1880. In 1850 he built a grist-mill on the site now occupied by Warnick and Mc- 
Craight, which he conducted for six years. He was married in 1851 to Mary Douthet. 
They have had six children : William, Joseph, Anna, Edith, Margaret, and Gertie. 
Mary was a daughter of Robert and Mary Douthet, of Winslow township. 

Campbell, J. J., Snyder, Oyster p. o., was born in Armstrong county. Pa., and is one 
of the proprietors of the Forestville Lumber Company. His parents were Andrew and 
Rebecca (Phillip) Campbell, of Armstrong county. He was married on January 12, 
i860, to M. G. McCarrier, a daughter of James and Catharine (Bramer) ^IcCarrier, of 
Sudbury, Pa. 

Gathers, Allen, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Clarion 
county, on December 7, 1840. He was a son of Oliver and Margaret (Mayes) Gathers, 
who settled in Winslow township in 1841, locating on the farm which is now occupied 
by Allen. Their children were two, Allen and Mary (now Mrs. David Hillis). .\llen 
settled on a part of the old homestead, all of which he has cleared and improved him- 
self He was married in October, 1878, to Mary J. Ludwick. They have had four 
children : James, Thomas, John, and Ruth M. Mary J. was a daughter of George W. 
and Margaret (Lewis) Ludwick, of Winslow township. 

Gathers, James A., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Clarion 
county, Pa., April 24, 1828. He was a son of Robert and Nancy (Thompson) Gathers; 
of Scotch-Irish descent. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Gathers, was a pioneer of 
Clarion county. His parents (Robert and Nancy), settled in Winslow township in 1848, 
and cleared and improved two farms. They have had six children : Rachel, Joseph, 
William, James A., Robert and Rosanna. James A., now occupies the old homestead. 
He was married in 1850 to Eliza McGhee. They have had six children: John. Rob- 
ert, James, Lottie, Rachel and Harry. Eliza was a daughter of John and Nancy (Smith) 
McGhee, of Washington township. 

Clarke, W. D., Brockwayville borough, was born in Brockwayville, on October 9, 
1853. He is now justice of the peace. His parents were A. M. and R. M. (Nichols) 
Clarke. A. M. was a native of Connecticut, but came with his parents to Elk county, 
in 1819, and to Brockwayville in 1836. He was a practicing physician and died on 
May 22, 1884. W. D. was married on June 22, 1875, to Agnes Smith, a daughter of 
Robert and Elizabeth (McElhaney) Smith, formerly of Washington township, now of 
Brockwayville. They have two children : Robert P., and Edith P. 



Brief Personals. 725 



Cook, John, Barnett, Ella p. o., is a son of Daniel and Mary (Bailey) Cook, and 
was born in Clarion county in 181 7, and was married in 1843 to Jane Felton, of Clarion 
county. They have had a family of ten children : Robert, Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Re- 
becca, Servilda, Malinda, John S., and two who died in infancy. Mr. Cook settled in 
Jefferson county in 1S43, and in early life was engaged in lumbering. He is now en- 
gaged in farming and owns a farm of fifty-five acres. He has held all of the township 
offices. 

Cooper, James, Washington, Rockdale Mills, p. o., is a farmer, and was born in/' 
County Tyrone, Ireland, on February 13, 1818, and was a son of William and Martha 
(Morris) Cooper, who settled in Washington township in 1826, and cleared and improved 
a part of the farm which is now owned by James, where they lived and died. Tliey had 
si.x children : James, John, Hugh, \\'illiam, Ninianand Eliza (now Mrs. William Bond). 
James Cooper was reared in Washington township, from the age of eight years. He 
married Isabella Patton. They have had eight children : William, Robert, Hugh, James 
S., Martha J., Samuel, John and Elmer W. 

Corbet, J. J., Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., was born in Clarion county, on March 30, 
1814, and came to Jefterson county in i86t. He is a farmer, and owns thirty-nine 
acres. His parents were William and Mary (Rathrock) Corbet. He was married on 
January 14, 1834, to Elizabeth Barr, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Brisbin) 
Barr, of Centre county. They have six children living : James R., Robert B., Isaiah, 
William B., Loretta, and Lawrence, who now owns the old homestead and thirteen acres 
adjoining. 

Cox, Dr. Andrew J., Big Run ; a physician, surgeon, general merchant, drug and pre- 
scriptionist, and dealer in hardware, boots and shoes, etc. ; also a special partner in the 
firm of G. W. Gruber & Company, at Burnside, Clearfield county. Pa. .Andrew P., was 
born in Allegheny county. Pa., in 1845. He fitted himself and read medicine with Doc- 
tor Shields, and was graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College in 1876, and settled 
in Big Run, in the practice of hi.s profession, the same year. He was married in 1873 
to Annie Cochran, a daughter of 'Squire Joseph and Eliza Cochran. They have had 
one son, Milo. The doctor was a son of Robert and Caroline (Fisher) Cox, and was 
born in England and married in Pittsburgh. Robert died in 1880 leaving a widow and 
six children, three sons and three daughters. Andrew became engaged in the drug bus- 
iness in 1876, and in 1880 became engaged in the general mercantile business in connec- 
tion with his drug trade. His labors have been attended with success both in a mer- 
cantile and professional sense. 

Cox, Peter, Washington, Sandy Valley p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Madison 
township, Columbia county, on October 12, 1820. He was a son of William and Diana 
(Taylor) Cox. He setried in Washington township in 1846, and in L849 located on the 
farm which he now occupies, all of which he has cleared and improved himself. For 
thirty years he was a prominent lumberman of the county. He was married on May 
13, 1841, to Nancy F. Harrison. They have had fourteen children : Martha (deceased), 
Rachel, Margaret A., William T., Huldah (deceased), James B., Elijah and Elisha 
(twins), Huldah R., John C. F., Rosalie. Mary (deceased), Nannie A., Emma L. Mr. 
Cox served eleven months in the late War of the Rebellion, in Company H, 105th 
Pennsylvania Regiment, and at the end of eleven months' service was discharged on 
account of disability. His wife, Nancy F., was a daughter of Thomas and Ruth (Fury) 
Harrison, of Centre county. 

Daniels, James W., Barnett, Clarington p. o., was a son of Samuel and Rebecca (Mc- 
Crea) Daniels, and was born in Crawford county. Pa., on September 6, 1818, and settled 
in Jefferson county in 1838. He was married in 1847 to Louisa Butterfield, a daughter 
of Oran Butterfield. They had a family of eight children — Oran (deceased), Nanry 
(deceased), Matthew (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), Mary Jane, Linda A., James W., 
and Charles S. Mr. Daniels is engaged in lumbering and farming, and now owns one 
thousand acres of timber and farming land in Jefferson, Forest, and Crawford counties. 
His father was born in 1778, and served in the war of 181 2 ; died in 1843. His mother 
was born in 1782, and died in 1847. 88 



726 History of Jefferson County. 

Davis, Joseph, Big Run, was born in Henderson township, on February i8th, 1846, 
and was married in 1867 to AdaUne Zufall, of Henderson. They have had a family of 
six children — George I., Susanna C, Jacob A., Lydia E., Joseph A., and Mary A. 
Joseph has held the office of supervisor, and also that of school director for several terms. 
He is a farmer, and now owns and occupies a fine farm of eighty acres of the old home- 
stead, which was purchased by his grandfather on settlement. Joseph was a son of 
Abraham and Susanna (Miller) Davis, who settled in Jefferson county in 1844, coming 
from Westmoreland county. They had a family of seven children, three of whom are 
now living — Joseph, Barbara, and Elizabeth. One son, Jacob, enlisted, served' two 
years ; was discharged and drafted, after which he served to the close of the war, and 
died in 1875. leaving three children. The father, Abraham, died in i860. His wife, 
Susanna, died in 18S5, at the age of seventy-six years. Abraham and Jacob erected the 
first steam saw-mill in the townshij). He was a son of Joshua and Barbara (Dubold) 
Davis, who settled in Henderson in 1844, coming there from Westmoreland county. 

Davis, Sylvester, Polk, Schofther's Corners p. o., was born in Summerville, Jefterson 
county, on May 17, 1840. He is a general merchant, and is also postmaster of the vil- 
lage, being appointed in 1886. He has also been a justice of the peace for two terms. 
He owns six farms, which comprise in all about eight hundred acres, and is now engaged 
in the manufacture of square timber and logs. He enlisted in Company B, One Hun- 
dred and thirty fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, on August 14, 1862, and served for one 
year. He re enlisted in Company L, Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served to the close of 
the war. His parents were Othaniel and Annie (Hettrick) Davis. He was married on 
June 29, 1865, to Martha Puch, a daughter of Mathis and Martha (Richards) Puch. 
They have had seven children — Annie B., Violetta, Martha E., Ambrose S., Effie M., 
Blaine, and Harry E. Violetta died at the age of one year, from an attack of croup. 

De Larme, Francis, Winslow; Du Bois p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Franklin 
county, N. Y., on October 5, i8ig. He was a son of Francis and Rosana De Larme. 
He came to this county in 1832, and was reared in the family of Tilton Reynolds. In 
1839 he purchased the farm wliich he now owns and occupies, and which consists of 
two hundred and sixty acres, one hundred acres of which he has cleared and improved. 
His wife was Clarissa Smith. They have had six children — Matthew M., Henry F., 
Emeline R., Sally R., Alonzo A., and Anna E. Clarissa was a daughter of Valentine 
and Rebecca Smith, of Winslow township. 

Deemer, sr., Jonathan, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer and carpenter, and 
was born in Winslow township, on April 24, 1832, and was a son of John and Mary 
(Baker) Deemer, who were from Westmoreland county, and settled in Winslow township 
in 1831, and cleared and improved a farm upon which thev lived and died. Their chil- 
dren were Juliana, Zachariah, Josiah, Jonathan, John, and Lydia. Jonathan now occu- 
pies a part of the old homestead. He married Elizabeth Nicholson. They have eight 
children living — Andrew J., Mary, Catherine, Daniel W., William H., Jeremiah A., 
Minerva E., Emma R., and Lillie M. Elizabeth was a daughter of William and Cath- 
erine (Phillippi) Nicholson, of Fayette county. 

Deemer, Zachariah, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in West- 
moreland county on October 6, 1829. He was a son of John and Mary (Baker) Deem- 
er, who settled in Winslow township in 1831. He was reared in Winslow township, and 
located on the farm which he now occupies in 1854, and which consists of one hundred 
and twelve acres, forty-five of which he has cleared and improved. He was prominentlv 
identified with the lumber interests of the county for twenty-five years. He was married 
in 1854 to Sarah Best. They have had six children — Frank W., James B., Kennedy 
B., Amos VV. (deceased), M. J. Alice, and Annie J. (deceased). Sarah was a daughter of 
William and Polly (Smith) Best, of McCalmont township. 

Dennison, David. Washington, Beechtown p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Wash- 
ington township on June 7, 1838. He was a son of David and Martha (Cunningham) 
Dennison, natives of the county of Tyrone, Ireland, who settled in \\'ashington town- 
ship, in 1 83 1, and cleared and improved the farm which is now owned and occupied by 



Brief Personals. 727 



James Dennison. Their children were Mary, Ellen, David, James and Martha. David 
Dennison settled on the farm which he now occupies in 1844, most of which he cleared 
and improved himself He married Margaret Moore. They have had five children — 
Mary, Rebecca J., David H., Martha E. and Robert. Margaret was a daughter of Rob- 
ert and Rebecca (Dennison) Moore, of Ireland. 

Dougherty, William, Winslow, was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in 1S21, and waS 
a son of William and Mary (Bryson) Dougherty. He settled in Washington township 
with his mother in 1857, and cleared and improved a farm which is now occupied by 
his son James. His wife was Jane Smith. They had seven children — Mary, Ellen, 
Sarah, Margaret, William, James S. and John. Of these children William and John now 
reside in Winslow. Jane was a daughter of James and Ellen (Kearney) Smith, of Wash- 
ington township. William was married on July 26, 1877, to Maggie McDonald. They 
have had two children — John C. and William E. Maggie was a daughter of John and 
Catharine McDonald. John, the youngest son of William was married on May 15, 
18S4, to Belle Ross. They have had one child, Susie O. Belle was a daughter of 
John and Susan (Patterson) Ross, of Washington township. 

Dougherty, \^'illiam W., Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born in 
Washington township, on December i, 184 1. He was a son of James and Sarah (Camp- 
bell) Dougherty, natives of Ireland, who were among the pioneers of Washington town- 
ship. Their children were William W., Elizabeth, Thomas F., Lucinda (deceased), 
Stewart, Mary (deceased), ^largery A., Finley and Sarah M. William W. located on the 
farm which he now occupies in 1875, a part of which he has cleared, and made all im- 
provements in buildings. He was married on May 27, 1875,10 Martha J. Marshall. 
They have had two children. Martha J. was a daughter of James and Ellen (Robin- 
son) Marshall, of Snyder township. 

Edeburn, Samuel A., Heath, Sigel p. o., was a son of John and Mary (Loose) Ede- 
burn, and was born in Cumberland county, in 1815, and settled in Jefferson count)- in 
1849. He was married in 1842 to Mary Snider, who died in 1S46. They have had one 
child, Mary. Mr. Edeburn married his second wife, Mrs. Berthinda Coleman, in 1852. 
They had ten children : Jarrardus, Candus C, Thomas H., Joseph I., Berthinda M., Al- 
ice J., Frank O. B., Minnie E., and one that died in infancy. Mrs. Edeburn's children 
by her first husband, Mr. Coleman, were Elizabeth M., John W., Priscilla A., Rosalie C. 
Mr. Edeburn is now engaged in lumbering and farming. His father, John, was a soldier 
in the war of 1812. 

Enterline, William, Big Run p. o., a practical engineer, now engaged in surveying* 
and a member of the milling firm of S. and W. Enterline brothers, being successors to 
their father, who erected the mill in 1870, on his settlement in this borough. The mill 
now has two run of stone, and occupies two stores, 40 by 50, used as a custom and 
merchant mill. William was born in i860, and was a son of Philip and Sarah (Geist) 
Enterline, who settled from Mahoning county, in 1870. He was an active business 
man, a practical miller, and became engaged in the mercantile business in 1876. He 
was appointed postmaster in 1875, and died in 1883, at the age of sixty-three years, 
leaving a widow and a family of seven children — Samuel, William, Delilah, Leah, Eliz- 
abeth, Lucinda and Agnes. Samuel was married in 1883 to Isabella McNulty. They 
have had one daughter, Minnie. The grandparents emigrated from Saxony, and settled 
in Pennsylvania, at a very early day. 

Evans. J. B., Washington, Rockdale Mills p. o., is a merchant, and was born in 
Bridgeport, Pa., on October 15, 1S08. and was a son of Elisha and Rebecca (Jolly) Ev- 
ans. His ancestry were of Welsh descent, which he traces back to 1380, and his fore- 
fathers, who were of Quaker faith, emigrated to America with William Penn, on his sec- 
ond voyage. Mr. Evans setttled at Port Barnett, this county, in 1827, and embarked 
in the mercantile trade tJiere in 1828, and later in Brookville, and in 1859 settled in 
^\'ashington township, where he has been in active business ever since. He was associ- 
ate judge of Jefferson county seven years, and has been postmaster at Port Barnett, 
Brookville and Rockdale Mills. He was married in 1832 to Jane McCreight, of Brook 
ville. They have six children living — William, Sophia, Elisha, Charles and Jared. 



728 History of Jefferson County. 

Evans, Lewis Robert, Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., was born in Armstrong county, 
on July 14. 1844. He is engaged in farming, and owns one hundred and seventy-six 
acres. He enlisted in Company E, First Battalion Vols., in 1864. His parents were 
William and Esther Evans, natives of Wales. He was married on May 29, 1866, to 
Julia Preston, They have five children now living — Charles W., William G., Lizzie M., 
Harry L. and Luther E. His second wife was Fannie H. Byers, to whom he was mar- 
ried on July 31, 1884. She was a daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Ferguson) Byers. 

Evans, William, Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., is a general merchant, and has been 
for ten years. He has- also been postmaster for several years, and is now deputy. He 
has been justice of the peace, and is now an overseer of the poor. His parents were 
William and Esther Evans, natives of Wales, who came to Jefterson county in 1848. 
William served in Co. D, 93d Pa., Vols. 

Felt, Ira, Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Monroe county, N. Y., on Sep- 
tember 21. 1836, and came to Jefferson county in i860. He is engaged in the grocery 
business, and also in the manufacture of cigars. He enlisted in Company I, 62d Pa. 
Vols., on July 4, 1861, and was discharged on September 21, 1862, on account of a 
gun-shot wound which he received in the right shoulder, at the battle of Hanover Court- 
House, Virginia, on May 27, 1862 ; was constable in 1867, school director in 1876. and 
burgess of the borough in 1884 and 1885. His parents were Ira and Susan (Roach) 
Felt. He was married on January 9, 1864, to Clementine Lewis. They have had three 
children — Wallace (died in 1871), Constantine T. and Charlie. 

Flack, Miles, Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., was born in Centre county on December 
6, 1841, and came to Jefterson county in 1856. He served in Company B, One Hun- 
dred and thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, enlisting in 1862 ; was on duty between 
Ale.xandria and Camp Convalescent on the railroad, and was run over and lost both 
legs in 1863. His parents were George and Sarah (Groves) Flack, of Centre county. 
He was married first to Margaret Long, a daughter of Richard and Maria Long. They 
had two children — Ida (wife of William Dobson), and Emma (deceased). His second 
wife was Ruth A. Morris, a daughter of Hiram and Elizabeth (Row) Morris. They 
have three children — Delia, Viola, and Jolm. 

Foust, Jacob, Warsaw, was born in Lycoming county on February 12, 1843, and 
came to Jefferson county in 1855, where he became engaged in farming and now owns 
fifty-four acres. He enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers, on August 29, 1 86 1, and was at the batdes of Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill: was 
taken prisoner at Bull Run ; jjaroled, and was at the battles of Chancellorsville and Get- 
tysburg, where he lost an arm. His parents were John and Esther (F.])ler) Foust. He 
was married on January 11, 1868, to Kate Foust, a daughter of Philip and Catherine 
(Rupert) Foust. They have had a family of five children — William J., Rozella, Sadie 
J., Ida M., and Governor Mead. 

Fox, John A., Warsaw, was born in Xorthumberland county May 20, 1833, and 
came to Jefterson county in 1861. He is a farmer and owns forty acres, and also a 
dealer in livestock, and proprietor of the hotel at Warsaw. His parents were Amos and 
Annie (Nicely) Fox, of Northumberland county. He was married on December 25, 
i860, to Catherine Hane, a daughter of Adam and Mary (Herring) Hane, of Northum- 
berland county. 

Frost, Joseph E., Eldred, Sigel p. o., a young and enterprising farmer of Eldred town- 
ship, was a son of James and Mary (Nield) Frost, and was born in Jefterson county on 
May 12, 1854. He was married in 1879 to Nancy J. McCracken. They have had three 
children — Bertha Dell. James Harland, and \'era. He is engaged in farming, and now 
occupies a farm of one hundred and fifty acres. 

Gayley, Matthew, Eldred, Sigel p. o., was a son of James and Elizabeth (Thorton) 
Gayley, was born in Philadelphia in 1833, and setded in Jefterson county. Pa., in 1854. 
He married Elizabeth McManigle, of Westmoreland county. They have had a family 
of ten children — William J., Andrew T.. George N.. Esther J., Stephen S., Samuel L., 
Clara A., Matthew F., Harry E., and John W. Mr. Gayley is now engaged in the 



Brief Personals. 729 



lumber business, and is superintendent of the Ganson and Hetzel mill. He owns a farm 
of sixty-seven acres. He enlisted September i, 1864, in Two Hundred and Eleventh 
Pennsylvania Volunteers. His father, James, was born in Ireland in 1793; came to 
America in 1825, and died in 1S70. His mother was born in Ireland in 1808, and died 
in 185 1. 

Gordon, Edward S., Washington, Victor p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Otsego 
countv, N. v., on March 26, 1823, and was a son of William B. and Louisa (Persons) 
Gordon. His father settled in Washington township in 1849, where for many years he 
was largely engaged in the lumber business with his sons, Edward S., and William H. 
Edward S. settled on the farm he now occupies in 185 1, most of which he has cleared 
and improved himself He has been married twice. His first wife was Nancy Harding. 
They had eight children — .Samuel, William (killed in front of Charleston during the late 
war), Louisa, Edward, Du Wight, George, Franklin, and Walter. Nancy was a daugh- 
ter of Herbert Harding, of Allegany county, N. Y. His second wife was Esther Dun- 
ham, of Brookville. They have had three children — Harry, Calvin L., and Nellie. 
Esther was a daughter of Myron and Caroline Dunham, of Brookville. 

Graf, George M., Punxsutawney, a general furniture dealer and upholsterer and 
manufacturer, was born in 1853, and became engaged in his present business in 1883, 
and now deals in all classes of goods found in his trade. He was married in 1875 to 
Kate Gillispie, of Clayville. She was a daughter of William Gillispie. They had a 
family of four children, three of whom are now living — Lillie, Joseph, and Otto. Carl 
died at the age of three years. George M. Graf was a son of John G. and Wilhelmina 
(Miller) Graf, who were born in Germany and married in Armstrong county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and settled in Punxsutawney in 1850, and became engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness and lumber trade. John C. died in ^875 leaving a widow and eight children — 
George M., Frank P., Otto C, Emma, Anna, Julia, Eda, and Bertha. The family are 
gifted musicians, both in vocal and instrumental. Bertha is a teacher and George M. 
is instructor and leader of the borough band; should be termed professor but shrinks 
from publicity. 

Graffius, John, Punxsutawney, was born in Huntington county. Pa., on March 24. 
1814, and was a son of Daniel and Christina (Rush) Graftius, of Huntington, who set- 
tled in Jefferson county. Young township, now Bell, in 1823. They had a family of 
eleven children, five of \vhom are now living — Mary, John, Israel, Samuel, and Charles. 
John Grafiius was married in 1838 to Elizabeth Grube. who was born in Centre county 
March 6, 1817. They have no family but are beloved by a large circle of friends 
amongst whom they are known as Uncle John and Aunt Betsy. They adopted one 
son at the age of three years, now Philip Kuntz, who was born in Winslow Aug. 31, 
1S50. He was married in 1878 to Elizabeth Rifer. They have had four children — 
John G., Joseph H., Franklin L., and Lewis W. Daniel was a millwright and was born 
in 1783 and died in 1849. His wife died in 1867. John Graffius chose the life of a 
farmer and is now engaged in that branch of enterprise. His wife was a daughter of 
John and Barbara (Hoy) Grube. 

Grafiius, John M., Punxsutawney, a general lumber dealer and farmer living near 
Punxsutawney, was born in Bell township, Jefferson county, on January 31, 1836. He 
was a son of Daniel Grafiius, who was born in Huntington county in 1809. He moved 
with his parents to JefterSon county in 1823. He was married twice. By his first mar- 
riage, to Elizabeth Roads, he had one son, Daniel, who is still living and a resident of 
Bell township, Jefterson county. By his second marriage to Sarah McConeaghy he had 
ten children, five of whom are still living. John M., William, Anna Belle, Samuel, and 
Andrew |. He was a resident of Young township for twenty -eight years before his 
death. His residence was at the junction of the Luthersburgh and Reynoldsville roads, 
near Punxsutawney, where he kept a temperance hotel. He died in 1874. His kind 
disposition and pleasant manners gained him many friends. He was highly respected 
and loved by his acquaintances. His parents, Daniel and Christina (Rush) Graftius, 
were born in Huntington county and settled in Jefterson county in 1823. They had a 
family of eleven children, five of whom are still living — Mary, John, Israel. Samuel, and 



730 History of Jefferson County. 

Charles. John M. Graffius is a resident of Young township. He was married in 1861 
to Mary C. Clavvson. They had a family of three daughters — Velma, Lizzie, and Flor- 
ence. Velma married David McKean Harl in 1881. They have a family of three 
children — Olive M., John G., and Mary B. 

Groves, D. D., Snyder, Brockvvayville p. o., was born in Washington township, .Septem- 
ber II, 1842. He is a general merchant and has been engaged in the business at 
Brockwayville since 1881. He was a son of John and Catherine (Arnold) Groves, of 
Washington township. D. D. Groves was married on February 27. 1867, to Ellen E. 
McMinn, a daughter of John and Margaret (McGee) McMinn, of Washington town- 
ship. They have had a family of four children — Merrill L., Homer M., Evangeline M., 
and Chester D. 

Grube, David, Punxsutawney, was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1820, and settled 
in Jefferson county with his parents, John and Barbara (Hoy) Grube in 1833. He was 
married on January 2, 1845, to Elizabeth Varner, who was born in Westmoreland 
county in 1825. They have had a family of eleven children, ten of whom are now liv- 
ing — Barbara, Elizabeth A., Mary, Catherine A., and Caroline (twins), Lnther D., and 
Flora D. (twins), Sada, Eft'a, and Melzine. Elizabeth was a daughter of John and 
Elizabeth Varner, and settled in Bell township in 1833. 

Grube, Henry, Punxsutawney, Bell's Mills p. o., a successful farmer and lumberman 
of Bell township, was born in Centre county in 1822 and settled in Bell township in 
1833 with his parents, John and Barbara (Hoy) Grube. Henry was married in 1859 
to Elizabeth Kuntz, who was born in Germany in 1828, and settled in Clearfield with 
her parents, Jacob and Catherine Kuntz, in 1829. They have had a family of seven 
children — Susanna, William, Clarissa, Samuel, Harry, Daniel and Amos. Mr. Grube 
has been supervisor for three terms, and is engaged in general farming and lumbering. 
He commenced life with 160 acres of land and now owns 530 acres. 

Grube, Jacob, Punxsutawney, was a son of John and Barbara (Hoy) Grube and was 
born in Centre county. Pa., in 1832, and settled with his parents in Bell township in 
1833. He was married in 1863 to Mrs. Lucinda Gourley Mitchell, who was born in 
this county in 1839. They have had two children — Lewis G. and Marelle A. She had 
two daughters by her first husband — Sara and Margaret Mitchell. Mr. Grube is en- 
gaged in lumbering and farming. 

Grube, John. Punxsutawney, and wife Barbara (Hoy) Grube, now deceased, were 
born, he in Bucks county, Pa., in 1787, and she in Union county. They were married 
in Centre county in 181 5 and settled in Bell township in 1833. They had a family of 
nine children — Elizabeth (born in 1817, known as Aunt Betsey Graffius), George (born 
1819), David (born 1820), Henry (born 1822), Sarah (born 1824), John R. (born 1827), 
Susannah (born 1830), now Kuntz, Jacob (born 1832), Joseph (born 1835). John R. 
died leaving a widow and twelve children. John, sr., died in 1868 and his wife Barbara 
in 1877. John Grube was a leading and successful farmer and left a large farm prop- 
erty to his sons and an equivalent to his three daughters. 

Hamilton, Squire James A., Big Run, was born in Mahoning, Indiana county, De- 
cember 4, 1823, and was a son of Robert and Rachel ( Wortz) Hamilton, who were born 
in Westmoreland county and died in Indiana county. They had eight children. James 
A., being their third son. He was married May 27, 1845, to Isabella M. Sutton, a 
daughter of Peter and .Martha Sutton. James A. and Isabella had five children — Mar- 
tha, Robert A., Doctor Sylvester S., Frank J., and Mary L., who died on September 19, 
1881. His wife Isabella M., died February 29, 1884. James A. became engaged in 
the tanning business and the manuf-icture of harness from 1842 to 1865 in Indiana 
county, and was engaged in the mercantile business from 1865 to 1877 and in connec- 
tion with this business manufactured and floated square timber on the, Allegheny River 
to Pittsburgh, and was also engaged in the manufacture of shooks. He settled in this 
county in 1867, served three terms as justice of the peace of Indiana county, and is now 
serving his third term as justice of the peace in this county. He was a member of the 
school board in 18S0. He married his second wife on September 7, 18S6. She was 



Brief Personals. 731 



Mrs. Mar)' E. Weber. His paternal grandfather, Robert Hamilton, emigrated from 
Ireland after the Revolution. His maternal grandfather, William Work, was a native 
of Scotland. 

Henery, James F., Winslow, Coal Bank p. o., is a farmer and proprietor of Coal 
Bank, was born at Sligo Furnace, Clarion county, on November 24, 1S33, and was a 
son of James L. and Mary (Fulton) Henery, who settled in Winslow township, Jeffer- 
son county, in 1854. James F. Henery settled in Winslow township that same year. 
He has been married twice. His first wife was Sara J. Rea, a daughter of David Rea, 
of Winslow. They have had four children — George L., Loren L., Mary M., and Will- 
iam J. His second wife was Caroline, a daughter of Daniel Sharp, of Reynoldsville. 
They have had six children — John A., Dorothea E., Blanche V., Roland L., Gertie, and 
Nancy J. 

Hetrick, Martin L., Washington, Reynolds\ ille p. o., is a farmer and lumberman 
and was born in Clarion county on April 6, 1849. He was a son of Peter and Cath- 
erine (Himes) Hetrick, who settled in Washington township in 1859 ^""^ cleared and im- 
proved the farm which is now owned and occupied by W. J. Calhoun. Their children 
were Catharine, John, Jacob, William, George, David, Sarah, Martin, Reuben, Eliza- 
beth, Amos, Caroline, Lewis and Matilda. Martin L. Hetrick was reared in Washing- 
ton township from the age of ten years, and has been engaged in the lumber business 
on his own accord for eight years. He married Esther Moore. They have had seven 
children — Nora E., James A., Charles A., Lindy P. Sallie I., Chloe E. and Perry T. 
Esther was a daughter of James L. and Sarah Rogers Moore, of Washington township. 

Hillis, William J., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer and was born in Albany, 
New York, on January 27, 1834, and was a son of Robert and Mary (McCauley) Hillis. 
He and his father settled in Winslow township in 1857 and cleared and improved the 
farm which he now occupies. The children of Robert Hillis were James, William J., 
Robert and David, who came and are now residents of Winslow township. 

Hidinger, Jacob, Heath, Sigel p. o., was a son of Jacob and Susan (Snider) Hid- 
inger was born in Germany in 1854 and came to America in 1857 settling in Jefterson 
county. He was married in 1S76 to Jennie Ahara ot Jefterson county. They have had 
a family of four children — Bertie A., Belle M., Minnie E. and Elmer C. Mr. Hiding- 
ger is engaged in farming and lumbering and owns thirty-three acres. He has held 
the office of school director for six years. His father was born in 1812 and died in 
1877, and his mother was born in 1823 and died 1877. 

Himes, George S., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in New Bethlehem, Clar- 
ion county, October 21, 1837. His parents were John and Savannah (Space) Himes. 
He came to little Toby, Elk county, in 1859, and was married August 10, 1861, to 
Mary S. Davenport. She was a daughter of B. L. and Harriet (Harding) Davenport. 
Mr. Himes superintended a lumber establishment at Forestville, for Oyster and Short 
in 1S82, '8^ and '84. He moved to Brockwayville in 1884 and started a steam plan- 
ing mill. He is also a dealer in lumber and bark. They have four children li\ing — 
Hattie, Frank, Charles and Grace. 

Hippie, Nathaniel B., Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer and was born on 
March 13, 1813, and was a son of Abram and Betsey Hippie who were born in Ches- 
ter county, Pa., and were of German descent. His father died when he was a year old 
and is buried in Phila., Pa. ; his mother died in Reading and is buried in Bower Ceme- 
tery in Chester county, beside her second husband. He settled in Washington town- 
ship in 1840 and cleared and improved the farm which he now occupies; he married 
twice; his first wife was Phcebe .\nne Brenholtz, of Chester county, by whom he had 
thirteen children — Nathan, Emily J., Mary E., Maggie, Amanda, Henrietta, Almira, 
Louisa A., Franklin, Edward, Mariah, Harry and Caroline. He has forty-five grand 
and ten great-grandchildren. He was a private in the late war of the Rebellion, serv- 
ing nine months in Company D. 105th Pa. Regiment." He was discharged on account 
of disaliility, drove the first ambulance in the 105th regiment and is the oldest man liv- 
ing in that regiment and draws a pension of $14 per month. 



732 History of Jefferson County. 

Hoey, M. D., James W., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., came to Jefferson county in 
1865, and is now a practicing physician and surgeon. He is a graduate of the Jetfer- 
son Medical College of Philadelphia. His parents were John and Isabella (McMinn) 
Hoey. He was married on February 12, 1857, to Sarah J. Hunter, a daughter of 
John M. and Eliza (Rhoades) Hunter, of Delaware county. They have had seven 
children — ^John M. (deceased), William S. (deceased), Charles G. (deceased), Samuel 
H., James J., Robert W., Oleta. 

Hoffman, James K., Polk, Schoffner's Corners p. o., was born in Columbia county, 
Penn., on January 18, 1807, and came to Jefferson county in 1830. He is now en- 
gaged in farming and owns 118 acres. He was elected coroner in 1836, has been 
supervisor several times. His parents were Martin and Susan (Shannon) Hoffman, 
natives of Northampton county. James K., was married on May 22, 1826, to Barbara 
Mercer, a daughter of David and Eva (Kribbs) Mercer, of Indiana county. They 
have had the following children — Martin K., David S., John E., James K., Elijah E., 
Melisa, wife of John Geer, William R., who served in the late war, Harriet, wife of 
Noah Pettibone, Alvin T., and Jesse C. 

Horn, George, Washington, Reynoldsville p. o., was born in Centre county on Sep- 
tember 25, 1832, and was a son of John and Elizabeth (Klinger) Horn. His pater- 
nal grandfather, John Horn, was a native of Germany and a pioneer of \\'inslow town- 
ship. He had four children — John, George, William and Jacob. Of these children, 
John, jr., cleared and improved the farm which is now owned by S. J. Dean. He was 
twice married. By his first wife, Elizabeth Klinger, he had three children — George. John 
and Elizabeth. By his second wife, Mary Morrison, he had si.x children — Sarah, 
Amanda, Mary E., Matilda, Fanny and Lovisa. George Horn was married in 18 — 
to Sarah Wray. They have had eight children — Elizabeth, Mary, John W., Lucinda, 
Ella, Lewis, Edith and Leslie. Sarah was a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Yeoman) 
Wray. George located on the farm which he now occupies in 1874, and which he has 
cleared and improved himself 

Hutchison, Hannibal J., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., a member of the firm of 
Hutchison Bros., lumbermen, was born in Washington township, September 12. 1857, 
and was a son of Thomas and Mary (Wait) Hutchison. He was reared in Washington 
and Winslow township and was married on August 28, 1883, to Mary H. Wait. They 
have had one child, Barbara J. Mary M. was a daughter of Robert and Barbara 
(McConnell) Wait, of Winslow township. Mr. Hutchison embarked in the lumber 
business in 1883 and is now doing an e.ttensive business. 

Hutchison, Thomas, Snyder, Brockwayville, p. o., was born in Donegal county, 
Ireland, on April 5, 1838, and came to the United States in 1849, and also settled in 
Jefferson county that same year. He is now engaged in farming and owns and occu- 
pies a farm of 116 acres. He also deals largely in agricultural implements. He has 
been assessor and is now a member of tlie school board and treasurer of the same. He 
enlisted in Company H, 105th Pa. Volunteers on .August 29, 1861, and was discharged 
on September 4, 1864, in front of Petersburg, Virginia. His [)arents were Thomas and 
Catherine (McClintock) Hutchison, who came to this township in 1849. His wife was 
Mary A. Smith to whom he was married on March 5, 1867. They have eight chihh-en 
living— Catharine A., Matthew, Martha J., Elizabeth, George M., Thomas A., Mary 
S. and John H. His wife was a daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth (Hunter) Smith, of 
Washmgton township, Jefferson county. 

Katz, Peter, Eldred, Sigel p. o., was a son of George and Elizabeth (Maxwell) 
Katz. He was born in Eldred township, Jefferson county. Pa., in 1833, and was mar- 
ried in 1859 to Lovisa Preston, a daughter of Jeptha T., and Jane (Graham) Preston. 
They have had a family of five children : Irad .A.., Ida A., Elmer M., Emory M., and 
Carrie B. Mr. Katz has held the office of school director, overseer of the poor and su- 
pervisor. His father, George, was born in .Allegheny county, in 1S04, and died Febru- 
ary 23, 1863. His mother was born in 1814 and died on May 17, 1876. 

Keys, Joseph, Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Wash- 



Brief Personals. 733 



ington township on November 14, 1827, and was a son of Henry and Cadiarine (Wilson) 
Keys, natives ol' Ireland, who settled in Washington township in 1824. They were the 
first couple married in the limits of what is now Washington township. They settled on 
the farm now occupied by Mr. Cooper, which they cleared and improved. Their child- 
ren were Josejih, Wilson, Susan, Matthew, Mary A., Eliza, Rebecca C, Henry, Catha- 
rine, William J., John and Martha. Joseph Keys located on the farm which he now 
occupies in 1852, all of which he has cleared and improved himself. He was married 
on October 4, 1849, to Margery Patterson, of Pittsburgh. They have had five child- 
ren : John R., Henry, Matthew C, Francis B., and Elmer M. Margery was a daugh- 
ter of John and Rebecca (Wilson) Patterson, of Pittsburgh. 

Kelly, William, Heath, Dunkel p. o., the enterprising and genial lumberman and 
farmer of Heath townsihp, is a son of John and Elizabeth (McCollum) Kelly, and was 
born in Parish, Oswego county, N. Y.,in 1836. He settled in Jefferson county m 1853, 
and was married in 1866 to Melissa J. Cochran. He enlisted in 186) in Company D, 
105th Pennsylvania Infantry as a private, and served until the close of the war, return- 
ing as captain. He was elected justice of the peace in i88i, which office he now holds ; 
he has also been town clerk and school director. His father was born in r8o6 and died 
in 1851, and his mother was born in 1807 and died in 1875. 

Kuntz, Jacob, Punxsutawney, was born in Brady township, Clearfield county, in 
1835 ; was raised on a farm, and in 1850 went to work in his father's grist-mill, at which 
place he stayed until 1855, at which time his father sold the mill, and Jacob went to 
jobbing and cutting clearings, and taking out square timbers. He worked at that for 
about one year and then went to teaming, a business in which he was engaged until 
1 86 1, when he married Susannah Grube, and went to reside in Brady township, where 
he resided until 1862, at which time he was burned out and lost nearly all his household 
goods. After this he moved to McCalmont township, Jefferson county, and bought a 
piece of woodland and became engaged in lumbering and clearing a farm, and has now 
one of the best and best stocked farms in .the township. He is of German descent 
and was a son of Jacob and Catharine (Youchy) Kuntz, who were born and married in 
Germany and settled in Brady township, Clearfield county, in 1829. They had a fam- 
ily of eleven children. Jacob was married on January i, 1861, to Susannah Grube. 
They have had a family of four children ; one died in infancy and three are now living : 
Amos, Barbara and William J. Mr. Kuntz has been a justice of the peace for ten years, 
has held all of the township offices with the exception of overseer of the poor, and is now 
a successful farmer. His wife, Susannah, was a daughter of John and Barbara (Hoy) 
Grube, who settled in the township of Young now (Bell), in 1839, coming there from 
Centre county. 

London, Truman B., Winslow, Rathmel p. o., is a retired lumberman, and was born 
in Luzerne county on October 11, 1808. He was a son of Isaac and Louisa (Calender) 
London, both of English descent. He followed the business of lumbering for seven 
years, on the north branch of the Susquehanna River, in his native county, from which 
he removed in 1837, and settled in Brookville, Jefferson county, and was for many years 
engaged in the lumbering business there, and always doing a successful business in that 
line. He has also, in connection with his lumbering business, been engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits. He settled in Winslow township in 1848, and cleared and improved the 
farm which he now owns and on which he now resides. He was for eight years asso- 
ciated with Dr. J. C. King in the mercantile business at Revnoldsville. He has inter- 
ested himself in the improvement of Reynoldsville and Rathmel, of late years, having 
built quite a number of houses in each town. He was married twice. His first wife was 
Sally M. Slosson, of Luzerne county. They had six children : Martha J., Eliza M., 
Truman B., jr., Isaac H., Moses L., and Mary A. His second wife was Sarah (Ray) 
Wilkins, of Clarion county. His first wife died on January 23, 1842, and his second 
wife on May 2, 1878. Mr. London served as county auditor for one term. During his 
long business career he has always avoided having contentions in law, never having had 
a suit in any court of justice. He has always been a law-abiding citizen. 

89 



734 History of Jefferson County. 

Longwell, M. S., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in \\'est Strattonville, Clarion 
county, on November 28, 1837, and came to this county in 1875. He is engaged in 
farming, and now owns one hundred forty-five acres. He enlisted in Company D, ist 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, in 1861, and was injured by a horse falling on him and was dis- 
charged in 1863. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Westhaven) l.ongwell. M. 
S. was married on June 11, 1872, to Ellen F. Johnson, a daughter of Milton and Sarah 
(Crawford) Johnson, of Warsaw. They have had a family of three children : Sarah A., 
(born July i, 1874), Thaddeus M, (born September 20, 1877), and John M., (born 
February 18, 1880). 

Lyle, Isaac, Warsaw, Hazen p. o., was born in Union county, on June 28, 1830 
and came to Jefferson county in 1842. He is a farmer and owns fifty-three acres, and 
is now postmaster at Hazen. He enlisted in Company C, 2d Regiment of Berdan 
Sharpshooters, in September, 1861, and served for two years, then re-enlisted and served 
for three years.; in the fall of 1864 was transferred to the 105th Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, and served during the war. His parents were Samuel and Polly (Getyer) Lyle, 
who came to Jefferson county in 1842. Isaac was married in September, 1857, to Car- 
oline Jones, a daughter of Samuel and (R^iy) Jones. They have had two children : 

Samuel A., and Adella, now the wife of John Mays. 

McConnell, William A., Washington, Rockdale Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born 
on December 5, 1846. He was a son of James and Jane (Mitchell) McConnell. His 
paternal grandfather, William McConnell, settled in Washington township in 1832. His 
wife was Margaret Moore. Their children were James, Ale.xander, Frances S., Mary A., 
George, Joseph, Margaret, William, David S., and Nancy J. Of these children James 
settled in Washington township, in 1S31, on the farm now occupied by William A., 
which he cleared and improved, and where he died on April 4, 1862, at the age of fifty- 
seven years. His children were Francis, Fannie, Samuel M., Eliza, William A., Mar- 
garet A., Mary J., John R., and Emma H. William A. succeeded to the homestead. 
His wife was Kate McConnell, of Armstrong county. They had seven children : Mar- 
garet L., Sidney J., Walter, Florence M., Robert L., Cora and Charles R. (deceased.) 

McCrackin, Joseph, Warsaw, Richardson's p. o., was born in Eldred township on 
July 25, 184 1 ; is a farmer and lumberman, owning four hundred twenty-five acres. 
His parents were John and Fanny (Riley) McCrackin. He was married on July 22, 
1862, to Matilda Scott, a daughter of Benjamin R. and Mary A. (Sheridan) Scott, of 
Brookville. Mr. Scott was at the battle of Gettysburg. Joseph and Matilda have had 
four children : William R., Mary M., Annie M., and Joseph P. 

McCreight, John, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Arm- 
strong county, on July 11, 1821, and was a son of Andrew and Ann (Sharp) McCreight, 
who settled in Winslow in 1832. John assisted in clearing and improving the farm in 
Winslow township, and settled on the farm where he now resides, in 1865. He was 
married in 1851 to Eliza C, a daughter of Adam and Susannah (Ludwick) Uncapher, 
of Greensburg, Pa. They have had twelve children, of whom six are now living: Susan 
J., (Mrs. M. McAdoo), Joseph, William, Israel, Bruce and Lilla B. 

McCreight, Sharp, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Arm- 
strong county, on January 10, 181 5, and was a son of Andrew and Ann (Sharp) Mc- 
Creight. who settled in Winslow in 1832, and cleared and improved the farm now owned 
by Thomas McCreight. They had a family of thirteen children — James, Sharp, Sarah, 
Joseph, John, Ann, Jane, Polly, Thomas, Smith, Nancy, Jamison and Hannah. Sharp 
McCreight settled on the farm which he now occupies in 1843, and cleared and im- 
proved it himself He was married in 1843 to Jane Johnson. They have six children 
living — Sarah, John, Andrew, James, William and Orrel. Jane was a daughter of John 
and Jane (McCreight) Johnson, of Armstrong county. 

McCreight, Thomas, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., president of the Jefferson county 
Agricultural Society, and also president of the Jefferson county Live Stock Insurance 
Company; was born in Armstrong county on April 25, 1830, and was a son of Andrew 
and Ann (Sharp) McCreight, who settled in Winslow on a farm, now occupied by 



Brief Personals. 735 



Thomas. Thomas married Frances McKee. They have had six children — Smith, 
Thomas E., James M., Ida E. and Cora D. Frances was a daughter of David and Ma- 
tilda J. (Chambers) McKee, of Bell township. 

McCuUough, Archie, Washington, Beechtown p. o., is a farmer, and was born in 
County Down, Ireland, on April 4, 1829, and was a son of William and Mary (xVIoffett) 
McCuilough, who settled in Washington township in 1832, locating on a farm now occu- 
pied by their son Archie, which they cleared and improved, and upon which they resided 
up to the time of their deaths. Their children were Hugh, William, Boyd, Martha, 
Archie, Sarah, Rachel and Mary. Archie succeeded to the old homestead. He was 
married November 6, 1856 to Margaret Armstrong. They have had five children — 
William W., Mary E., Martha J., Ale.xander A. and Hugh B. 

McElhany, Robert A., Snydei, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Portland, Ohio, on 
March 15, 1846, and came to Brockwayville in 1870. He is now engaged m the furni- 
ture and undertaking business on Main street. His parents are Marshall and Matilda 
(Adderly) McElhany, of Portsmouth. O. 

McFadden, Jacob, Polk, Schoffner's Corners p. o. Jacob was born in Clarion 
county, on October 7, I812, and came to Jefferson county in 1822. He is a farmer, 
and owns 167 acres. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Hettrick) McFadden, 
Jacob was married on March 19, 1835, to Rebecca Reed, a daughter of Peter and Cath- 
arine (Shannon) Reed, formeriy of Westmoreland county. Jacob had a family of seven 
children — Sliannon, served in the late war; Levi, who died while in the army; Reed, 
served in the late war; Elizabeth, Reeser P. and Enoch. 

McFadden, J. R., Polk, Schoffner's Corners p. o., was born in Oliver township^ 
February 19, 1843. He is a general merchant, owns a custom steam saw-mill, and also 
a farm of 100 acres. He enlisted in Co. B. 135th Pa. Vols., and then re-enlisted in Co. 
L, nth Pa. Cavalry, and served until the close of the war. His parents were Jacob 
and Rebecca (Reed) McFadden, who came to Jefferson county in 1832. His wife was 
Christena Wingard, a daughter of Henry and Barbara (Wise) Wingard, of Clearfield 
county. They were married on May 17, '1867, and have four children living — Harvey 
W., Laura R., Daniel and Nettie B. 

McFadden, B. W., Polk, Schoffner's Corners p. o., was born in Polk township, on 
October 20, 1853; is a farmer, and owns 100 acres, and is also engaged in the lumber 
business. His parents were Jacob and Rebecca (Reis) McFadden, who came to this 
county in 1832. He was married on September 13, 1877, to Caroline Wingard, a 
daughter of Henry and Barbara (^Vise) Wingard, of Clearfield county. B. W. and Car- 
oline have had two children — Delia B. and John F. 

McFadden, Shannon, Polk, Munderf p. o., was born in Oliver township, Jefferson 
county, on March 15, 1836. He is a farmer and lumberman, and owns 157 acres. He 
is now overseer of the poor, and has been supervisor and town auditor. He enlisted in 
Co. I, 8th Pa. Vols., in 1861, served for three months, and re-enlisted in Co. L, nth 
Pa. Cavalry, and served two years, re-enlisted in same company and regiment, and was 
second lieutenant of the same company, serving to the close of the war. His parents 
are [acob and Rebecca (Reed) McFadden, who came to Jefferson county in 1832. 
Shannon was married on May 29, 1866, to .'\nnie Webster, a daughter of George and 
Lydia (Rogers) Webster. Shannon and Annie have had two children — Gussie M. and 
Charles C. 

McKee, David, Pun.xsutawney ; was born in Center coimty, Pa., in 1809, and was a 
son of William and Elizabeth McKee. William was born in Ireland, and his wife was 
born in Scotland ; they were married in Centre county. Pa. William died in 1812, leaving 
a widow and a family of six children, two of whom are now living — William and David. 
David settled in Clarion county in 1835, and was married in 1839 to Matilda Jane 
Chambers, a daughter of William Chambers. They had a family of nine children, six 
of whom are now living: James M., Francis P., Thomas B., Edwin H., David O., Clara 
Jane and Maggie A., who died leaving one daughter. David settled in Jefferson county 
In 1855 ; on his return from California jiurchasing his present homestead of 137 acres. 



736 History of Jefferson County. 

McLaughlin, John, Washington, Beechtree p. o., was born in County Donegal, Ire- 
land, in April, 1825, and was a son of John and Margaret (Wilson) McLaughlin ; landed 
in Philadelphia, on July 5, 1846. He was married December 21, 1847, to Catharine 
Fergheson, who came from County Donegal, Ireland, in 1845, and died on May 29, 
1886, in her sixty-second year. Their children were: Jane, born in Philadelphia, in 
1848, and died in infancy; John, born in Philadelphia; Margaret, now Mrs. S. B. Fer- 
man, born in Philadelphia, came with family to Jefferson county, on October, 21, 1855, 
and settled at Rockdale; Esther F., now Mrs. Hugh Cooper, born at Rockdale; Isa- 
bella, now Mrs. John S. Ross, and James. John served four years in the late Rebell- 
ion ; three years in Co. D, 105th Pa. Vols., and one year in the ist U. S. Veteran Corps 
under General Hancock. He received two gun shot wounds in service. He located 
on the farm on which he now resides in the year 1868. 

McLaughlin, N. T., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Bucks county on De- 
cember 7, 1852; is a general blacksmith and wagon-maker, and is also burgess of 
Brockwayville. His parents were John and Mary (McElhany) McLaughlin. He was 
married on September 2, 1877, to C. C. Rowdish, a daughter of Philo and Cornelia 
(Bronson) Rowdish, formerly of Warsaw township. She died on April 13, 1886, leaving 
on child — Karl P. 

McLean, M. T., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a general blacksmith, and was born 
in New Castle, N. B., on January 10, 1849, ^^'^ ^^^ ^ ^o" o^ Michael and Nancy (Sher- 
wood) McLean. He was reared in his native town, and learned his trade in Boston, 
Mass., where he served an apprenticeship of five years and four months. He located in 
Reynoldsville in 1879, where he has been actively engaged in business ever since, and 
has the reputation of being one of the best workmen in his line in the county. 

McNeal, Frank H., Eldred, Sigel p. o., was a son of William and Sarah (Harrison) 
McNeal, and was born in Indiana county in 1845. He was married in i860 to Anna E. 
Gayley. who was born on August 20, 1839. They had a family of eight children — two 
girls and six boys. 

McNeal, James, a son of William and Sarah (Harbison) McNeal, was born in Indiana 
county on April 7, 1826, and settled in Jefferson county in 1840. He was married in 
1848 to Hannah Ross, of Jefferson county, who died on February 19, 1849. He was 
married the second time on September 30, 1849, to Mary Jane Dynes, of Crawford 
county, who died on July 17, 1885. They had four children — William R., Sarah R. 
(deceased), James F., Nancy J. Mr. McNeal held the office of school director for a 
number of years, and is now assessor. His father was born in Indiana county. Pa., in 
1799, and was married three times. His first wife was Sarah Harbison, his second Re- 
becca Elder, and his third Letetia Gayley. He died on September 17, 1882. 

McNeal, Thomas, Eldred, Sigel p. o., was born in Indiana county. Pa., on May 291 
1837, and was a son of William and Rebecca (Elder) McNeal, who died in 1882, at the 
age of forty-five years. He settled in Jefferson county in 1840, and married Nancy M. 
Matthews, who was born on February 15, 1840. They had a family of ten children — 
Mary R. (born April 25, 1861), William E. (born May 4, 1863, and died February 18, 
1864), Thomas L. (born December 23, 1864), Nancy J. (born February 6, 1866), Anna 
B. (born January i, 1869; died April 15, 1883), James H., (born July 8, 1871), Frank 
P. (born April 18, 1873), Emma B. (born July 4, 1875), Clifton E. (born September 11, 
1878), John S. (born November 4, 1S79). Mr. McNeal is now engaged in farming and 
lumbering, owning in all about one hundred and seventy-six acres of fine land. His 
father was bom in Indiana county in 1799, and was married three times. His first wife 
was Sarah Harbison, his second Rebecca Elder, and his third Letetia Gayley. He died 
on September 17, 1882. 

McWilliams, A. 0., ^^■arsaw, was born in \\'e.stmoreland county on June 6, 1S41, 
and came to Jefferson county in 1854. He is now engaged in blacksmithing and farm- 
ing, owning thirty acres. He enlisted in Company D, Second Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
for six months, and re-enlisted in June, 1863. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth 
(Osborn) McWilliams. He was married on June 21, 1866. to Nancy Mcintosh. They 



Brief Personals. 737 



\ 



have bad two children — Anna B. and Mary E. Nancy was a daughter of Henry and 
Margaret (McCannel) Mcintosh. 

Miller, Frank C, Punxsutawney, was born in Punxsutawney in 1S56, and was a son 
of Adam B. and Jane (Woodward) Miller. Adam was born in Ohio in 1S23, and his 
wife, Jane, was born in Armstrong county. They settled in the borough in 1S44. They 
have had a family of nine children, six of whom are now living. Adam is a merchant 
tailor, and has held all of the borough offices. He was burgess and justice of the peace 
for three years. Frank C. was married hi 1881 to Elida Reynolds, of Reynoldsville. 
They have had one child — Pauline. F. C. Miller became a clerk in 1868, and in 1884 
he became engaged in the general mercantile business in the borough, under the firm 
name of Messrs. James North and F. C. Miller. They are the most extensive mercan- 
tile firm in this section, dealing in all classes of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, 
and fancy goods. 

Miller, George W., Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Hen- 
derson township on January i, 1850, and was a son of Joann and Anna M. (Wise) Mil- 
ler, who settled in Jefterson county, in Henderson township, in 1835, where they cleared 
and improved a farm on which they resided until 1872, when tliey removed to Winslow 
township to the farm which is now occupied by George \\'. Miller. The father died on 
March 12, 18S6, in his seventy-seventh year. They had two children — Adam and 
George W. 

Moore, David B., Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born in 
Washington township on September 3, 1839, and was a son of Andrew and Margaret 
(Eakins) Moore, who settled in Washington township in 1835. David B. settled on the 
farm which he now occupies in 1864, all of which he has cleared and improved himself. 
He was married in 1863 to Helen Perrin. They have three children — Lowell W., 
Vernon L., and. Laura B. Mr. Moore was a soldier in the late war of the rebellion, 
enlisting in the One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers; served nine months, 
when he was honorably discharged on account of disability. 

Morrison, Isaac, Washington, Allen's Mills p. o.,is a farmer, and was born in County 
Derry, Ireland, in 1822, and was a son of Robert and Dorothea (Maharg) Morrison, who 
settled in Washington township in 1832, on the farm now owned by Isaac and Robert F. 
Morrison, which, with the assistance of their sons, they cleared, and made a home in the 
wilderness. Isaac succeeded to a part of the homestead. He was married on January 
6, 1848, to Mary A. Morrison. They have had five children — William R., Robert W., 
Martha J. (Mrs. R. P. Johnson), Mary A. (Mrs. R. S. Patton), and Isaac F. Mary A. 
was a daughter of William and Martha (Logue) Morrison, of Centre county. 

Moore, James L., Reynoldsville p. o., Washington, is a farmer and was born in Cen- 
tre county on April 2, 1819. He was a son of Andrew and Margaret (Aiken) Moore, 
who settled in Washington township in 1835 where they cleared and improved a farm. 
They had a family of eight children — James L., Edward M., Mary A., Fanny, Nancy, 
Andrew, Jacob, and Davis B. James L. settled on the farm he now occupies in 1848, 
all of which he cleared and improved himself, and at the time of settlement took him 
eight days to cut his way through the timber to get through with an ox team. He mar- 
ried Sarah Rogers. They have had eight children — Manford M., Margaret, Mary, and 
Martha (twins), Estavilla, Andrew, James, and Alva D. Sarah was a daughter of Uriah 
and Hannah (Rogers) Rogers, of Elk township. 

Moore, Martin W., Aliens Mills p. o., \\'arsaw, a member of the firm of Moore 
Bros, owning planing and shingle mills, was born in this town on September 1, 1855, 
and was a son of A. E. and Lucretia (Perrin) Moore, of Warsaw. He was married on 
July 2, 1879, to Sarah McManigle. They have had a family of four children — Harry 
E., Gertie M., Lon A., and Elmer R. Sarah was a daughter of Robert and Margaret 
(Steel) McManigle, of Rose, Jefferson county. 

Moorehead, Jackson, Reynoldsville p. o., Warsaw, came to this township about 1840, 
built the grist and steam saw-mill at this place and died in August, 1885. The business 
is now carried on by his heirs and is known as the Moorehead Lumber Company, and 



738 History of Jefferson County. 

is now conducted under the management of B. J. Moorehead. Mr. Moorehead mar- 
ried E valine S. Bartlett. They had five children — Pearl (deceased), Laura L. (wife of 
Erwin Douett), Mary (now Mrs. C. B. Hastings, of Brookville), and B. J., business 
manager at Richardsville. 

Morrison, Joseph, Reynoldsville p. o., Winslow, is a farmer and was born in County 
Derby, Ireland, on October 28, 1826. He was a son of Robert and Dorothea (Mont- 
gomery) Morrison, who settled in Washington township in 1832, and cleared and im- 
proved the farm which is now occupied by Isaac and Robert F. Morrison, where they 
resided up to the time of their deaths. Their children were Susannah, William, Letetia, 
John, Rebecca, Isaac, Barbara, and Joseph. Joseph settled in Snyder township in 1853. 
and cleared and improved a farm there where he resided until the fall of 1865, when he 
removed to Reynoldsville. He was married in 1852 to Mary A. Mcintosh. They have 
had three children — Robert H., Anna E., and William J. Mar)' A. was a daughter of 
Robert and Mary A. (Stevenson) Mcintosh. 

Morrison, Dr. T. R., Punxsutawney, dentist, commenced the study of his profession 
in 1880, and graduated from the Philadelphia Dental College in the class of '85-'86, 
and settled in the borough of Pun,\sutawney, April i, 1S86. with full encouragement of 
a successful practice. 

Morrison, Robert, Beech Tree p. o., Washington, was born in county Derry, Ireland, 
in September, 1814, and was a son of William and Mary A. (Lundy) Morrison. He 
came to Washington township in 1832 and settled on the farm he now occupies in 1843, 
all of which he has cleared and improved. In the early days he was noted as a hunter, 
and killed a great many deer in the vicinity of his present residence. He was married 
in 1 84 1 to Mary A. Armstrongs of Clarion county. They have had ten children, seven 
of whom are living — Jane, Anna, Lib, Lovena, Emma, Robert L., and William A. 
Mary A. was a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Thom) Armstrong, residents of 
Clarion county. 

Myers, T. M., Brockwayville p. o., Snyder, was born in Clearfield county on Decem- 
ber g, 1838, and came to this county with his parents Jacob and Elizabeth (Monahan) 
Myers, the same year. He is a miller by trade and enlisted in Co. B, i3Sth Pa. Vols, 
•on August — , 1862, served nine months, re-enlisted in Co. B August 29, 1864, in the 
2iith Pa. Vols, and served to the close of the war. His second wife was Sarah M. 
Clark, a daughter of Dr. A. M. and R. M. (Nichols) Clark, who came herein 1836. 
He was married on November i, 1866. They have five children now living — Milton 
C, Jacob D., Guy T., John C, and Willie A. His first wife was Elinor Iddings, to 
whom he was married on August 5, i860. They had two children — Elizabeth J. (wife 
of H. S. Derrick), Sarah R. (wife of B. E. Dill). Elinor was a daughter of James Id- 
dings, of Elk county. 

Niver, Dr. William C, Brockwayville p. o., Snyder, was born in Friendship, Alle- 
gany county, N. Y., on July 10, 1823, and came to Brockwayville on May 23, 1852. 
He has practiced medicine here for thirty-four years. He was elected the first burgess 
of the borough. His parents were William and Keziah (Utter) Niver, who were na- 
tives of New York. William C. Niver was married on August 10, 1855, to Semeramas 
Brown. She was a daughter of John and Electa (Taylor) Brown, of Warren, Pa. They 
have had a family of six children — Jessie J. (married William Curry), Edward C, 
Amanda S. (wife of Thomas J. Emigh), Florence S., Lucy C, and Mary R. 

Osburn, Robert C, Victor p. 0., Washington, was born in Washington township on 
May 31, 1S51, and was a son of James and Martha (McCullough) Osburn. His ma- 
ternal grandfather, Alexander Osburn, was a native of Ireland, who settled in Washing- 
ton township in 1824, taking up 5000 acres of land. He was a prominent farmer in his 
day and was the contractor who built the turnpike through Jefterson county in pioneer 
days. His children were James, Samuel, Robert, John, Henry, Eliza, and Margaret ; 
of these children James, the father of Robert C, was a prominent lumberman of his 
day. He reared a family of twelve children — \\"illiam (deceased), Robert C, Moftatt, 
Jane, Samuel M., James R., John N., William A., Henry S., Byrd M., Benjamin, and 



Brief Personals. 739 



Arner Mc. Robert C. Osburn has been engaged in lumbering since 1871. He married 
Mary J. Thompson. Thev have had four children — James M., Adelva M., Bertie, and 
Ethel. Mary J. was a daughter of Ebenezer Thompson, of Brookville, Pa. 

Osburn, William Boyd, Victor p. o., Washington, is a farmer, and was born in Wash- 
ington township on October i, 1859, and was a son of Samuel and Rachel (McCul- 
lough) Osburn. His paternal grandfather, Alexander Osburn, settled here in 1824, and 
his maternal grandfather, William McCullough, settled in this township in 1832; both 
w'ere natives of Ireland. Samuel Osburn with his brother cleared and improved the farm 
which is now occupied by William Boyd. His children by his first wife, Margaret 
Smith, were Alexander and Elizabeth. His second wife was Rachel McCullough. 
Their children were Margaret, William B., Jane E., and James L. William Boyd Os- 
burn was married on July 26, 1882, to Tillie Osburn. They have had two children — 
Sarah and Gillis R. Tillie was a daughter of Robert and Sarah (McCullough) Osbuni. 

Pantall, Thomas M., Punxsutawney, the inventor, saddler and harness manufacturer 
who resides in Punxsutawney, was born in Oliver township, Pennsylvania, in 1848 and 
was the son of James and Elizabeth (Reece) Pantall. They were born and married in 
Herfordshire, England, and settled in Jefferson county about 1835. They had a family 
of nine children, seven of whom are now living — Elijah, William, John R., Philip R., 

Theophilus, Thomas M. and . James was born in 1799 and died in 1883; his 

wife died in 1865. Thomas iVI. was married in 1870 to Mary Ann Rogers. They 
have had a family of five children — Norah A., James J., Clyde T., Nannie I. and 
Frank B. Mary Ann was a daughter of Isaac Rogers. Thomas M. Pantall has been 
engaged in the harness business since 1871. 

Patton, William, ^Vashington, Coal Glen p. o., is a farmer and was born in County 
Donegal, Ireland, on May, 4, 1818, and was a son of Robert and Sarah (Smith) Patton, 
who settled in Washington township in 1842. Their children were Samuel, William, 
Isabella, James, Andrew, Thomas and Robert. William settled on the farm which he 
now occupies, in 1842, and cleared and improved it himself He was married on July 
2, 1846 to Sarah J. Welsh. They have had a family of eight children — Sarah A., Mar- 
garet J., Isabella, Harriet E., Robert S., James VV., William J. and Violet L. Sarah J. 
was a daughter of James and Margaret (Cruthers) Welsh, of Washington township. 

Pettibone, Stephen N., Warsaw, was born in Luzerne county on August 10, 1839 
and came to Jefterson county in 1847. He is now engaged in the general mercantile 
business and a member of the firm of Rickard and Pettibone at Warsaw. He enlisted 
in Company C, nth Michigan Volunteers, March 10, 1865. He was a son of Oliver 
G. and Elizabeth Pettibone, w-ho came to the county in 1S47. Stephen was married on 
May 12, 1861, to Harriet T. Hoffman, a daughter of James K. and Barbara (Mercer) 
Hoffman, of Jefterson county. They had a family of six children — Laura O., (wife of 
George Fredenburg), Myrtle E. (wife of George Webster). Marvin F., Hattie V., L. 
Blanche and Melvin B. 

Penfield, Richard A», Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born where he now resides 
on September 22, 1857. He is now engaged in farming and owns 126 acres. His pa- 
rents were James and Elizabeth (Johnson) Penfield. His wife was Marga A. Dough- 
erty, (a daughter of James and Sarah (Camel) Dougherty, of Washington township) to 
whom he was married on June 18, 1879. They have had two children — William J. 
and John F. 

Rankin, M. M., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Indiana county, Pennsyl- 
vania, on May 11, 1851, and came to Jefferson county, Pennsylvania in 1875. He is 
a practicing physician and surgeon and is a member of the firm of Rankin and Condick. 
He was a graduate of the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, in 1876. His parents 
are Hugh and Margaret (Cooper) Rankin, of Indiana county. M. M. Rankin was 
married in September. 1870 to N. J. Getty, a daughter of M. C. and N. J. (McCartney) 
Getty, of Indiana county. They have had a family of three children — Willis C, Maud 
E. and Imogene. 

Reams, Quinton S., Big Run p. o., was born November 9, 1847, and is proprietor 



740 History of Jefferson County. 

of the Big Run steam planing, sawing and moulding mill and manufacturing to order 
sash, doors and house-building stock. He located here as foreman of the mill in 1886. 
The mill was burned in June, 1884. He bought the ground and erected a new mill 
55x60, sixty days later. He was married in 1878 to Mrs. Phebe S. (Kuntz) Cochrane, 
a daughter of Adam Kuntz. They have had five children — Willa Cochrane, Ella, 
Effie, F. Arnold and Stanley Reams. Q. S. Reams has served and is now burgess of 
the borough, and has also held other offices. His parents were Rev. John and Maria 
(Arnold) Reams. Rev. John is pastor of the Evangelical Association and is aresidentof 
Clearfield county. 

Rhodes, George W., Punxsutawney, was born in McCalmont township, Pennsylva- 
nia, in 1843 and was a son of John and Anna (Bowers) Rhodes. Anna was born in 
Virginia and her husband John was born in Union county. They were married and 
settled in Jefferson county in 1841. They had a family of eleven children, all of whom 
now reside in the county, five sons and six daughters. John was born in 181 5 and 
died in 1886. He settled with his parents, John and Mary (Moyer) Rhodes, in 1829. 
George W. enlisted in 1861 in Company A, 105th Pennsylvania volunteers, and served 
until June 5, 1865. He was taken prisoner but discharged on order No. 77, of War 
Department, was wounded the second time for which he now receives a pension. He 
was married in 1868 to Elizabeth Hawk. J'hs.v have had a family of nine children, 
eight of whom are now living, three girls and five boys. Mr. Rhodes has been super- 
visor for one term and is now engaged in farming. 

Richards, George W., Warsaw, Richardville p. o., was born in Indiana county on 
November 27, 1835, and came to Jefferson county with his parents, William R., and 
Ann T. (Clark) Richards, in April 1843. This place was named for William R., this 
being the end of any road at this time. He died in 1867. George W. was married on 
December 30, i860, to Rhoda S. Wilson, a daughter of Jeremiah and Rosana (Irving) 
Wilson, of Warsaw township. They have nine children living — George S., Eva M., 
Franklyn M., Annie R., Clara B., Benjamin O., Mary B. Ja\in J., Bessie R. Mr. 
Richards is now engaged in the hotel and tanning business. 

Rickard, A. M., Warsaw, was born in Indiana county, January 19, 1828. He is 
now engaged in farming. His parents were Peter and Margaret (Moore) Rickard, who 
came from Westmoreland county to Warsaw township in 1841. His wife was Susan 
Mc^Villiams, to whom he was married on August 30, 1854. They have had one child, 
James G. Susan was a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Robinson) McWilliams. 

Rickard, Thomas F. ^Varsaw, is a general merchant of the firm of Rickard and Pet- 
tibone, and was born where the hotel now stands on August 23, 1849. His parents 
were Peter and Margaret (Moore) Rickard. Mr. Rickard was a native of Westmore- 
land county and came to Warsaw about 1841. He died October 11, 1866 and his wife 
November 24, 1868. Thomas F., was married on July 4, 187 1, to Sena C. Dunn, a 
daughter of William and Jane A. (Munger) Dunn, of Warsaw. They have had two 
children — Nellie V. and Charlie F". 

Robinson, Daniel W., Punxsutawney, a merchant tailor and manufacturer of gents' 
fine dress suits at Punxsutawney, was born in Wyandotte county, Ohio, on May 20, 
1838, and was a son of Robert and Jane (McCreary) Robinson, who had a family of 
four children, three sons and one daughter. The mother died in 1841, and the father 
in 1S42. Daniel W. was cared for by his Uncle Joseph Cashun of Adams county, 
Pennsylvania from 1842 until 1852, at which time he was apprenticed to the tailor's 
trade. From 1856 he spent a portion of his time as a journeyman in Philadelphia and 
in 1858 became engaged in business in Gettysburg. He was married in i860 to Mar- 
tha Geiselman, of Gettysburg, a daughter of John Geiselman. They had a family of 
eight children, six of whom are now living. Daniel W. in 1861 enlisted in Company 
K., First Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry, serving for three years, at the end of which 
time he was discharged by reason of the exjiiration of his term of service. He then be- 
came sutler for the 209th Regiment, Pennsylvania ^''olunteers, and with some changes 
continued in the service until the close of the war. He settled in the borough in 1872 



Brief Personals. 741 



and became engaged in the tailoring business. He was elected burgess of the borough 
in 1885. 

Robinson, John H., Snyder, Sugar Hill p. o., was born in New Hampshire on July 23, 
1830, and came here in April, 1849. He is now engaged in farming and ownsi5o acres. 
He has been assessor, for several terms auditor and is now collector. He was in Com- 
pany C, Fifty-seventh Pennsylvania Militia for three months, when Lee was expected 
to make a raid in Pennsylvania. He was at the capture of John Morgan in Ohio. 
His parents were John and Hannah (Lee) Robinson, who were natives of England. 
He was married on March 30, 1854, to Caroline Butler, a daughter of Matthew and 
Sarah (Allott) Butler, who were natives of England. They have had a family of ten 
children — Sarah, Paul, Hannah. John E., William H.. Mary E., J. M., Carrie M., 
Eliza J. and Fannie V. 

Rockey, W. H. B., Warsaw, Allen's Mills p. o., was born in Red Bank township, 
Clarion county, on March 22, 1846. He is now engaged in the general mercantile 
business, and is a practicing physician at Allen's Mills. He came to Jefferson county 
in 1869. He enlisted on September i, 1861, in Company C, 105th Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers, being then in his sixteenth year. He served in twenty-two engagements, and 
was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, on July 2, 1863, and was discharged in front 
of Petersburg at the expiration of his term of enlistment in August, 1864. He was a son 
of Jacob and Catharine (Beck) Rokey. He was married on April i, 1881, to Nancy 
Culver, a daughter of Samuel O., and Margaret (Vasbinder) Culver, of Warsaw. They 
have had two children : William James and J. G. He was elected to the office of cor- 
oner for Jefferson county in 1884, which office he now holds. 

Ross, John, Washington, Allen's Mills p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Centre 
county, on June 17, 1831, and was a son of James and Nancy (Fury) Ross, who set- 
tled on the farm which is now occupied by John, in 1831, and cleared and improved it, 
where they resided up to the time of their deaths. Their children were James, Mary, 
John, Oliver, Nancy, Ruth, Elizabeth, Rachel, Sarah and Martha. John Ross, for 
nineteen years, occupied the farm of eighty-eight acres, in another part of the town, 
thirty acres of which he cleared and imjiroved himself He then purchased the old 
homestead where he has suice resided. He was married in 1854 to Susan Patterson, a 
daughter of John and Isabella (Smith) Patterson, of Washington township. They have 
had nine children : William John, Ruth, Maggie J., Tillie, Isabella, James A., Robert 
M., Susie and Mary O. 

Rudolph, Abraham Augustus, Punxsutawney, was born in Bell township in 184c;, 
and was a son of Abraham and Catharine (Rhodes) Rudolph. Catharine was born in 
Union county, and her husband, Abraham, was born in Westmoreland county in 1816. 
They were married in Brookville, in October, 1837. He settled in Jefferson county in 
1833. They had five children, three of whom are now living. One son served three 
years, ten months and twenty days in the loth Regiment P. V. Abraham was a prom- 
inent man ; held the office of justice of the peace and other township positions. He was 
a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Rudolph, who had a family of seven sons and one daugh- 
ter. Abraham, sr.'s wife died in 1847, and he then married his second wife, Emily 
Leach. They had eleven children, nine of whom are now living. Abraham Augustus 
was married in 1871 to Rebecca A. Tobin. They have had five children : Orville G., 
Abraham R., Margaret E., James S., and Nora. Mr. Rudolph is now engaged in man- 
ufacture and in farming. 

Segers, Redford, Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Maine in 1834, and came 
to Pennsylvania in 1858, and is now engaged in the manufacture of lumber. He was 
married in i860 to Martha J. Horning, of South Kersey. He moved from there in 
1863 and settled in Snyder on a farm of sixty-eight acres. His wife died on May 7, 
1871, leaving three children : Martha J., Elmer and Martha. He was married the sec- 
ond time, in 1876, to Elvira R. Grass, of Kersey. They have had three children : Ma- 
bel, Ella May and F>ona. 

Seifert, Edward, Big Run p. o. ; a lumber merchant, manufacturer and shipper, or 
90 



742 History of Jefferson County. 

Big Run, Jefferson county ; was born in the little kingdom of Saxony in 1851, and was 
a son of A. F. Seifert. Edward emigrated to America in 1S72, and that same year set- 
tled in McKeesport, as a lumber cleric for A. M. McClure. He was married in 1876 to 
Josephine McClure, a daughter of A. M. and Sarah (Cox) McClure. They have had 
two sons : William A., and Edward O. Mr. Seifert settled in Big Run borough in 1S76, 
doing business for A. M. McClure until the latter part of 1883, when he became en- 
gaged in business with Doctor A. P. Cox; said partnership was dissolved in January, 
1885, and Mr. Seifert then started in the manufacturing and dealing of lumber in all its 
branches. 

Senior, George, Washington, Victor p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Yorkshire, 
England, on December i, 1S14, and was a son of John and Mary (Mellor) Senior. He 
settled in Washington township in 1841, and cleared and improved a farm which he still 
owns, and is one of the most prominent farmers in the township. He has been married 
three times. His first wife was Mary A. Luren, of Yorkshire, England; they had three 
children : Allen, Emma and Mary A. His second wife was Jane Van Devert, of War- 
saw township, and his third wife was Mary Clyde, a daughter of William and Xancv 
Clyde, of Elk county. They have had five children: Nancy, Ira, Harrison C, William 
C, and Joseph E. 

Shadle, John, Warsaw, Allen's Mills p. o., was born in Huntington county, on March 
3, 181 8, and came to Jefferson county in 1833. He is a farmer and owns thirty acres. 
He enlisted in Company F, 67th Pennsylvania Volunteers, in December, 1861 ; was at 
the battles of Winchester, Kelley's Ford, and Mine Run, and served for three years and 
eight months. His parents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Fox) Shadle. John was mar- 
ried in January, 1844, to Lavina Carley, a daughter of Job M., and Elinor (Hickman) 
Carley, of Beaver county. John and Lavina have had nine children, seven of whom are 
now living : Martha, wife of John Sypherd ; Lloyd, Eleanor, wife of Winfield Stro- 
hecker ; Job M., Mary, wife of Perry Hoftman ; Elizabeth, wife of Jesse Hannah, and 
Ville. The two deceased are John L. and Delilah. 

Sherwood, Charles, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer and lumberman, and 
was born in Livingston county, N. Y., on July 21, 1S38. He was a son of Solomon and 
Phebe (Pearsall) Sherwood. He settled in Winslow township, in 1865, on the farm 
which he now occupies, all of which he has cleared and improved himself He was mar- 
ried on July 5, 1862, to Augusta Frank. They have five children living: Oscar W., 
M.D., in Illinois ; Homer i\I., medical student at medical college in Illinois; Harmon 
A., Lillie L., and Walter F. .\ugusta was a daughter of Christian and .\nsdena Frank, 
of Winslow township. She was born in Svvartzburgh, Germany, February 12, 1S40. 

Shoemaker, Josiah, Washington, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in 
Columbia county, on November 8, 1836, and was a son of John and Penninah (Hea- 
cock) Shoemaker, who settled in Washington township in 185 1, and cleared and im- 
proved the farm which is now occupied by Ellis Shoemaker. Their children were Amos, 
Josiah, Ellis, Emma and William. Josiah settled on the farm which he now occupies, 
in 1866, and a part of which he has cleared. His wife was Fannie McConnell. They 
have had two children : James A., and Florence. F'annie was a daughter of James and 
Jane (Mitchell) McConnell, of Washington township. Mr. Shoemaker was a soldier in 
the late War of the Rebellion, serving twenty-two months in the 82d Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers, and at the end of his term of service was honorably discharged. 

Sibley, George W., Snyder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in the town of Snyder, on 
April 17, 1830, and is now engaged in the grocery and provision business on East Main 
street, at East Brockwayville. He has been a justice of the peace for several terms, and 
is now councilman, overseer of the poor, and borough collector. He enlisted in Com- 
pany B, i3Sth Pennsylvania Volunteers, in 1862, and was discharged on the 19th of No- 
vember, 1862, for permanent disability. His parents were Ammi and Rachel (White- 
hill) Sibley. Ammi was a soldier in the War of 181 2. George W. was married on 
September 28, 1850, to Mary Barrett. They have had seven children : Menzo A. (de- 
ceased, killed by a tree falling on him) ; Eugene B., .\. W., .\lma L. (deceased), Rosa- 



Brief Personals. 743 



mond G., Hettie O. (deceased), and Warren O. (deceased). Mary A. was a daughter 
of Peter and Priscilla (Lewis) Barrett. 

Skeesley, Henry, Big Run, one of the representative farmers of Gaskill township, 
was born in Dauphin county in 1825 and was a son of Andrew and Sarah C. (Lanicert) 
Sheesley, who settled in Armstrong county in 1825, and late in life settled in Illinois, 
where they died having had a family of twelve children, eight of whom are now living. 
Three of his sons served m the war of the Rebellion, each serving a term of three years. 
Henry was married in 1853 to Sarah Williamson, who was born in Indiana county, a 
daughter of Hiram Williamson; she died in 1876 leaving a husband and six children — 
Lydia A., William Johnson, Sarah C, David L., Martha J., and Andrew L. Henry 
settled in Jefterson county on his present homestead in 1847. He has been a success- 
ful farmer and lumberman. 

Smeyers, Daniel J., Big Run, owner and proprietor of the steam saw and planing- 
mill, manufacturer of sash, blinds and furniture to order, of Big Run, was born in Cam- 
bria county, Pa., in 1843. He was a son of Daniel and ,\nn (Barringer) Smeyers, who 
settled in Henderson in 1839, and died in 1874 leaving her husband and eight sons and 
one daughter. The father, who was born in 1804, is still living. Four of his sons en- 
listed in Co. A, 105th Pa. Vols, in 1861, and were discharged in 1863. Benjamin T. 
was discharged in 1866. Philip E. and David L. enlisted in the 206th. Five sons are 
now living — John B., William S., D. L., D. J., George W., and Lucinda J. Daniel J., 
was married in 1863 to Mary E. Kerr. They had a family of eight children. D. L. 
and D. J. erected the furniture factory and became engaged in business in 1866. In 
1876 D. J. took the business and added steam power and extended the general business. 

Smith, Francis D., Pancoast p. o., Washington, was born in Washington township 
on June 30, 1859, and was a son of \\'illiam and Eliza J. (Delamore) Smith, who set- 
tled on the farm now occupied by their son Francis D., about 1855, and cleared and 
improved the same. The father died soon after settling on the farm which is now oc- 
cupied by Francis D. and his mother. They have made many changes and improve- 
ments. 

Smith, James S., Pancoast p. o., Washington, is a farmer, and was born in county 
Donegal, Ireland, and is a son of Andrew and Isabella (Smith) Smith, who settled in 
Washington township. Pa., in 1848. Their children were Mary J,, James S., Margaret, 
William, John, Sarah (deceased), Andrew, and Elizabeth. James S. settled on the farm 
with his parents and came to the farm which he now occupies in 1848, most of which 
he has cleared and improved himself. He married Marv A. Atwell, of Washington 
township. They have had ten children — John (deceased), Andrew H., Mary R., Al- 
bert W., Alice E., Thomas J., Edna (deceased), Florence, and Maud. 

Smith, John, Beech Tree p. o., Washington, is a farmer and was born in Centre 
county on May — , 1823, and was a son of James and Eleanor (Carney) Smith, pioneers 
of Washington township. John Smith settled on the farm which he now occujiies in 
1844, and which he has cleared and improved himself He was married in November, 
r845, to Nancy Hunter. They have a family of five children — James .\., Jane E., John 
B., Andrew W., and Matthew W. Nancy was a daughter of John and James (Brown) 
Hunter, of Washington township. 

Smith, Matthew, Rockdale Mills p. o., Washington, was born in County Donegal, 
Ireland, in September, 1814, and was a son of James and Ellen (Kearney) Smith, who 
came to Philadelphia in 1822. Matthew came to Pine Creek township, now Washing- 
ton, in 182S, and in 1835 settled on the farm which he now occupies with his son James, 
all of which he cleared and improved himself He is now engaged in farming. He 
was married in October, i8:36, to Elizabeth Hunter, a daughter of John and Jane 
(Brown) Hunter, of Washington township. They have had ten children — Ellen, James, 
Jane S., Mary A., John, Margaret, Andrew W., Nancy C, Eliza, and Rebecca. 

Smith, Perry, Richardson p. o., Warsaw, was born in Clarion county on April 9, 
1839. He is now engaged in farming and owns 150 acres. He enlisted in Co. D, 
105th Pa. Vols, in 1861, and was taken prisoner at Centreville at the second battle of 



744 History of Jefferson County. 

Bull Run, and was discharged as a paroled prisoner in 1S63. He was wounded at this 
sanne battle and now carries the ball in his leg below the knee. His parents were John 
and Jane (Downs) Smith, of Clarion county. He was married on June 8, 1864, to 
Caroline C. Bartlett, a daughter of Emery and Sophronia (Neff) Bartlett. Perry and 
Caroline have had a family of three children — Madeline V., Harvey R., and Perry B. 

Smith, Robert A., Rockdale Mills p. o., Washington, is a farmer and was born in 
Washington township on June 3, 1828. He was a son of Andrew and Jane (Mcintosh) 
Smith. His paternal grandfather was James Smith, a native of Ireland, who purchased 
the land now occupied by Robert A. and on which Andrew Smith settled in 1826, and 
which he cleared and improved. Andrew died on March 9, 1882. His wife was a 
daughter of Robert and Mary (Stevenson) Macintosh, who setded in Washington town- 
ship in 1825. His children were Eleanor, Robert A., James G., Mary, Matthew H.. 
Sarah A., Margaret J., and Elizabeth. Robert A. now occupies the old homestead, 
His wife was Mary McCullough, a daughter of William H. and Margaret (Smith) Mc- 
Cullough, of Washington township. 

Smith, William, Rockdale p. o., Washington, is a farmer, and was born in County 
Donegal, Ireland, in July, 1816, and was a son of James and Eleanor (Kearney) Smith, 
who settled in Washington township in 1827, and cleared and improved the farm on 
which they resided up to the time of their deaths. Their children were Andrew, Mat- 
thew, William, John, Eleanor, and Jane. William Smith settled on the farm which he 
now occupies in 1840. He was married in April, 1844, to Eliza J. Bond, a resident of 
this township. They have had eleven children — Eleanor J. Mary (deceased), Nancy 
H. (deceased), James B., Sarah, Andrew, Eliza A., Matthew L., Hattie A., John (de- 
ceased), and John H. 

Smith, William C, Rockdale p. o., Washington, is a farmer and teacher, and was 
born in Washington township on P'ebruary 20, 1842. He was a son of William and Ann 
(Trotter) Smith, who were natives of Ireland, and settled in Washington township 
in 1834, and cleared and improved the farm which is now occupied by their son Will- 
iam C, and where they resided up to the time of their deaths. Their children were 
Hamilton, Sarah J., Margaret, Andrew H., James, Annie, and William C. William C. 
was married in 1865 to Eliza McCormick, of Warsaw township. They have had a fam- 
ily of six children — Annie, Sarah M., Pelton, Clara, Susie, and Nellie. Eliza was a 
daughter of John and Elizabeth (Huffman) McCormick, of Warsaw. 

Snyder, Benewill, Reynoldsville p. o., Winslow, was born in Schuylkill county on 
November 17, 1823, and was a son of Frederick and Catherine (Martin) Snyder. He 
was reared in his native county and settled in Winslow township in 1852 on the farm 
he now occupies most of which he has cleared and improved. He married Lydia Zim- 
merman. They have had nine children — Jonathan, Elizabeth, Sarah, Josiah, Frank, 
Isaac, Levi, Gideon, and Sebastian. Lydia was a daughter of Sebastian and Elizabeth 
(Gluck) Zimmerman, of Schuylkill county. 

Snyder, John F., Warsaw, Richardsville p. o., was born in Union county, and came 
to Jefferson county, in September, 1851. He was born on Aug. 14, 1825, and is a far- 
mer, owning a farm of 150 acres. His [jarents were Henry and Mary (Fry) Snyder. 
He was married on Sept. 19, 1848, to Esther A. Reed, a daughter of Robert and Ellen 
(McCormick) Reed, of Clarion county. John F. and Esther A., have eight children — 
Robert R., James H., F'rancis E. (deceased), Quintes S. (deceased), Ida H. (wife of 
Rev. S. M. Sartwell, Laura A. (wife of S. J. Moorehead, of Richardsville), Frank P., 
Harvey J. His second wife was Sarah C. McCormick, a daughter of John and Nancy 
(McFarland) McCormick. 

Spindler, Charles A., Punxsutawney, of Bell township, was born in Saxony, Ger- 
many, in 1S36, and was a son of Henry and Christina (Pencil) Spindler, who emigrated 
to America in 1847, and in 1849 settled on the homestead farm in Bell township, where 
they died; he in 1870, at the age of sixty-nine years, and his wife in 1882, at the age 
of eighty years. They left but one son, Charles A. He was married in i860, to Heitz- 
enrider. She died in 1863, leaving two children — Henry Scott and Emma. He 



Brief Personals. 745 



then married his second wife, Lydia A. Walker, in 1865. She was born in Indiana 
county. They had two children — Jacob P. and Christina. Charles was prominent in 
clearing the farm, which was when they settled on it a wooded homestead of 120 acres. 
He now owns 167 acres, and erected a steam saw-mill in 1871, with a capacity often 
thousand feet of lumber a day. 

Sprague, George G., Winslow, Rathmal p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Danville, 
Caledonia county, on February 2, 1818, and was a son of Samuel and Hannah (Farley) 
Sprague, who settled on the farm now occupied by George C, in 1832, a part of which 
they cleared and improved, and lived and died there. Their children were George G., 
William, Hannah, Hiram and JMary. George G. succeeded to the old homestead upon 
which he had made all the improvements of present buildings. He married Prudence 
Broadhead. They have had eight children — Angelina, Martha (deceased), Edwin, Al- 
bert, ^Valton, Charles, Mary and Edith. Prudence was a daughter of James and Mary 
Broadhead, of Winslow, formerly of England. 

Stahlman, Gabriel, Warsaw, Brookville p. o., was born in Deep Creek Valley, Schuyl- 
kill county, on March 8, 1828, and came to Jefferson county in 1850. He is a farmer 
and owns 539 acres. His parents were Jeremiah and Catharine (Young) Stahlman, of 
Schuylkill county. He was married on February 17, 1852, to Esther Keck, a daughter 
of David and Balona (Kinion) Keck, of Westmoreland county. They have had ten 
children — David W., Cornelius (deceased), Thomas B, Salome married Alonzo Bennin- 
ger, and died in 1877), D. M., G. M., F. M., Emma, Clark R. and Abbie A. 

Stevenson, Henry, Winslow, Sandy Valley p. o., is a farmer, and was born in county 
Tyrone, Ireland, Aug. 26, 1839. He was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Moore) Ste- 
venson, who settled in Washington township in 1845, where they cleared a farm on which 
they resided up to the time of their deaths. Their children were Robert, William, Mar- 
tha, James, Henry, Nancy, Rebecca, Thomas and Mary. Henry was a resident of 
Washington township up to 1881, in which vear he came to Winslow township. He 
cleared and improved a farm of 76 acres in Winslow township. He was married in Au- 
gust, 186S, to Martha McCullough, of Washington township. She died December 3, 
1886. They had two children — Nancy E. and James W. Martha was a daughter of 
Hugh and Nancy (Bond) McCullough, of Washington township. Henry served three 
years in Co. H, 105th Pa. Vols., during the late war of the Rebellion. 

Strouse, George, Winslow, Sandy Valley p. o., was born in Westmoreland county, 
July 17, 1827, and emigrated from thence to Jefferson county with his parents, Jona- 
than and Juliana (Seese) Strouse, in 1838. He married Barbara Smith, in 1847. They 
had one son, Jacob. Bereft of his wife, he again married in 1854, his connubial com- 
panion on this occasion being Margaret E. Damas. They had three children — Mary 
(who died in 1886), Daniel W. and George Curtin. George \\'. Strouse died in 1886, 
and his widow and her two sons now occupy the old homestead, which their father 
hewed out of the forest, and which he cultivated till his death. He was a man of a 
Spartan character, highly respected by all who knew him, and in whom the jiublic was 
wont to repose responsible trusts, which were always faithluUy dealt with. 

Strouse, Martin, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in West- 
moreland county, on May 18, 1829, and w^as a son of Jonathan and Julia Ann (Seese) 
Strouse, who settled in Winslow in 1838. Martin Strouse settled on the farm which he 
now occupies in 1857, all of which he cleared and improved himself He married Mary 
A. Phillippi, on Oct. 21, 1852; a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Dumbole) Phillipi, 
of Winslow. Martin and Mary A. have seven children living — Amos S., Rosanna, 
Elizabeth, Jonathan E., John M., lona and Ada Christena. 

Strouse, Noah, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in Winslow 
township, on July 12, 1842, and was a son of Jonathan and Julia (Sease) Strouse, w^ho 
settled in Winslow township, in 1S53, locating on the farm which is now occupied by 
Noah, and which they cleared and improved, and where they lived and died. They had 
seven children — George, Martin, Daniel, Christopher, Jacob, Elizabeth and Noah. The 
latter succeeded to the homestead where he now resides. He married Minerva Phillippi. 



746 History of Jefferson County. 

They have six children living — Mabel, Albert, William, Ambrose, Estella and John. 
Minerva was a daughter of Solomon and Margaret (Smith) Phillipi, of Winslow. 

Syphrit, Daniel, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., is a farmer, and was born in West- 
moreland county, on March i8, 1841, and was a son of Joseph and Mary (Campbell) 
Syphrit. He was reared in Winslow township, and settled on the farm which he now 
occupies in 1865, and on which he had made many modern improvements. He was 
married in 187 1 to Mary A. Henry. They have had several children — John M., Sarah 
E., George W., Alice C, Noah W., Anna B. and Charles L. Mary A. was a daughter 
of John F, and Caroline Henry, of Jefferson county. 

Syphrit, Joseph, Winslow, Reynoldsville p. o., i.s a farmer, and was born in Canada 
on January 15, 18 14. He was a son of Christian and Mary (Shank) Syphrit, and settled 
in Winslow township in 1841, clearing the farm which he now occupies. For many 
years he was engaged in the lumber business, floating his lumber on rafts to Pittsburgh 
and Cincinnati. He was married in 1835 to Mary, a daughter of J. K. Campbell, of 
Ligonier Valley. They had thirteen children — Rebecca, Susan, Daniel, Mary, Noah, 
Christopher, .-Vmanda, Lizzie, Priscilia, Joseph, Martm, Julia A., and Maggie. Of these 
children, Noah settled on the farm on which he now resides in 1868, and which he has 
cleared and improved. He was married on May 12, 1869, to Mary London. They 
have had eight children — Adda V., Joseph W., Elmer S., Samuel T., Parson M., Ed- 
ward R., Tressa M., and Ella J. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of Edward and Susan 
(Shillon) London, of Henderson township. 

Thompson, Andrew J., Snvder, Brockwayville p. o., was born in Huntington county 
on November 8, 1829, and came to Sn\der township on May i, 1851, and became en- 
gaged in the lumber business, a trade which he followed for thirty years. He is now 
interested in farming. His parents were Andrew and Hannah J. (Smith) Thompson, of 
Huntington county, Pa. Andrew J. was married on September 25, 1861, to ,\nnette 
Powell, a daughter of Reuben and Angeline (Cleveland) Powell, of Vermont. Andrew 
J. and .\nnette have had two children — Lelia A., and Andrew J., jr. 

Torrence, James, Punxsutawney, is descended from the sturdy Scotch-Irish Presby- 
terians who emigrated from the northern part of Ireland to America, and settled m 
Pennsylvania at an early day. They were found among the Provincial troops during 
the French and Indian War, and when the alarm of the American Revolution echoed 
along the rocky walls of the Blue Mountains, it awakened a congenial thrill of patriotic 
blood, which years before had done service in Ireland under the banners of the Protes- 
tant prince, William of Orange, and which, in latter years helped to resist the arbitrary 
powers of England, gave their lives in their country's defense. James was the fifth of 
nine children of Hugh and Mary (Gray) Torrence. He was born in Westmoreland 
county August 3, 1812. As soon as James became of sufficient age, he was apprenticed 
to the tanner's trade, near Pittsburgh, a business in which he afterwards extensively en- 
gaged. In the year 1830 he came to Brookville, but not liking the place came to Punx- 
sutawney, where he located and purchased a small tract of land upon which he opened 
his tannery and built his dwelling-house. For this tract he paid $75. Soon after this 
he made another purchase of about the same magnitude. Both tracts lay in the very 
centre of Punxsutawney borough, and soon became very valuable. He was married in 
1836 to Mary Caldwell, a daughter of William and Martha Caldwell, of Indiana county. 
They had seven children — Silas, William, Louisa. .\nna, James M., George H., and 
John. Of these children, all are now living, with the exception of Louisa, Anna, and 
John. His wife died in 1857, and on July i, 1858, he married Mrs. N. J. McElhose, a 
daughter of James and Hannah Kier. They have had three children — Elizabeth, Ella, 
and Nannie. The latter died in childhood. In the fall of i860 he was elected asso- 
ciate judge of Jefferson county. In politics he has been an active Whig and Republican. 
In 1865 he retired from actixe business life ; being successful in the same, he was enabled 
to live comfortably off the fruits of early toil. He is at this writing in his seventy-fifth 
year, and is a staunch Presbyterian, an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Punx- 
sutawney. 



Brief Personals. 747 



Trimble, J. R., Warsaw, of Hazen, was born in Armstrong county on August 3, 1836, 
and came to Hazen, Jefferson county, in 1862. He has been engaged in the general 
mercantile business, and is now justice of the peace, having held that office for the past 
fifteen years. He was a son of William L. and Elvira P. (Redick) Trimble, of Arm- 
strong county. He was married on February 4, 1862, to Catherine Graham, a daughter 
of Josejjh and Deborah (Blackburn) Graham, of Westmoreland county, Pa. They have 
had a family of two children — Bertha E. and Harvey A. 

Wainwright, George R., Big Run, Gaskill p. o., was born in 1857, and was married 
in 1882 to Martha J. Frampton, who was born in 1863, and was a daughter of Rev. J. 
and Martha (Brooks) Frampton, who were married in 1856, and have had ten children 
— Hamilton, Edgar, Luke, Martha J., Annie, Etta, Herb, Alpha, John, and James. 
Three are deceased. George R. and Martha J. have had two children — lola Maud 
and Sarah Ann Margaret. George R. was a son of Isaac and Catherine (Rishell) Wain- 
wright. Catherine was born in Brady township in 1832, and her husband, Isaac, was 
born in Gaskill in 1S34. They were married in 1854, and Isaac died in 1885, leaving a 
widow and four children — John A., George R., Maggie C, and Ella. Isaac was a son 
of Richard and Ann Wainwright, natives of Devonshire, England, who settled in Gaskill 
township about 1822. They had a family of eight children — George, Mary, Lucy, Ann, 
Amy, Isaac, Hannah, and John. Three children of this family are now living — Ann, 
Amy, and Hannah. 

Weaver, George S., Punxsutawney, Big Run p. o., was born in Bell township in 
1839, and was a son of George and Elnora (Schoch) Weaver, who were natives of 
Bavaria, Germany. They settled in Clearfield county. Pa., in 1832, where they died. 
They had a family of eight children, six of whom are now living — Henry L., Barbara, 
George S., Susanna and Adams (twins), and two sons who served in the war. The 
father held several of the town offices, was an early weaver, but afterwards a farmer and 
lumberman. George S. was married in 1866 to Catherine Snyder, of Indiana county. 
They had a family of six children — Harry W., Clara, Mary E., Anna C, Cora B., and 
Ames O, George S. was a justice of the peace for ten years, constable and collector for 
four terms, a school director for two terms, assessor for five terms, and auditor for three 
terms. In early life he became a farmer and lumberman, and in 1883 erected his pres- 
ent steam saw and shingle-mill, and purchased his homestead in 1866. 

Webster, N. B., Polk, Munderf p. o., was born in Eldred township on April 14, 1850, 
and is a general merchant and also postmaster at Munderf He has also been a justice 
of the peace. His parents were George and Lydia (Rogers) Webster. N. B. Webster 
was married on August 4, 1872, to Sarah Plotner, a daughter of John C. and Elizabeth 
Plotner, of Polk township. N. B. and Sarah have had four children — Addie A., Hen- 
rietta, Malinda C, and Daniel. 

P I^Winslow, Augustus, Gaskill, Big Run, Hudson p. o., was a son of Joseph W., and 
Christiana (Long) Winslow, of Gaskill, and a grandson of Carpenter and Elizabeth (Col- 
burn) Winslow. He was born in Pittston, Mass., on March 22, 1866. His greatgrand- 
father was Kenelm Winslow, who came on the second \-oyage of the Mayfloiver from 
England. Augustus was born in Gaskill, Jefferson county, in 1842, and was married in 
1870 to Eveline Bell. She died in 1883, leaving a family of three children — Annie M., 
Maggie E. and Edith Blanche. He then married his second wife, Barbara Pifer, of 
Henderson, in April, 1885. She was a daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth Piper, of Hen- 
derson. Augustus Gaskill became engaged in the lumber business in 1866, and in 
1880 erected a steam saw-mill of twenty-five horse power on the Ugly Run Stream. He 
was the founder of the post-oflice at Hudson, and held the office of postmaster for about 
seventeen years, only giving it up when President Cleveland took his seat. He enlisted 
in Company B, Seventy- Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Colonel Scorbury, and 
served until the close of the war. 

White, James, Eldred, Sigel p. o., a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fifer) White; was 
born in Maryland in 1830, and settled in Jefferson county in 1851. He was married on 
May 27, i86x, to Sarah Mench. They have had a family of eight children : Mary E., 



748 History of Jefferson County. 

William W., Lily A., Sarah L., Margaret J., Edward L., Cynthia E. M., and George E. 
Mr. White is now engaged in farming, and owns a farm of seventy-five acres. 

Wilson, Dr. Charles A., Big Run p. o. ; physician and surgeon of Big Run borough; 
was born in Clearfield county on January 20, 1858, and was a son of Doctor George 
and Anna H. (Huber) Wilson. Anna H. was born in York county, and her husband, 
George, was born in Indiana county, and settled in Luthersburg, Clearfield county, in 
1846. Doctor George settled in Big Run in 1872, where he now resides. Charles A. 
read medicine with his father, and was graduated from the Louisville, Ky., .School ot 
Medicine, in 1881, after which he settled in Big Run borough, in the practice of his pro- 
fession. He became engaged in the general drug and prescription business, dealing in 
all leading and fancy goods in connection with the drug trade. He was married in 1879 
to Alice Tyson, a daughter of G. K. Tyson, esq. They have had three children : Zula 
C, Nora L., and Charles W. Charles .V. Wilson has held several offices of the borough, 
and was appointed postmaster in 18S5. His father. Doctor George Wilson has a fam- 
ily of five sons and one daughter : Edgar, Doctor Joseph C, Doctor Charles A., John 
P., Anna, Harry M., and Anna, who died in 1883 at the age of nineteen years. 

Wilson, John C, Washington, Victor p. o., is a miller, and was born in Pine Creek 
township, on March i, 1838, and was a son of John J. and Elizabeth (Hall) Wilson. 
His father was a miller, a business which he learned in Indiana county, this State, and 
was among the pioneer millers of Jefferson county, locating at Port Barnett. Later, he 
removed to Clarion county, where he now resides. John C. Wilson was a soldier in 
the late War of the Rebellion, enlisting in Company H, i4gth Pennsylvania Bucktails. 
He served for three years and was honorably discharged at the close of the war. He 
located in Washington township in 1865, where he has since followed his occupation, — 
that of a miller, — at what is known as the Osburn grist-mill, and one of the oldest mills 
in the county. 

Winslow, James, Punxsutawney, was born in Maine, on April 14, 1798, and was 
married in 1820 to Betsey Miller, who was born in 1800, and was a daughter of Robert 
Miller. She died in 1847. They had a family of twelve children ; three died in infancy, 
and three sons and five daughters are now living. Mr. Winslow was associate judge of 
the county for thirteen years and was a justice of the peace for fourteen years. He set- 
tled in Gaskill township in 1821, with his parents and their family, and of that large 
family only two are now living : James, born in 1798, and Joseph, born in 1804. 

Winslow, Joseph W., Huston, Big Run p. o.,^an early and much respected citizen of 
Jefferson county, was born in Maine on December 10, 1804, and was a son of Carpen- 
ter and Elizabeth (Coburn) Winslow, who settled with their family in Clearfield county, 
in 1819; Carpenter, at that time purchasing his farm in Gaskell, erected buildings and 
settled there in 1821, where he died in 1827. They had a family of nine sons. Car- 
penter and Elizabeth were married in 17S7. Elizabeth died in 1837. Joseph W. Wins- 
low was born in Wiscasset, Me., on December 10, 1804, and was married in 1832 to 
Christina Long, a daughter of Joseph Long. They had a family of eleven children, four 
sons and seven daughters : Augustus G., Joseph C, Ruben C, Sarah, Caroline, Eliza- 
beth, Minerva, Mary, and Flora, who died in 1882; and one son and daughter who died 
in infancy. Mr. Winslow having retired from business, and being in very comfortable 
circumstances, he and his wife are surrounded with every comfort, and by their children 
and grandchildren. 



INDEX. 



Academies and select schools, 104 

Academy, the. at Brookville, 109 

Agricultural society, 325 

Allegheny Valley Railroad, 404 

Alexander, Caleb A., 355 

Animals. 19 

Armstrong's Jesse, rafting experience, 46 

Arthurs, Benton P., 363 

Assembly, members of, 82 

Assessment record, first, 62 

triennial, of 1886, 78 
Attorneys, deceased, 354 

list of, 344 et seq. 
Auditors, 85 

"Backwoodsman," the, 229 

Bank, First National, of Brookville, 304 

First National, of Punxsutawney, 

308 
Jefterson County National, 307 
Mahoning, of Punxsutawney, 307 
National, of Brookville, 307 
the Brookville, 304 

Barnett, Andrew, death of, 32 

Barnett, Joseph, 30 

early labors of, ^;^ 

Barnett township, 544 

early settlers of, 544 
officers and statistics of, 546 
topography and geology of, 544 

Bar, resident members of, 365 
the, 343 

Beaver township, 644 

early settlement of, 644 
officers and statistics of, 647 

Belleview, 542 

Bell township, 662 

early settlement of, 662 
officers and statistics of, 663 

Bench, the, 340 

" Big frost," the, 7 1 

Big Run, 670 

91 



Biography of Brady, Andrew J.. 677 
Brown, Henry, 719 
Carrier, Albert A., 691 
Clarke, M.D., Asaphh M., 703 
Darling, Paul, 698 
Dinsmore, Marion J.. 702 
Ferman, Alonzo, 688 
Gibson, M.D., W. M. B., 706 
Gillespie, U. J., 695 
Humphrey, James, 705 
Hunter, Samuel A., 688 
Jenks, George A., 678 
Kelso, Joseph C, 698 
Litch, Thomas K., 696 
London, Truman B., 710 
Long, James E., 692 
McClure, Alexander M., 701 
McGhee, [ames, 672 
McKnight, M.D., W. J., 711 
Reynolds, sr., Thomas, 682 
Thompson, J. J. Y.. 689 
White, .Alexander C.,68i 
Winslow, Reuben C, 687 

Birds, 20 

Bishop, Dr. Gara, 370 

Bounties for killing wild animals, 49 

Brady, Andrew J., biography of, 677 

Brady, Hugh, 354 

Brockwayville, 551 

cemeteries of, 551 

officers of, 552 

past and present business of, 553 

statistics of, 553 

" Brockwayville Register," the 234 

Brookville, 413 

business houses, early of. 442 

cemeteries, 445 

early enterprise of, 437 

firms in, 442 

first settlers of, 415 et seq. 

hotels of, 464 

in 1830, 414 



750 



Index. 



Brookville in 1855, 441 

Litch monument at, 448 

location of, 413 

natural gas in, 471 

past and present business of, 453 et 
seq. 

schools of, 444 

soldier's monument, 447 

statistics and ofticers of, 475 

stock-raising in, 448 

water works of, 469 
" Brookville Democrat," the, 232 
"Brookville Jeffersonian," the, 229 
"Brookville Republican,", 229, 231 
Brown, Henry, biography of, 719 

Carrier, Albert A., biography of, 691 
Church statistics, 236 

the Baptist, 276 

the first. 54 

the Methodist Episcopal, 259 

the Presbyterian, 237 
Clark, Jesse G., 356 
Clark, Dr. A. M., 371 

account of first rafting by, 51 

biography of, 703 

incident related by, 46 

recollections of, 40 
ClayviUe, 523 

business of, 524 

officers of, 524 
Clover township, 570 

agriculture in, 590 

churches in, 585 

lumbering in, 584 

manufactures of, 594 

mills in, 593 

schools of, 586 

settlement of, 582 

soldiers of, 587 

statistics and officers of, 580 

the professions in, 592 

topography and geology of, 581 
Clyde, Captain William J., sketch of, 154 
Coal beds, 408 et seq. 
Commissioners, county, 84 
Companies B and C,two hundred and si.xth 

regiment volunteers, 187 
Companies B and I, one hundred and for- 
ty-eight regiment volunteers, sketch of, 
172 
Company B, one hundred and thirty-fitth 

regiment volunteers, 170 
Company B, two hundred and eleventh 

regiment volunteers, sketch of, 183 
Company C, second U. S. sharpshooters, 
191 



Company F. si.xty-seventh regiment vol- 
unteers, sketch of, 1 66 
Company I, sixty-second regiment volun- 
teers, sketch of, 125 

roster of, 133 
Company K, eleventh regiment reserves, 
sketch of, 116 

roster of, 125 
Company K, fourteenth cavalry, igi 
Company L, eleventh cavalry, 189 
Congress, members of, 81 
Conser, Major John C, sketch of, 151 
Coroners, 86 
Corsica, 641 

officers and statistics of, 643 
County buildings, erection of first, 108 

officers, present, 87 

seat, location of, 107 
Court-house and jail, the first, 68 
Court-house, the new, no 

dedication of, in 
Coxson, John K., 357 

Darling, Paul, biography of, 69S 

Dinsmore, Marion J., biography of, 702 

Divides, 18 

Dowling, Captain John C. sketch of, 153 

Dowling, Dr. Hugh, 373 

Dowling, Dr. James, 371 

Dowling, Dr. John C, 381 

Draft, the, 200 

Draft troubles, 212 

Drainage, 17 

Economy practiced in early days, 45 
Eighteenth U. S. infantry, 192 
Eidred townshi]), 555 

early settlers of, 555 

first improvements in, 559 

geology of, 555 

officers, etc., of, 561 
Election record, first, 62 
Emergency men of 1863-64, 194 
Emerickviile, 494 
Evangelical Association, the, 283 
Evans, Dr. Alvah, 368 

" Fair-plav men," 31 

Ferman, Alonzo, biography of, 688 

Fish, 20 

Floods, 73 

Flora, 19 

Forests, 18 

Fourth of July, first celebration of 42 

Fudge Vancamp et al.. freezing of, 44 

Fugitive slaves, 7 1 

Fuller's Station, 495 



Index. 



751 



Gaskill township, 595 

early settlement of, 596 
statistics and officers of. 597 
Geology, 20 

Gibson, M.D., W. M. B., biography of, 706 
Gillespie, U. J., biography of, 695 
Gordon, Alexander, L., 360 
Graham, Mrs., lost in the woods, 45 
Graham, Mrs. Sarah A., relation of early 

incidents by, 35 
Grahams, the, 36 
Grand .^rmy of the Republic, organization 

of, 215 
Grunder, Lewis A.. 363 

Hardships of early settlers, 42 
Heath, Elijah. 355 
Heath township, 628 

early settlers of. 628 

geology of, 628 

officers and statistics of, 629 
Heichhold, Dr. .\lexander P., 378 
Henderson township, 667 

early settlement of, 668 

officers and statistics of, 670 

present business of, 669 
Holland Land Company, the, 332 
Humphrey, James, biography of, 705 
Hunt, Captain, the last Indian in the 

county, 29 
Hunter, Samuel .A., biography of, 688 

Improvements, first, on site of Corsica, 39 
Improvements for the last half century, 75 
Lidians, habits of at settlement of county, 
29 

purchases ot land from, 25 

rum trade with, 26 

trails, 25 
Institutes, county, 103 

township, 103 

Jefferson county, acts of Legislature in re- 
lation to, 14 

agricultural society in, first, 324 
at the time of Joseph Barnett's ar- 
rival, 28 
bar, the, of, 343 
beginning of history of, 13 
bench, the, of, 340 
date of formation of, 14 
dimensions and area of. 16 
effects of the war of the rebellion 

upon, 73 
first school-house of, 96 
full organization of, 67 
geology of, 20 



Jefferson county, Indian occupation of, 24 

in the fir.st quarter of a century, 65 

Medical Society, 389 

natural characteristics of. 16 

post-offices in, 90 

receipts and expenditures of in 18 16- 
17, 62 

relief fund, 214 
"Jefterson County Graphic," the, 232 
" fefferson Democrat," the, 228 
" Jefferson Star," the, 230 
Jenks and Tionesta townships, 561 
Jenks, David B., 356 
Jenks, Dr. John W., 367 
Jenks, George A., biography of, 678 
Judge Glenni \V. Scofield, 340 

Isaac G. Gordon, 343 

James B. Knox, 341 

James Campbell, 340 

Theophilus S. Wilson, 342 

William L. Corbet, 342 

William P. Jenks, 341 
Judges, associate, 87 

president, 86 

the first, 340 
Judiciary, 86 
Jury commissioners, 86 

Kelso, Joseph C, biography of, 698 

Knapp, Moses, 38 

Knights of Pythias, 314 

Knox township, 657 

business interests of, 659 
early settlers of, 656 
officers and statistics of, 661 

Knoxville, 660 

Land warrants, list of, 333 et seq. 

Legend of Noshaken, 28 

Legislative acts relative to land purchases, 

33° . . ^ 

Legislature, acts of, in relation to Jefferson 

county's organization, 14 

summary of acts of, relating to Jef- 
ferson county, 88 
Litch, Thomas K., biography of, 696 
London, Truman B., biography of, 710 
Long, James E., biography of. 692 
Long, William and Jackson, noted hunters, 

5° 
Long's, Adam bear story, 48 

Lucas, Thomas, 357 

Lumbering, early, on Little Toby, 51 

Lumber interest, early, 400 

trade, impulse given to, in 1830, 67 

Lutheran Church, the, 285 



752 



Index. 



McCalmbnt township, 664 

business interests of, 666 

first settlers of, 665 

officers and statistics of, 666 

topography and geology of, 664 
McClure, Alexander M., biography of, 701 
McGarrah, Kev. Robert, 54 
McGhee, James, biography of, 672 
McKee, William K., 362 
McKnight, A. A., 361 

raises troops, 113 

sketch of, 149 
McKnight, M.D., W. J., biography of, 7 1 1 
Mahoning Creek, origin of name of, 515 
Mahoning Navigation Company, 402 
" Mahoning Valley Spirit." the, 233 
Marriage, an early, 46 
Masonry, 309 

Matson, Dr. Charles M., 381 
Maysville, or Hazen, 604 
Medical practice, law relating to, 390 

Society, 389 
Monks, Andrew J., 364 
Murder of Mrs. McDonald, 74 

the first, 69 

Natural curiosities, 22 
" New Era," the, 230 
" New Purchase," terms and boundaries 

of, 13 
Newspaper, the first, 68 
Newton. Dr., 366 

Odd Fellows, 312 
Ohiotown, 625 
Oliver township, 65 1 

early improvements in, 654 

early settlers of, 652 

officers and statistics of, 657 

present business of, 655 

Pancoast. 628 

Panther story, a, 51 

Patriotic Sons of America, 318 

Patrons of Husbandry, 319 

Pekin, 604 

Pensioners, 227 

Perry township, 497 

officers of, 503 

settlement of, 497 

statistics of, 503 
Physicians, difficulties of early, 366 

early, 368 et se(|. 

present, 394 et seq. 
Pioneer incidents, 44 
Pine Creek township, 476 

cemeteries of, 493 



Pine Creek township, early dockets of, 478 

farms of, 483 

fines for misdemeanors in early days 

of", 477 

geology of, 487 

lumber and saw-mills in, 488 

officers of, 496 

population, etc., 495 

schools of, 492 
Polk township, 648 

first settlers of, 648 

ofiicers and statistics of, 650 
Port Barnett, 493 
Porter township, 576 

early settlers of, 577 

geology of, 577 

officers and statistics of, 579 
Post-offices, 90 

the first, 66 
Preachers, early, 55 et seq. 
Prescottville, 625 
Prosecuting attorneys, 84 
Protestant Episcopal Church, the. 289 
Prothonotaries, 83 
Punxsutawney, 510 

business of, 519 et seq. 

early settlers of, 516 

fires in, 519 

journal of Ettewein touching upon 
name of, 511 

officers of, 523 

origin of name of, 26, 510 

statistics of, 522 
" Pun.xsutawney Plaindealer," the, 233 
" Punxsutawney Valley News," the, 233 

Rafting experience, early, 52 

Railroads, 404 

Railroads and railroad agitation, 74 

Rapid increase of settlement from 1830, 67 

Rathmel, 628 

Rebellion, reception of the news of the, 1 13 

Reeser, Rev. George, sketch of early church 
work by, 56 

Relics of past ages, 63 

Relief fund, 214 

Religious services, first account of, 54 

Reynolds, sr., Thomas, biography of, 682 

" Reynoldsville Herald," the, 254 

Reynoldsville. 613 

amusing incident concerning name 

of, 619 
early business interests, 620 
early schools and churches, 617 
fires in, 621 

general business of, 622 
ofiicers and statistics of, 627 



Index. 



753 



Richardsville, 603 
Ridgwav township, 526 

e'arlv settlement of, 527 

Gill'is. James L., leading settler of, 

5-7 ,. ^ 
Ringgold township, 630 

early setders of, 631 
officers and statistics of, 633 
topography and geology of, 630 
Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron 

Company, 411 
Roman Catholic Church, the, 293 

first, 61 _ . 

Roster companies I and K, eighth regi- 
ment Volunteers, 115 
of drafted men, 202 
Rose township, 531 

early improvements in, 541 
early setders of, 532 
farms in, 542 
geology of, 532 
lumber and saw-mills in, 541 
officers of, 543 
statistics of, 543 
Runaway slaves, 68 

Sandy Valley, 628 

School, first in BrookviUe, 97 

first taught in the county, 53 
house, first in southern part of the 

county, 97 
houses, primitive, 53 
organization under the present sys- 
tem. 98 
superintendents, loi 
Schools previous to the adoption of the 

present school system, 96 
Senators, State, 81 
Settlement, first, in Clover, 39 
Sheriffs, 83 
Sigel, 560 

Smith, Mrs. Ann, early school-teacher, 53 
Snyder township, 547 

early setders of, 548 
lumber and saw-mills in, 548 
officers and statistics of, 550 
topography, 547 
Soldiers' orphans, 223 
Sons of Veterans, 219 
State road, the first, 64 
Statistics of agriculture and manufactures 
from 1870 to 1880, 76 
of growth, 68 
Stack, Captain John M., sketch of, 155 
Streams, 17 
Summerville, 595 
Supreme bench, the, 343 



Surveyors, county, 86 
Sutherland, Charles, slave, 65 

Temperance organizations, 326 

Thompson, J. J. Y., biography of, 689 

Topography, 16 

Tornado, the great, 72 

Townships, acts of Legislature establisli- 

ing, 63 
Trails, 63 
Treasurers, 83 

Union township, 636 

eady setders of, 636 

geology of, 636 

officers and statistics of, 640 
United Brethren in Christ, 291 

Presbyterian congregation of Brook- 
viUe, the, 248 

Presbyterian congregation of Jetter- 
son, the, 253 
United States colored troops, 193 

Volunteers, departure of first company f, 

114 . r 

one hundred and fifth regiment of, 

roster of, 156 
association of, 165 
Vote for presidents of the United States, 

79 

Votes for governor, 80 

Wallaston and Adrain, 525 
Warsaw township, 598 

early improvements in, 602 

early setders of, 599 

officers and statistics of, 604 
Washington township, 564 

early settlers of, 565 

geology of, 565 

officers and statistics of, 575 
White, Alexander C, biography of, 681 
Winslow, Reuben C, biography of, 687 
Winslow township, 606 

cemeteries in, 611 
. early settlers of, 607 

officers and statistics of, 612 

topograhy and geology of, 606 
Wise, W. W., 358 

Wolf story, a, 49 

Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 329 

Woman's Relief Corps, 222 

Worthville, 634 

Young township, 504 

early setders of, 505 
geology of, 504 
officers of, 509 
statistics of, 509 



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